Once settled in billets at Enquin-les-Mines the Battalion
was engaged in training and preparations for the part they would take in the
forthcoming battle, with the emphasis on “manoeuvres, practising attacks,
wood-fighting, artillery formations. Also the men have been practised in the
handling of arms, musketry, extended order drill and all movements which are
necessary in the present war”. The billets were considered good, the weather
remained fair and the Battalion was reinforced by a draft of men fresh from
training in England. The Battalion Memoir reported, “This period was most
enjoyable, the weather was good and the men very keen and fit. We had a large
and particularly good draft from North Shields. Billets were also good and we
had some very successful Battalion sports”.
A number of men from this draft have been identified. Sgt. Charles Smith (11791) was 37 years old; he was a veteran of the Boer War and had re-enlisted on the outbreak of war and been posted to the newly-formed 10th Battalion. The reason why he had not been posted to France in August 1915 is unclear. Originally from Elland, he had worked as a policeman in Huddersfield after leaving the army. In 1904 he had married Elizabeth Olive Stokes and the couple had two children. The family had subsequently moved, firstly to Dover and latterly to Maida Vale, London. Pte. Paul Bland was a 20 year-old grocer’s assistant from Bradford. Pte. Victor Frank Collen was a 19 year-old textile worker from Keighley. Pte. Ernest Fozard was 20 years old and from Bradford. Pte. George Heeley was 19 years old and from Mirfield, where he had been working as a woollen piecer. Pte. Norman Greenwood was 19 years old and from Keighley. Pte. Arthur Hodgson was a 31 year-old warehouseman from Oakenshaw Bridge. Pte. Ronald Jeckell was a 21 year-old groom and gardener from Norwich. He had originally enlisted into the Corps of Lancers in September 1914 but had been transferred to 8DWR in June 1915, going out with them to Gallipoli in July 1915. He had been invalided back to England in December 1915, suffering from frostbitten feet and had spent time in the Alexandra Hospital in Cosham. Once recovered he had been posted to 3DWR in April. Many of this draft were men who had attested under the Derby Scheme in December 1915 and had been called up in January and February 1916. Pte. Harold Howlett was a 21 year-old window cleaner from Brighouse. Pte. Herbert Kitley was a 20 year-old textile worker from Halifax. Pte. John William Mallinson was a 20 year-old labourer from Greetland, near Halifax; he had attested in December 1915. Pte. Richard Marsden was a 20 year-old grocer from Settle. Pte. Clifford Midwood was a 23 year-old grocer from Mirfield. Pte. Fred Riddiough was a 21 year-old clerk from Bradford. Pte. William Allen Sayer was a 26 year-old labourer from Burslem; he was married with two children (a third child had died in September 1915 aged 23 months). He had been wounded in February 1916, suffering a relatively minor shrapnel wound to his neck. However, the wound had become infected and he had been evacuated to England and had spent a month in the Welsh Metropolitan War Hospital in Whitchurch, before being posted back to France on 24th May. Pte. Samuel Stansfield was a 19 year-old textile worker from Sowerby Bridge. Pte. John Stephenson was a 21 year-old textile worker from Yeadon. Pte. Jonathan Richardson Sunderland was 20 years old and from Keighley; he had been working as a clerk to a firm of farmstock auctioneers. Pte. Thomas Anthony Swale was a 21 year-old carter from Shipley. Pte. William Postill Taylor was a 21 year-old motor engineer from Huddersfield. Pte. Lewis Walton was a 19 year-old weaver from Todmorden. Pte. Samuel Wilson was a 20 year-old warehouseman from Wibsey, Bradford. Pte. Milton Wood was a 19 year-old joiner from Halifax.
A number of men from this draft have been identified. Sgt. Charles Smith (11791) was 37 years old; he was a veteran of the Boer War and had re-enlisted on the outbreak of war and been posted to the newly-formed 10th Battalion. The reason why he had not been posted to France in August 1915 is unclear. Originally from Elland, he had worked as a policeman in Huddersfield after leaving the army. In 1904 he had married Elizabeth Olive Stokes and the couple had two children. The family had subsequently moved, firstly to Dover and latterly to Maida Vale, London. Pte. Paul Bland was a 20 year-old grocer’s assistant from Bradford. Pte. Victor Frank Collen was a 19 year-old textile worker from Keighley. Pte. Ernest Fozard was 20 years old and from Bradford. Pte. George Heeley was 19 years old and from Mirfield, where he had been working as a woollen piecer. Pte. Norman Greenwood was 19 years old and from Keighley. Pte. Arthur Hodgson was a 31 year-old warehouseman from Oakenshaw Bridge. Pte. Ronald Jeckell was a 21 year-old groom and gardener from Norwich. He had originally enlisted into the Corps of Lancers in September 1914 but had been transferred to 8DWR in June 1915, going out with them to Gallipoli in July 1915. He had been invalided back to England in December 1915, suffering from frostbitten feet and had spent time in the Alexandra Hospital in Cosham. Once recovered he had been posted to 3DWR in April. Many of this draft were men who had attested under the Derby Scheme in December 1915 and had been called up in January and February 1916. Pte. Harold Howlett was a 21 year-old window cleaner from Brighouse. Pte. Herbert Kitley was a 20 year-old textile worker from Halifax. Pte. John William Mallinson was a 20 year-old labourer from Greetland, near Halifax; he had attested in December 1915. Pte. Richard Marsden was a 20 year-old grocer from Settle. Pte. Clifford Midwood was a 23 year-old grocer from Mirfield. Pte. Fred Riddiough was a 21 year-old clerk from Bradford. Pte. William Allen Sayer was a 26 year-old labourer from Burslem; he was married with two children (a third child had died in September 1915 aged 23 months). He had been wounded in February 1916, suffering a relatively minor shrapnel wound to his neck. However, the wound had become infected and he had been evacuated to England and had spent a month in the Welsh Metropolitan War Hospital in Whitchurch, before being posted back to France on 24th May. Pte. Samuel Stansfield was a 19 year-old textile worker from Sowerby Bridge. Pte. John Stephenson was a 21 year-old textile worker from Yeadon. Pte. Jonathan Richardson Sunderland was 20 years old and from Keighley; he had been working as a clerk to a firm of farmstock auctioneers. Pte. Thomas Anthony Swale was a 21 year-old carter from Shipley. Pte. William Postill Taylor was a 21 year-old motor engineer from Huddersfield. Pte. Lewis Walton was a 19 year-old weaver from Todmorden. Pte. Samuel Wilson was a 20 year-old warehouseman from Wibsey, Bradford. Pte. Milton Wood was a 19 year-old joiner from Halifax.
Pte. Sam Shuttleworth
(see 10th June) who had
been undergoing medical treatment for tooth decay over the previous days, was
discharged to duty. However, he did not re-join the Battalion, but was instead
posted to 23rd Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.
Pte. Stephen Grady (see 2nd May), serving with the Brigade Trench Mortar
Battery, was promoted Lance Corporal.
L.Sgt. Mark Allan
Stanley Wood, serving with 16th West Yorkshires, was discharged
from hospital, having spent the previous nine days being treated for suffering
from seborrhea (see 8th June).
He would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR.
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