Friday 11th February 1916

Billets at Fort Rompu.

Heavy rain fell for much of the day and the Battalion provided a working party of one officer and eighty men to work in the Bois Grenier line. Meanwhile, there was considerable German shelling of Erquinghem; around fifty shells between 10.45 and 11am. However the damage was slight (mainly to the Royal Engineers store) and only a few men were reported wounded.

More men departed for England on one week leave (see 23^rd January); among them were Sgt. Tom Pickles (see 7^th July 1915), Signaller Arthur Herbert Procter (see 7^th September 1914) and Ptes. James William Dunwell (see 27^th November 1915) and William Turner (see 24^th July 1915). However, Pte. Dunwell’s leave was to end in tragedy as he was killed when falling from the train which was taking him home overnight. The circumstances were detailed in an account which would be published in The Bradford Daily Telegraph on 15^th February.

Fell From Train – Shipley Soldier’s Tragic Death

An inquest was held at Barrow Hill, near Chesterfield, last evening (14^th February) on the body of Private James Dunwell, 10^th West Ridings, and an open verdict was returned. Dunwell, who was home on leave from the front, was travelling by the London and Leeds express on Friday night with Private William Turner, of the same unit, and residing at 51 Gracechurch Street, Bradford. Dunwell fell out of the compartment and his terribly mutilated body was found on the line. Ada Dunwell, the widow, of 6 Hargreaves Street, Shipley, said her husband was 29 years of age and the last time she saw him was in July. He was coming home on leave and was due at midnight on Friday, but did not arrive, and on Saturday morning she received the news that he had been killed on the railway. Previous to enlisting eighteen months ago he was a labourer at Fletcher’s sauce works, Shipley. Private Turner said that he and Dunwell had only two drinks in London. Travelling in a corridor compartment they fell asleep, and witness was awakened by feeling cold. He found the door open and his companion missing. He searched for Dunwell in the other compartments and in the lavatory without success, and then reported the disappearance to the travelling ticket collector. The police evidence showed that Dunwell had filled in a telegram at St Pancras, addressed to his wife, and reading, “Arriving Shipley 2am morning. James”. It was suggested that the reason why the wire was not sent was that Dunwell found he would reach Shipley before the expected time. The suggestion of Private Turner and the railway witness was Dunwell, waking suddenly, mistook the carriage door for the corridor door, but the Coroner advanced the theory that the door might not have been properly fastened after passengers alighted at Nottingham. Guard Gilders (London), however, declared that the doors were all secure when he gave the signal to start. Without expressing any opinion as to the cause of the accident, the jury found that Dunwell was killed by falling out of the carriage.

Pte. Dunwell would be buried at Windhill Methodist Cemetery, Shipley on 18^th February. It would be reported that, “Amid many manifestations of sorrow and regret the funeral took place … with full military honours. In spite of the inclement weather a large crowd of people assembled to witness the departure of the cortege. A Company of the West Riding Brigade Field Artillery attended and the coffin was borne on a gun carriage. The band of the Brigade played the Dead March as the cortege passed along the streets to the cemetery. Two beautiful floral tributes were sent from the neighbours along with others from the deceased’s wife, Aunt Emma and the employees of Fletcher’s sauce works. A firing party fired the last volley over the grave and the Last Post was sounded by the trumpeters”.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried news of the death of Trooper Reggie Killeen and of the memorial service which had been held in his home village of Bolton-by-Bowland. Reggie was the younger brother of one of Tunstill’s original recruits, Pte. Harry Killeen (see 6^th February), who had only recently been wounded and was still being treated in hospital in Manchester.

BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND - TROOPER REGGIE VICTOR KILLEEN KILLED

Sad news from the front to Bolton-by-Bowland continues to be received. Inspector and Mrs. Killeen, of the Police Station, have been informed that their younger son Reggie has died for his country. This so soon after the wounding of their elder son, who is now in hospital at Manchester, is a very hard blow to the parents who have the sympathy of the whole district.

Reggie, who is only 18 years of age, joined he 12^th Lancers in September 1914, and was afterwards attached to the 3^rd Dragoon Guards. He was sent to France early in October 1914 and has often been in action. He has had a lot of experience in trench warfare, and bomb throwing.

Trooper L. Boyer writes:- "I thought it my duty to write and let you know the sad end of Reggie. I feel very sorry, as he was my mate. I am in the same troop and squadron, and he died a hero fighting, and his death was instantaneous. He had no pain. I was only five yards from him when he was killed."

At the Parish Church on Sunday evening, the Rev. C. Broadhurst made feeling reference to the loss the village has sustained. His text was St. John. ii. 25, 'I am the Resurrection and the Life.' He continued "When he who has parted this life is laid to his rest, whether amidst the roar of artillery, or whether he be in the quiet of our own country churchyard, the first words of the Burial Service are words, not of death, but of life. 'I am the Resurrection and the Life.' It does not say I promise to bring the Resurrection of Life, but I am the Resurrection and the Life - an absolute certainty, which God alone could say. Surely it is as a thought to help us in the hour of sorrow that he whom we loved, losing his life, has gained it. That the boy which fought a brave fight for his country rests in peace, but this soul - his real life - lives in Paradise."

In spite of an exceptionally wet morning, special constables from Gisburn, Bolton-by-Bowland, and Grindleton attended the service at the conclusion of which the organist played the Dead March in 'Saul.'

Trooper Reggie Killeen

 

Trooper Claude Darwin, (see 3^rd December 1915) serving at Heliopolis in Egypt, was transferred from the Australian Light Horse to 5^th Australian Army Service Corps. He was the brother of Tunstill recruit, Pte. Tom Darwin, who was currently being treated for ‘debility’ whilst serving with 10DWR (see 4^th February).