Tuesday 8th February 1916

Front line trenches east of Bois Grenier.

At 6 am Pte. Harry Iredale, who just days earlier had written home with thanks for parcels received, (see 5^th February) was taking his position on the fire-step for stand-to when he was shot in the head. He was quickly carried back down the communication trench by his platoon sergeant and then taken by the company stretcher-bearers, including Pte. Mark Beaumont (see below) to the dressing station. He was treated there before being transferred on to 8th Casualty Clearing Station at Bailleul where he would die of his wounds; he was nineteen years old. Harry would be buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord) (grave ref. II.C.120).

The remainder of the day passed quietly. At 10am officers from each company departed to take over billets from 13^th Durham Light Infantry but by the time that the relief began in the early evening heavy rain was falling, which slowed the relief to such an extent that it was almost midnight before the last of the Battalion completed the five mile march to their billets at Fort Rompu.



Pte.Harry Iredale

Pte. Mark Beaumont had enlisted at Ilkley on 17^th September 1914 and had been one of the local contingent who had been added to Tunstill’s original recruits prior to their departure for training. He was born in Menston on 7^th November 1890 and was the youngest of six children of David and Jane Beaumont. His father had owned a greengrocer’s shop but had died in 1903. Mark had been working before the war as a weaver for Abraham Moon and Sons, Netherfield Mills, Guiseley. His elder brother, Harry, had attested for service under the Derby Scheme in December 1915, but had not yet been called up.

L.Cpl. Matthew Best who had suffered an accidental injury to his chest during training three weeks earlier and had been treated at 13 General Hospital in Boulogne (see 3^rd February) was transferred to 25 General Hospital in Hardelot, near Etaples.

L,Cpl. Matthew Best

  

At home in Huddersfield, Ethel Kilburn, wife of Pte. Edward Kilburn, gave birth to the couple’s second son, who would be named Harold. Edward Kilburn was an original member of the Battalion; he had enlisted aged 27 and had worked as a cobbler.

A final payment, being the amount outstanding on his army pay, of 7s 7d was authorised to Jessie Ellis, mother of the late Sgt. Irvine Ellis (see 22^nd January).