Wednesday 1st September 1915

Nort-Leulinghem

Another wet day; training continued mainly to consist of short route marches. Five men from the Battalion were admitted to hospital with minor complaints.

Tuesday 31st August 1915

Nort-Leulinghem

Pte. John Henshall (see 6^th July) was ordered to undergo 21 days’ Field Punishment no.2; the nature of his offence is unknown.

Ptes. Joseph Thornton (see 23^rd July) and Sam Tinkler (see below) were reported, by CQMS Frank Stephenson (see 12^th June), as absent when due to draw rations at Nort-Leulingham at 3pm; on the orders of Major Hildyard both would be confined to barracks for two days.. 

Sam Tinkler was born in Bradford on 26^th February 1891, and baptized on 9^th April at Holy Trinity Church in the city. He was the youngest of seven children of Edward (b.1847) and Ellen Tinkler (b.1857). Since their marriage, at Holmfirth in 1873, the couple had moved regularly through a variety of Yorkshire towns. By the time Sam was born they were lodging with Ellen’s widowed mother, Hannah Bramwell, at 56 Birstall Lane, Bradford. Edward worked as an engine driver.

Sam’s mother died in 1895, aged just 38 and the family was broken up. In 1901, Sam’s sister, Sarah, aged 16, was in domestic service in Malton and her younger sister Annie (aged 11) was lodging with a family in the town; his brother Thomas (aged 13) was an inmate at ‘St Mark’s Home for Waifs and Strays’ at Natland in Westmorland; while Sam himself (aged 10) was living with his elder sister, Emma, and her husband, Thomas Haigh, in Keighley. Ten years later Sam was working as a woolcomber at Botany Mills, Keighley and lodging with Tom Charnock Young and his wife, Emily, at Thwaites House, Thwaites Croft, Keighley.

On 19^th September 1914 Sam had been one of thirteen local men who enlisted in Keighley and were posted to join Tunstill’s Company. Standing just five feet three and three quarter inches, he was only just tall enough to sign up. He gave his occupation at the time as ‘labourer’ and named his married sister, Sarah Carris, as his next of kin. It was Sarah who received the army allowance of 3/6d. per week while Sam was serving.

Pte. Sam Tinkler

Monday 30th August 1915

Nort-Leulinghem

The Battalion remained in billets, with a few route marches began undertaken over the next few days.

Sgt. Henry Herbert Calvert (see 27^th September 1914) was placed under arrest awaiting trial by Field General Court Martial on a charge of drunkenness; the trial would be held on 4^th September and Sgt. Calvert would be found guilty and ordered to be reduced to the rank of Corporal.

Pte. John Thompson (13350) was reported by CSM Daniel O’Shea and Cpl. Brian McAvan (23^rd April 1915) for ‘neglect of arms when on active service’; on the orders of Carpenter he would be confined to barracks for three days. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of Pte. Thompson beyond the fact that he was 21 years old.

The day’s activities were described by Lt. Robert Stewart Skinner Ingram (see 29^th  August) in a  letter to his mother, some of it again couched in the ‘Franglais’ which had been adopted by he and his fellow officers.

30th Aug. 1915

In the billets

France

6pm

My darling

No news but I’m merely writing because I know you’ll want to hear as often as poss. This morning a 15 km march and in the early afternoon respirator and periscope drill. And then I took the Company scouts out for an hour or so on our own. The weather has broken mon pere. Yesterday it poured all day, nous annoyed il fait encore tres bien temps.

By yesterday’s post I got my first letter overseas, an excellent one from Mrs. Wilson, kindly readdressed by Maud. In future, the Brigade and Division is not necessary, just 10th Battalion, the Duke of Wellington’s. Our Battalion interpreter is a splendid old boy. A master at Winchester till war broke out (a good chance for Maud to bring out her usual remark on such occasions).

I’m sitting writing in the kitchen of the farmhouse. We use it as our ante-room, although shared by Madame and 2 howling children and a little girl aged 9 who seems to work from morning till night when looking after the 2 younger ones or doing house work. I wonder if The Times might be sent out to me daily? All the other English papers we can get a day late.

Tom will be with you now I expect. It must be excellent being able to talk to him for more than about 2 minutes. Always before he’s had to rush away again in 2 or 3 days.

With much love to Father and the family

Your ever loving son

Robert

The mention of ‘Mrs. Wilson’ refers to the mother of Ingram’s friend from Harrow, 2Lt. Laurence Cecil Wilson, who had died of wounds (see 12^th August).  ‘Maud’ was Ingram’s sister and ‘Tom’ his brother, serving with the RAMC.

Sunday 29th August 1915

Nort-Leulinghem

It began to rain during the afternoon and this continued through much of the night.

By now the whole of 69^th Brigade had assembled and was billeted in the area. While 10^th West Ridings were billeted in Nort-Leulinghem, the remainder of the Brigade was located in other towns and villages in the area, as follows:

Brigade HQ at Villa Jacquot, Bayenghem-les-Eperlecques

8^th Yorkshires at Monnecove (between Nort-Leulinghem and Bayenghem)

9^th Yorkshires at Mentque and Nortbecourt

11^th West Yorkshires at Westrove (just west of Eperlecques)

Pte. Thomas Angus McAndrew (see 7^th May) was promoted (unpaid) Lance Corporal.

Sgt. Robert William John Morris (see 17^th May) was severely reprimanded by Capt. Charles Bathurst (see 27^th August) for ‘disobedience of Battalion orders’. Within the next five days he would also be severely reprimanded by CSM. John William Headings (see 12^th June) for ‘neglect of duty as platoon sergeant’ and also reprimanded by 2Lt. George Stuart Hulburd (see 27^th August) for ‘neglect of duty’; the details are unknown for any of these instances.

Saturday 28th August 1915

Nort-Leulinghem

The men of 10^th Battalion were given time to settle into their new life on active service; the Battalion War Diary simply recorded that, “Nothing of any note happened this day. The men were given a rest and settled down in billets which consisted of Barns & Farm Houses”.

Lt. Robert Stewart Skinner Ingram (see 27^th  August) took the time to write a long letter to his parents, some of it couched in the ‘Franglais’ which had been adopted by he and his fellow officers, describing his first impressions of life on active service.

28th Aug. 1915
(Notepaper clearly brought from home and headed “The Priory, Wimbledon”, but struck through)

Letter no.1
In billets
France

My darling Mother and Father

Voila ma premiere letter a vous d’overseas. Sorry, I can’t help it. All day we have been talking the lingo with madame et maintenant, avec mademoiselle. But mon avance est tres rapid. To get back a Bramshott. It was sweet of you and the family to come down in the car to the Anchor Hotel and of Jim to have been with me most of the day. The ladies of Liphook, led by Mrs. C.O. had an excellent tea ready for us all, officers and other ranks, on the station. There everything went exactly as expected. The crossing could not possibly have been better. Just like the proverbial mill pond. Not a cloud in the sky and a bright ¾ moon. Not a single man on the whole ship was seasick. On the quay this side in the first 100 yards I spoke to two Harrow men I knew quite well, and saw a third. From the quay a fearful 2 mile march up a hill like the side of a house brought us to a Rest Camp at about 2 am. Three hours sleep and another 3-4 mile march to a wayside station. After a long wait (for me, sleep) a huge train came up, drawn by 3 large engines. At least a 60 mph express thought me. But not a bit of it. The men in large cattle trucks, we in so-called 1st class carriages, that wretched train moved up country a la tortoise at speeds between 3 and about 12 miles per hour. Of halts at random there were not a few. Finally, after some hours of this foolery, we reached another little station. Thence an 8 eight mile march brought us to this little village, not unlike Eversley in Berks., where I was billeted on the Martins.

These little old marches don’t sound much but Jim, who knows the weight of my pack, will realise that we were bien fatigues by evening. And over the last 3 or 4 miles at the end of Friday I was also carrying 2 rifles. Altogether I suppose I was carrying 120 lbs. Never was one so thankful before for having taken some active interest in Madame la Boxe (Ingram had been a keen boxer in his time at Harrow), thereby acquiring a certain amount of strength of arms, shoulders and back.

It’s some country round here. Not unlike Hants. My whole Company, hereafter to be known as A Company, is billeted in a farmyard. The men are in the barns, cattle sheds etc and some are in the little farmhouse. Bolton (see 27^th August), Harris (see 27^th August) and I are in a barn up above. A rickety ladder leads up to it through what we call “Captain’s Drop”. The barn is fairly clean now and the spaces between tiles are protected by ancient cobwebs. Some years ago there was apparently glass in the window. During the first night it became perfectly obvious that we 3 were not the only inhabitants of that barn. The King of Carniverous Insects, however, reigns not in that place. For which we are truly thankful. This morning I had a delightful cold bath in a ½ barrel tub which my faithful servant Amos (see below) had raked out from “somewhere in France”. Judging by the colour of the water that tub was, until quite recently, closely connected with the butter or cheese industry. Our Company mess is going quite well and our French gets us along considerably better than we had anticipated. One of my Lance Corporals is a schoolmaster in private life (see below) and speaks French fairly fluently so I drag him along with me on any raiding expeditions. Everything, except matches, is very cheap. Fruit excellent. Ten large and sweet greengages for 1d. Pears and apples will soon be ready.

Nothing could be more peaceful than this little village. Haven’t seen the least sign of war yet, except 3 of our own planes buzzing over, having a look at us on the line of march. Away in the extreme distance there is the occasional boom of a big gun, but the line in front of us is apparently as peaceful as it could possibly be. This letter has stopped several times while I have been censoring letters. That seems to be one of our chief duties.

Suggest to Vyvyan that one of my best friends out here is my air cushion. A Sam Browne  belt is also essential for billets. (Could my Sam Browne belt with revolver, ammunition, holster be sent out, please?). Also tell him that the 35 lb. limit of kit is a washout. Anything up to about ½ a cwt will get through.

I wonder if my Jaeger sleeping bag and a revolver lanyard could be sent out? It would be very good of you if you would. The lanyard I don’t possess. I don’t much like the leather ones.

Now darlings, cheer up and try to worry about me at all. We are enjoying life immensely. One of the subalterns of the Company this morning described this life as a great picnic. And so it is while this lovely weather lasts. There are 2 Captains and 4 of us. There’s now not one that jars and we all get on very well together.

The whole thing really is a game, at times no doubt rather a hard game, but nevertheless just a game. We are trained for a game; the game of war, and come what will, we’ll play it as a game to the end of the show. I believe in enjoying life as much as possible, and not taking things too seriously. 

Don’t know at all how long we shall be here, but for some time. But what I do know is that tomorrow there is to be a huge 18 mile route march with full packs. Strafe the man who invented those packs! My address is to rather different from what I gave you. To give the Brigade and Division is not popular apparently. All that should be put on is Name, rank and Bn., ie 10th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regt., B.E.F. No more at all.

With much love to everybody

Your ever loving son

Robert

P.S. I wonder if I might have some of that notepaper that Tom uses?

Pte. John Wesley Amos was officer’s servant to Lt. Ingram. Jack Amos, as he was known, had been born in Rhyl in 1884, the eldest son of Thomas and Hannah Amos. His father had died in 1898 and he had lived with his widowed mother, at the family’s boarding-house in Rhyl, with Jack working as an accountant. His mother had died in 1912 and Jack had been visiting his married sister in Ilkley in September 1914 when he enlisted. He was one of the Ilkley contingent of volunteers who were added to Tunstill’s original recruits.

The Lance Corporal and former schoolmaster may well have been L. Cpl. John Charles Brison Redfearn (see 18^th August), who, like Amos, had enlisted in Ilkley, although this cannot be confirmed.

‘Jim’ refers to Ingram’s younger brother; ‘Tom’ was his older brother, serving with the RAMC; the identity of ‘Vyvyan’ has not been established.

Friday 27th August 1915

Following their arrival at Boulogne just before midnight on 26^th, in the early hours of the following morning the Battalion was guided to their rest camp. Lt. Dick Bolton (see 17^th August) later recalled that this  meant a three mile march, carrying full kit, up the ‘seemingly endless hill’ out of Boulogne, to St. Martin’s Camp, where ‘we were all distributed amongst the tents as well as possible in the darkness’.   After a short rest, at 5am, the Battalion marched a further four miles, over dusty roads, to the station at Pont a Briques.  There then followed another protracted wait, before, at 12 noon, they departed from Pont a Briques; the officers travelling in the first class carriages and the men in covered cattle wagons. The journey, no more than twenty miles, took four long hours in the heat of the day. The journey was described by Lt. Robert Stewart Skinner Ingram (see 26^th August): “Three hours sleep and another 3-4 mile march to a wayside station. After a long wait (for me, sleep) a huge train came up, drawn by 3 large engines. At least a 60 mph express thought me. But not a bit of it. The men in large cattle trucks, we in so-called 1^st class carriages, that wretched train moved up country a la tortoise at speeds between 3 and about 12 miles per hour. Of halts at random there were not a few. Finally, after some hours of this foolery, we reached another little station”. The men detrained at Watten, were formed up again and despatched on a further eight mile march to the ‘rather miserable village’ of Nort-Leulinghem (although Ingram described it rather more favourably, as being, “not unlike Eversley in Berks., where I was billeted on the Martins”).  In accordance with normal protocol, the officers were to be accommodated in the village’s farmhouses, with the NCOs and men in barns and outbuildings. Officers would have led the Battalion through the village, despatching the men, platoon by platoon, to their appointed places. Within individual billets NCOs would have given orders for the drawing of rations, water, blankets and other essential supplies before, doubtless exhausted by their travelling, the men would surely have discarded their equipment, claimed their own ‘pitch’ in the billet, and resorted to cigarettes and hot, sweet tea, the standard fare of the Tommies. Lt. Ingram described conditions for Tunstill’s Company, “My whole Company, hereafter to be known as A Company, is billeted in a farmyard. The men are in the barns, cattle sheds etc and some are in the little farmhouse. Bolton (see above), Harris (see 21st August) and I are in a barn up above. A rickety ladder leads up to it through what we call “Captain’s Drop”. The barn is fairly clean now and the spaces between tiles are protected by ancient cobwebs. Some years ago there was apparently glass in the window”.

The advance party of 10DWR under Major Buchanan (see 26^th August), which had spent the previous night near Le Havre having crossed from Southampton, travelled by train to Watten and from there marched to Nort-Leulinghem, arriving soon after the main body of the Battalion.  

On arrival at Nort-Leulinghem the Battalion comprised of 29 officers and 872 other ranks.

The officers of the Battalion were:

Lt. Col. H.J. Bartholomew, C.O. (see 21st August)

Major L.E. Buchanan, 2IC (see 26^th August)

Capt. C. Bathurst, Adjutant (see 27th July)

Lt. L. Hammond, Transport Officer (see 7^th September 1914)

Lt. D.W.P. Foster, Quartermaster (see 24^th February)

‘A’ Company:

Major H.R. Hildyard (see 21st August)

Capt. H.G. Tunstill (see passim)

Lt. R. Bolton (see above)

Lt. R.S.S Ingram (see above)

2Lt. H. Harris (see above)

2Lt. F. Hird (see 23^rd August)

‘B’ Company:

Capt. H.M.S. Carpenter (see 21^st August)

Capt. A.P. Harrison (i/c machine guns) (see 23^rd August)

Lt. L.G.S. Bolland

Lt. W.A.L. Kerridge

2Lt. R.C. Perks (see 21^st August)

2Lt. S.L. Glover

‘C’ Company:

Capt. J. Atkinson (see 6th August)

Lt. G.R.C. Heale  (Intelligence Officer)

Lt. A.K. Laverack (i/c Bombers)

Lt. H.L. Waite

2Lt. C. Snell

2Lt. C.E. Merryweather

‘D’ Company:

Capt. R. Harwar Gill (see 26th August)

Capt. J.C. Bull

Capt. A.O’D. Perreira

Lt. L.N. Phillips

2Lt. H. Foster

2Lt. G.S. Hulburd

In addition, the two attached officers were Lt. J.D. Wilson (RAMC) (see 22^nd August) and Rev. W.L. Henderson (Chaplain) (see 11^th August). 

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald included an open letter written by Geraldine Tunstill:

Dear Sir – I should like to thank all those kind friends who have helped me so much the last year by sending socks and various other gifts to me for A Company, 10^th Battalion West Riding Regiment (Captain H.G. Tunstill’s men) and to say how very much these gifts have been appreciated, not only for their usefulness, but also for the kind thought which prompted them.

The Battalion has now left for France, and I am hoping to be able to send a large supply of “comforts” each month to the men, and should be most grateful for any contributions, however small, of socks, helmets, mufflers, shirts, cardigans, handkerchiefs, tooth brushes, tobacco, pipes, chocolate, soap, Vaseline, boracic ointment, pencils, writing paper, peppermints or money to purchase same, to be sent to me at Otterburn, Bell Busk.

I feel sure that their friends in Craven will not forget those men who are doing their duty to their King and Country, and will wish them all good luck and a safe return to those they love.

Yours truly

Geraldine Tunstill

Coopers Bridge, Bramshott, Hants.

 Another notice in the newspaper also referred to the departure of the Battalion:

AUSTWICK

For the Front

Mr. and Mrs. N.S. Swales, of Wood View, have received a letter from their son Fred (see 24^th July), stating that he and his company have left England for France. Mr. Swales joined, on September 7th at Settle, the 10^th Duke of Wellington’s, along with Mr. Tunstill of Bell Busk.

Thursday 26th August 1915

The advance party of 10DWR, under Major Buchanan (see 25^th August), along with other elements of 69^th Brigade, arrived at Le Havre early morning, having crossed overnight from Southampton. The party of 10DWR, along with most of the other troops, remained overnight in the rest camps in the area, though the Divisional Cyclist Company boarded a train late in the evening and proceeded to St. Omer overnight.

Pte. Tom Darwin (see 19^th August) reported for duty; he had been absent without leave for the previous seven days, having overstayed on his embarkation leave.

More men of Tunstill’s Company completed and dated their wills as they prepared for their departure (see 25^th August); among them was Pte. Tommy Cartman (see 7^th May).

The same day Tommy Cartman also sent home a signed postcard photograph of himself, with regards to his cousin Eva. It seems likely that the photograph had been taken recently and also that a photograph of his cousin, Pte. Charlie Branston, was taken at the same time. The two had enlisted together and Charlie’s postcard photograph also arrived back in Skipton.

Pte. Tommy Cartman

Pte. Charlie Branston

As per the orders of 23^rd August, the main body of 10DWR left camp at Bramshott to depart for France. The Battalion completed the short march south from Bramshott to Liphook. At Liphook, “The ladies of Liphook, led by Mrs. C.O. (ie Mrs Gladys Bartholomew, see 5^th June) had an excellent tea ready for us all, officers and other ranks, on the station”. There were also present other family members, including the parents and younger brother of Lt. Robert Stewart Skinner Ingram (see 17^th August). Half of the Battalion (C and D Companies), under Capt. Robert Harwar Gill (see 23^rd August), boarded a train at Liphook Station at 4.50pm (along with Brigade HQ) and the remainder (Battalion HQ, A and B Companies) followed on a second train forty minutes later (8^th and 9^th Battalions Yorkshire Regiment followed on subsequent trains). For these parties the journey would take them firstly to Folkestone, where a large crowd gathered along the railway embankment to give them a rousing send off. 10DWR (along with Brigade HQ and half of 8Yorks) then boarded a troopship (name unknown) and sailed from Folkestone at 9.45pm. The crossing was uneventful; Lt. Ingram told his parents that, “The crossing could not possibly have been better. Just like the proverbial mill pond. Not a cloud in the sky and a bright ¾ moon. Not a single man on the whole ship was seasick”. They arrived at Boulogne around 11.15pm and were joined about an hour later by a second ship carrying the remainder of the 8 and 9Yorks.

Immediately on arriving in France Sgt. William Edward Gibson (see 21^st August) was admitted to 2^nd General Hospital at Le Havre, suffering from an abscess to his back.

Col. George Rainier Crawford who had died four days earlier was buried in St. Peter’s Churchyard, Leckhampton, Gloucestershire.

Wednesday 25th August 1915

The advance party of 10DWR, under Major Buchanan (see 24^th August) arrived in Southampton in the early hours. They were joined there by the Transport detachments of the other Battalions of 69^th Brigade and also by the whole of 11^th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, all of which had travelled on various trains from Liphook during the morning. All these units, along with the Divisional Cycle Company, who had bivouacked the previous night at Southampton docks, then boarded two ships (one of them being the Mona’s Queen; the other is unnamed) and departed for Le Havre.

Mona's Queen

 

In preparation for their impending departure for active service, some of the men of Tunstill’s Company completed and dated the wills in their Army pay books; among those to do so was Pte. Tom Swales (see 7^th May).

 

Tuesday 24th August 1915

The advance party of 10DWR, under Major Buchanan, and including also some of Tunstill’s Company (see 23^rd August) departed for France. They proceeded first to Liphook Station (one mile south of Bramshott) and from there, in the early hours of 25^th, by train to Southampton.

69^th Brigade Field Ambulance embarked for France; RAMC personnel aboard the Empress Queen and the ASC men aboard the City of Benares. They sailed at 6pm, arriving at Le Havre at 2am the following morning.

RMS Empress Queen

23^rd Division Cycle Company (including a number of former members of Tunstill’s Company; see 8^th October 1914) went by train to Southampton; they arrived at 6pm and bivouacked overnight in goods sheds on the docks.

Pte. Wilson Hepworth was attached to 23^rd Division Headquarters for duty. He was a 34 year-old carter from Rastrick; he was married but had no children and had enlisted in Brighouse in September 1914.

Monday 23rd August 1915

Major General Sir James Babington, commanding 23^rd Division, replied to the message which had been sent by the King the previous day:

“I desire very respectfully to express, on my own behalf and that of the Division I have the honour to command, my very great thanks for His Majesty’s most gracious message. The deep interest taken by him in the 23^rd Division is most keenly felt and appreciated by all ranks, who respectfully beg to assure His Majesty of their devotion and loyalty, and of their earnest determination to do their utmost to uphold the honour of their King and country”.

A number of promotions took place ahead of the Battalion’s departure for France.

L.Sgt. Arthur Kilburn Robinson (see 10^th June) and Cpl. Albert Edgar Palmer (see 22^nd July) were promoted Sergeant. 

Pte. Frank Shackleton was appointed (Acting) Sergeant. He was a 29 year-old labourer from Bradford; he was married, with three children.

L.Cpls. John Bargh (see 28th July) and Billy Rawlinson (see 15^th April) were promoted Corporal.

L.Cpl. William Edmondson Gaunt was confirmed in his rank and paid accordingly, having been appointed to the rank, unpaid, earlier in the year (see 1^st May). 

Ptes. Henry George Headings (see 14^th October 1914), John Thomas Matthews (see below) and James Shackleton (see below) were appointed Lance Corporal. John Thomas Matthews was 33 years old and from Bradford; he was married, with two daughters. James Shackleton had enlisted in Keighley on 19^th September 1914 and had been posted, along with a contingent of other Keighley recruits, to supplement Tuntill’s Company. He was 23 years old when he joined up and working as a draper’s assistant. He was one of five children of Arthur and Lavinia Shackleton but both his parents were dead; Lavinia had died in 1907 and Arthur (who had re-married soon after) had died in 1912.

L.Cpl. Henry George Headings (seated, right), along with his brothers.

Image by kind permission of Jill Monk

L.Cpl. James Shackleton

The first elements of 69^th Brigade began to depart from the Bramshott area. Among the first to leave was the Brigade Field Ambulance, which struck camp at Borden at 9pm and arrived at Southampton at 1am the following morning. 

Detailed orders were received regarding the departure of 10DWR. The Battalion was to move in three parties.

The first party, under the command of Major Lewis Ernest Buchanan (see 25th July) would consist of the Battalion Transport (Transport Officer, Lt. Leonard Hammond); the Machine Gun Section (Capt. Alfred Percy Harrison); and some men of A (Tunstill’s) Company, under the command of 2Lt. Frederick Hird (see 8^th January), whose task was to assist with the loading and unloading of Transport and equipment. In total this party would number 110 men of all ranks, and be accompanied also by four ASC drivers.

The second party would be the whole of C and D Companies, under the command of Captain Robert Harwar Gill (see 27th July).

The third party would be made up of Battalion HQ, B Company and the remainder of A (Tunstill’s) Company. 

Sunday 22nd August 1915

The King, who had inspected 23^rd Division three days earlier, sent a message ahead of their departure:

“OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN

You are about to join your comrades at the Front in bringing to a successful end this relentless War of over twelve months’ duration. Your prompt patriotic answer to the Nation’s Call to Arms will never be forgotten. The keen exertions of all ranks during the period of training have brought you to a state of efficiency not unworthy of my Regular Army. I am confident that in the Field you will nobly uphold the traditions of the fine regiments whose names you bear. Ever since your enrolment I have closely watched the growth and steady progress of all units. I shall continue to follow with interest the fortunes of your Division. In bidding you farewell, I pray that God will bless you in all your undertakings”.

In advance of the Battalion’s impending deployment overseas, a final round of vaccinations was carried out under the supervision of the Battalion Medical Officer, Lt. John David Wilson. The exact nature of the vaccinations is not stated, but it is clear from the example of Pte. Joseph Simpson (see below) that not all vaccinations were successful.

 

Dr. John David Wilson was born in 1886; he was the son of the late Adam Wilson, a former provost (mayor) of Armadale. John had attended Armadale Public School and George Watson’s College, Edinburgh, before going on to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He graduated in 1909 and became partner with Dr. Steel in Hamilton, and remained there till 1915, when he was gazetted to the R.A.M.C. and attached to 10^th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.

Dr. John David Wilson

 Col. George Rainier Crawford (see 4^th May), the original Commanding Officer of 10DWR, died aged 53. He had been taken ill early in 1915 and had relinquished command of the Battalion. At the time of his death he had been living at 2 Beechworth Villas, Hale’s Road, Cheltenham, and his widow, Katherine Maud Crawford, continued to live there until her death on 29^th October 1937.

 

Saturday 21st August 1915

Preparations for the departure of 69^th Brigade continued, with the departure of officers for boarding and landing duties to Folkestone and Le Havre. Among these the representative from 10DWR was Capt. Herbert Montagu Soames Carpenter (see 19^th May).

CSM John Kearns (see 5^th March) was promoted Regimental Sergeant Major. It would appear that RSM Thomas Broadley (see 21st May) had been promoted to a role at Brigade or Divisional level. However, in the absence of a surviving record the only clue comes from a subsequent newspaper report which stated that he “went out to France in August 1915, where he was for four months. He was three months in Salonika before going to Egypt where he was promoted to the rank of Divisional Sergeant Major”.

Cpl. Herbert Lawton (see 22^nd July) was promoted Sergeant.

It seems likely to have been around this time, although the precise date has not been established, that a formal photograph of ‘A’ Company (Tunstill’s Company) was taken. The photograph features seven officers and 168 other ranks, of whom twenty-two have been positively identified.

In the image above these men have been indicated by lettering the rows A to H starting from the back row and within each row numbering from the left.

A7           Pte. Fred Benson (see 16^th September 1914)

A14        Pte. Reuben Smith (see 7^th September 1914)

A15        Pte. Johnny Smith (see 9^th October 1914)

C13         Pte. George Binns (see below)

C16         Pte. George Smith (see below)

E3           Pte. Arthur Hargreaves (see 27^th March)

E4           Pte. Charlie Branston (see 7^th May)

E5           Pte. Tommy Cartman (see 7^th May)

F3           Pte. Hugh Robinson (see 21^st September 1914)

F13         Pte. Clifford Unwin (see below)

G1          Cpl. Norman Roberts (see 30^th October 1914)

G3          Sgt. William Eley (see 18th August)

G4          Sgt. William Edward Gibson (see 7^th April)

G5          Sgt. Kayley Earnshaw (see 11^th December 1914)

G6          Sgt. Samuel Collins (see 21^st December 1914)

G8          Cpl. William Oldfield (see 29^th July)

G10        2Lt. Harry Harris (see 7th April)

G12        Maj. Harry Hildyard (see 26th June)

G14        Capt. Gilbert Tunstill (see passim)

G15        2Lt. Frederick Hird (see 8^th January)

G16        CQMS Frank Stephenson (see 12^th June)

G23        Pte. Kit Ralph (see 8^th September 1914)

G24        L. Cpl. John Hartley (see 10^th July)

George Binns had enlisted in Ilkey at the age of just 17 (he was born in May 1897) and was the second son of George and Mary Binns. His father was a joiner working on the Bolton Abbey Estate. Prior to the War George jnr. had been a member of the Barden Church Choir and had been working for Mr. George Atkinson, Low House, Barden. His elder brother, Charles (himself aged only 19) had already enlisted and had joined 8^th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s.

Clifford George Unwin had enlisted on his twenty-second birthday in September 1914, having previously served four years with the Territorials. He was the son of Samuel Unwin but had been living in Skipton with his married sister, Blanche (McEnnerney), following his mother’s death. Clifford had been working as a twister and loomer for Messrs. Rose, Hewitt, and Co. before joining the Army.

George Smith was aged just 15 (born 14th October 1898) when he volunteered in Keighley on 20th September 1914. He was the youngest of seven children of Joseph and Martha Jane Smith. Joseph was the Superintendent at the local waterworks and the family lived at 16 Drake Street, Keighley. George, like his two elder brothers, Joseph Yeoman Smith and John Midgeley Smith, worked as a sheet metal worker and all three brothers joined the forces. 

George Smith also features (back row, third from left) in a second photograph almost certainly taken around the same time. This features the Battalion Signals Section, with it’s officer, 2Lt. Robert Clement Perks (see 28^th February), seated, fourth from left, who would subsequently be closely associated with Tunstill’s Company.

Pte. George Smith pictured in his original 'Kitchener Blues' uniform
(Photo by kind permission of Robert Smith)

Pte. George Smith pictured in service' uniform, with signallers' insignia
(Photo by kind permission of Robert Smith)

10th Battalion Signals Section
(Photo by kind permission of Robert Smith)

Pte. Percy John Tolley, serving with 1^st/4^th DWR, was killed in action; he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial. He was the brother of L.Cpl. Alvin Edmond Tolley, (see 20^th July).

Friday 20th August 1915

Exactly one year earlier, Gilbert and Geraldine Tunstill had returned to England from their trip to Russia which had such an impact on Gilbert’s plan to raise his own Company.

At 4pm the embarkation orders which had been issued to 23^rd Division the previous evening, were issued to 69^th Brigade and duly communicated to all Battalions the same evening, though without reference to any specific destination. Any officers still on leave were immediately recalled to duty.

Pte. Josias Bailey was promoted Lance Corporal. He had enlisted in Brighouse on 7^th September 1914, at which time he was working as a quarryman. He was 37 years old and had been married for almost 12 years to Laura Bray; the couple had no children. Josias Bailey had previously served eight years with the West Riding Territorials. He had initially been posted to 3DWR and there are a number of entries in his service record which refer to punishments recorded by the CO of that Battalion whilst Bailey was actually serving with 10DWR; I am, as yet, unable to explain these entries.

Pte. Arthur Walton (see 4^th August), who had been held in detention for the previous two weeks awaiting trial on a charge of desertion, appeared before a District Court Martial. He was found guilty and sentence to 24 weeks’ detention; however, with the Battalion shortly to embark for France, 20 weeks of the sentence were remitted, and he was to be detained for just four weeks.

The weekly edition of the West Yorkshire Pioneer published a letter written by three Earby men serving with 9^th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment. Among the three was Pte. Richard Wharton, who was the brother of Tunstill’s recruit, Pte. Allan Wharton (see 19^th October 1914)

THE "PIONEER" IN THE TRENCHES - Three Earby Privates Write

We have received the following communication from three Earby privates, which we print with pleasure:-

9th Batt. Duke of Wellington's, 'A' Company, B.E.F., France.

Dear Editor, - Having seen so many letters in your paper from the 6th Battalion West Ridings, with which we are very familiar, we thought some of our friends would like to hear from us through the 'Pioneer'. We have been here just a month, and have already had some exciting and trying times. We have been shelled something awful this last four days. This is our tenth successive day in these trenches. The Germans are only fifty yards away from where I am writing, and we have had one or two 'scraps' with them. We gave them rapid fire for about half an hour last night, until our rifles were almost red-hot. They are very fond of sending whizz-bangs over, and they make an awful noise. You can hear them coming and it gives us the signal to lie flat on our stomachs. It is like waiting for your death; but we are all in the best of spirits, and doing our bit as cheerful as we can. Just as we close, the fun has commenced, so we must get to business.

Wishing your paper every success, we are, yours truly, Privates F. W. Foster, F. Yerkiss, and R. Wharton, of Earby.

(9^th Battalion was at this point serving in the trenches in the Vierstraat-Dickebusch area, south of Ypres).

Thursday 19th August 1915

Embarkation orders were finally received for 23^rd Division to be made ready to depart for active service.

 The whole of 23^rd Division, including Tunstill’s Company, were among troops inspected by the King on Hankley Common (between Guildford and Haslemere). News of the royal visit was reported in The Times the following day:

MACHINE GUN FIRED BY THE QUEEN

ROYAL INSPECTION AT ALDERSHOT

The King and Queen, who are visiting Aldershot, yesterday inspected the working of a machine-gun on the Rushmoor rifle range. The principle of the gun was explained by General Sir Archibald Hunter, and after several magazines had been fired, the King fired a full magazine and then the Queen, taking a seat on the tripod, did the same. Their Majesties afterwards walked up to the targets to see the results. On their return to the firing point, Princess Mary, who was also of the party, tried her skill with the machine-gun, emptying the magazine in ten or twelve seconds, at almost the full speed capacity of the weapon.

During the day the King and Queen paid a series of visits to various parts of the training camp to see the troops at work in the field.

The author of the official divisional history (who erroneously dates the visit to 16^th August) recalled that,

“the Division formed up on Hankley Common, and, presenting a magnificent appearance, was inspected by His Majesty the King, who was accompanied by the Queen. His Majesty was graciously pleased to express his very warm appreciation of all he saw. The cheers with which the 23^rd Division acclaimed their King at the conclusion of the parade will live in the memory of all who were present that day”.

King George V inspecting 69th Brigade on Hankley Common, accompanied (to his right) by Major General Babington, commanding 23rd Division and (to his left) by Brigadier General Lambert, commanding 69th Brigade. (Photo by kind permission of Jerry Rendell).

 

Pte. Tom Darwin (see 16^th August) was reported absent without leave, having overstayed on his embarkation leave.

 

Wednesday 18th August 1915

L.Cpl. Charles Thomas Mitchell (see 28^th April) was reported by Sgt. William Eley (see 30^th July), L.Cpls. Harry Waddington (see 19^th June) and Benjamin Hebblethwaite for ‘Insubordinate conduct to an NCO and obstructing an NCO in the execution of his duty’; on the orders of Lt.Col. Bartholomew he would be deprived of his Lance Corporal’s rank and revert to Private.

Pte. John Charles Brison Redfearn (see 11^th August) was promoted Lance Corporal. This was also the day on which Redfearn is recorded as having disembarked for service in France although the Battalion, along with the rest of 23^rd Division did not receive orders to embark for France until two days later. It is possible that as one of the Battalion scouts, Redfearn, with others, had been despatched early to prepare for the arrival of the main body of troops.

Gnr. John George Waggitt, arrived in England with 5^th Artillery Brigade, Canadian Expeditionary Force; they were to be based initially at Otterpool Camp, near Pymouth. John George Waggitt was the brother of Pte. Willie Waggitt (see 8^th August) who had recently been wounded in action and would, on his recovery, serve with Tunstill’s Company.

Tuesday 17th August 1915

Tunstill's Company remained in training at Bramshott.

One year earlier Lt. Dick Bolton (see 5^th December 1914) and Lt. Robert Stewart Skinner Ingram (see 9^th August) had been recommended for commissions; both were now serving with Tunstill’s Company.

Monday 16th August 1915

In Brisbane, Australia, Claude Alvin Darwin completed his attestation and medical to join the Army. He was the younger brother of Tunstill recruit Pte. Tom Darwin (see 12^th September 1914).Claude had emigrated to Australia in 1911 and had been working as an engine driver.

Sunday 15th August 1915

Tunstill's Company remained in training at Bramshott.

L.Cpl. Fred Angus (see 1^st May) was reported by Cpl. John Knowles (see 8^th July) as having failed to return on time from his embarkation leave; he would report for duty at reveille on 18^th August. On the orders of Lt.Col. Bartholomew he would be deprived of his Lance Corporal’s rank; forfeit four days’ pay and be confined to barracks for four days.

Saturday 14th August 1915

Pte. Frank Hargrave was reported as absent from tattoo until 9.45pm.

Frank Hargrave had enlisted on 11^th September 1914 in Ilkley and had been one of the men posted to ‘A’ Company to supplement Tunstill’s original recruits. He was born in 1885 in Addingham, one of the ten children (four of whom had died in infancy) of Frank (snr.) and Mary Hargrave. Frank snr. worked as a stonemason and Frank jnr. was a bricklayer. Frank jnr.’s younger brother, Edward, had joined 6^th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers in July 1915.

Having returned from his final leave, J.B. Priestley wrote home to his family from Bramshott: “We have not gone out yet, as you see, but we have rumours – thousands upon thousands of them. We have received strict orders that, when the time comes, we have not to mention the port of embarkation to anyone. The latest rumours are that we’re for the Dardanelles, not France, but nobody knows definitely … If you don’t hear from me for a long time, you’ll know we’re on our way to the Dardanelles”.

Friday 13th August 1915

Tunstill's Company remained in training at Bramshott.

Thursday 12th August 1915

In mid-August the men of Tunstill’s Company were awarded their period of one week’s embarkation leave (see 5^th August), although their date of departure and destination had not yet been confirmed.

The Craven Herald (20^th August) later reported the return home of another of Tunstill’s recruits, Wilson Pritchard (see 8^th October 1914):

Mr. Wilson Pritchard, son of Mr. William Pritchard, builder and contractor, Austwick, has been home on final leave for six days. Pritchard joined on September 7^th at Settle, the 10^th Duke of Wellington’s, with Mr. Tunstill of Bell Busk. After training with the regiment he was transferred into the 23^rd Divisional Cycle Company and is at present stationed at Bordon, Hants. He has been twice promoted, first to Lance Corporal and is now at present sanitary inspector at the same place.

Lt. Robert Stewart Skinner Ingram (see 11^th August) wrote to his parents with news of the death of two of his contemporaries from his time at Harrow School.

12th Aug. 1915 

(Regimental headed notepaper)

Bramshott Camp

Hampshire

My darling Mother and Father

I can’t thank you enough for letting me have the car this morning, and it was most awfully good of Jim to come down too. He’s told you all about everything I’m sure. This has been a most unfortunate week. After Jack, perhaps one of the finest men I knew at Harrow was one H.N.L. Renton. Played against Eton last year. We boxed together, we track-raced together. About 5 days ago he was reported killed in action with the 9th Bn. KRRC. And now Jack. But I suppose it is all part of the great game of war and all an infinitesimally small part of the price of Empire. And if Mrs. Wilson can look upon it as such (as of course it most certainly is) then it seems altogether out of place for me to make any comment of regret. But so terribly hard not to. Just got a wire Jack passed peacefully away this afternoon.

Your ever loving son

Robert

‘Jim’ refers to Ingram’s younger brother, James Skinner Ingram.

‘Jack’ was 2Lt. Laurence Cecil Wilson; he had been severely wounded in action on 7^th July, while serving with 1^st Battalion Norfolk Regiment near Hill 60, south-east of Ypres. He was invalided back to England but died, aged 19, in hospital at 17 Park Lane, London, on 12^th August. He is buried at St. Andrew’s Church, Thorpe-next-Norwich, close to the family home.

Lt. Harry Noel Leslie Renton, aged 20, was killed in action with 9^th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps in an attack on German positions astride the Menin Road, near Hooge, east of Ypres. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial.