Saturday 16th October 1915

Bois Grenier Line trenches

Capt. Pereira of ‘D’ Company, who had been ill for the last few days (see 12^th October) left the Battalion and was admitted to hospital to be treated for dysentery.

In the evening the Battalion moved forward to the front line trenches near Rue Gattignies, north-east of Rue du Bois, with Battalion HQ at Farm du Biez. They relieved 11^th West Yorkshires who had been in front line since 11^th October (having returned from their temporary attachment to 20^th Division). The War Diary reported that, “The trenches in this part of the line were good, some of the dugouts being made of cement, and there were several communication trenches to the Bois Grenier Line”.

 

CSM Vernon Stanley Tolley, serving with 1^st/4^th DWR, was killed in action; he would be buried at Bard Cottage Cemetery. He was the brother of L.Cpl. Alvin Edmond Tolley, (see 16^th October).

As Tunstill’s Company moved into the front line trenches, back at home fund-raising efforts to support them continued. A concert in aid of the ‘Comforts Fund’ was hosted by Geraldine Tunstill and Mrs. Florence Illingworth at the Illingworth’s family home at Hanlith Hall, Bell Busk,  and attended by members of many of the prominent local families. “A short but delightful programme was rendered”, which included Geraldine Tunstill performing a duet alongside Miss Ethel Astley; the pair sang “Break Diviner Light” and “I Wish I Were a Tiny Bird”. Among the other performers were Charles Archibald Milford, who had been a prominent figure in Tunstill’s original recruiting campaign, and Frederick Lord; both men had performed at the concert held immediately prior to the Company’s departure from Settle in September 1914 (see 19^th September 1914) . The event raised a total of £41, which included contributions from several people who were unable to attend on the evening.

After the concert a small ‘sale of work’ was held, with stalls hosted by the Illingworth’s daughters, Lilian (aged 9) and Christine (aged 6), along with Miss Barbara Roundell and Master Bertrand Goulden (possibly a Belgian refugee?).This raised more than £30 which was donated to the French Red Cross, a cause with which Dudley Illingworth, husband of Florence and owner of Hanlith Hall, was closely associated.

Front and reverse of contemporary 'postcard' promoting the fund-raising event. The illustration on the front was a well-known image, originally by Gustave Fraipont, of the burning of Reims Cathedral by German shellfire in September 1914.