A short night was spent at Steenwerck and the men took breakfast at 5.15 am and were on the road again by 6.15am. As planned, they rendezvoused with Capt. Heale’s party (see 17th August) at Pont d’Achelles, from where they marched by Company (with 200 yards between companies) to their positions near Creslow, completing the relief by 10 am. The Battalion was immediately required to find large working parties to work in the front line and communication trenches. The area was found to be “very quiet in comparison to Albert, the artillery on both sides only firing a few rounds per day. There are occasional burst of rifle and machine gun fire.”
Capt. Heale himself, however, reported sick and did not
accompany the Battalion. He had been suffering from an outbreak of boils to his
neck for the previous two weeks and was now despatched to receive further
medical treatment.
 |
| Lt. George Reginald Charles Heale |
Pte. Harry Briggs
(19286) (see 17th July)
was reported as having a dirty rifle; on the orders of Capt. James Christopher Bull (see 18th July) he was to be
confined to barracks for three days.
Following three weeks’ treatment for the wounds he had
suffered in the actions at Muster Alley, Pte. Thomas Lloyd (see 29th
July) was discharged from hospital and posted to 34th Infantry
Base Depot at Etaples, en route to a return to active service.
Pte. Douglas Smith
(see 4th August), who had
suffered severe head and leg wounds three weeks previously, died at 5th
General Hospital in Rouen. Pte. Smith had himself written to his family only the
previous day in positive terms, telling them that he was ‘mending nicely’. Subsequent
letters to his family would report the circumstances:
“Dear Mrs. Smith, I am extremely sorry to have to tell you
of the death of your son, Private D. Smith, who passed away peacefully at 1-45
a.m. on Friday morning last. He got suddenly worse and towards the end became
unconscious, so didn’t suffer any pain. His last words almost were about you
and home. He was buried in the English cemetery near here. A little cross will
be erected to mark the spot. He was such a brave boy, and always so patient and
cheerful. I am so very sorry, yours sincerely, M.D. Sawyer (Sister).”
The Rev. W. D. Richards (chaplain) would write, “I visited
your dear boy several times and always found him brave and cheerful, and
bearing his sufferings nobly. He at last passed away peacefully. It will no
doubt comfort you to know that he received every attention that human skill and
sympathy could provide. He is buried in St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen. The funeral
was a military one with full honours. The grave will be carefully tended, and
if you would like to have a photograph of it I will be pleased to arrange for
one to be sent on to you.”
 |
| Pte. Douglas Smith |
L.Cpl. Harry Clark
(see 15th July), who had
suffered wounds to his back in the actions around Contalmaison, was discharged
from 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester and posted to 11DWR
at Brocton Camp.
Major Lewis Ernest
Buchanan (see 19th July)
former 2IC of the Battalion, who had been in England since February, having
been taken ill whilst home on leave, was declared unfit for general service and
instructed to resign his commission.
The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried a series of reports regarding men from
Tunstill’s Company:
THORNTON-IN-CRAVEN -
THE TRAGEDY OF WAR: SERGEANT WILLIAM DIGBY STOCKDALE
The tragedy of war has been brought home to the quiet
village of Thornton by the death of Sergt. Wm. Digby Stockdale (see 13th August), 10th Duke
of Wellington's (Machine Gun Section), who was killed in France on the 29th
July. A son of Mr. and Mrs. Rd. Stockdale, he was one of the first to respond
to the call of patriotism from this village, and has been the first to make the
supreme sacrifice at the age of 21 years.
The following are extracts from letters of sympathy received
by the bereaved parents from France:- Lance-Corpl. Wright Firth (Earby):-
"The day before he was killed we were in a trench together all day, and we
passed the time on champion. He was in action at the time and doing his duty
nobly. When I heard, we were so busy that it took us all our time to look after
ourselves; but when the rush was over and I realised that Digby was dead, it
broke me down. I don't know how to write to you. Digby was a thorough
gentleman, always the same, laughing and cheerful, and he remained so until the
end. I saw Walter Robinson the other day, and when he knew he was very much
upset."
Sergeant Stockdale, Wright Firth, and W. Robinson all
enlisted together.
Sergeant Tom Pickles (Barnoldswick), of the Machine Gun
Section, writes:- "He was killed instantly by a rifle bullet as he climbed
the parapet. He suffered no pain whatever and died with his usual smile on his
face. The whole section expresses its deepest sympathy with you. Digby was
liked by men and officers alike. He only came to the section a few weeks ago,
but became a favourite at once."
Second-Lieut. Maurice Tribe (Machine Gun Section) writes:-
"It is not for me to try and estimate your loss, but knowing what ours has
been I can imagine something of what yours must be. I have known him since the
beginning of March 1915, when we were in the same platoon and again out here in
the Machine Gun Section. He was one of those who cannot be replaced and who are
missed by everyone. He was handling a difficult situation with his usual
ability and calmness when he was hit. We shall not forget who he was nor how he
died, and we shall always feel honestly sorry that he had to leave us."
Before joining the Army, Sergeant Stockdale worked as a
weaver at Messrs. Shuttleworth's Victoria Shed, Earby. Two of his brothers are
in training, and a third awaiting orders. Mr. Stockdale, snr., is employed by
Mr. Nelson, Manor House, Thornton. A memorial service was held at Thornton
Church on Sunday morning, conducted by the Rev. J. F. Tanfield (rector).
 |
| Sgt. William Digby Stockdale |
ANOTHER AIRTON
SOLDIER KILLED
Mrs. Earnshaw, of Airton, whose youngest son, Farrand, was
reported as missing from July 1st, has received from the War Office today a
statement that her son was killed in action in France on July 1st. Great
sympathy is felt for Mrs. Earnshaw and her family in this their third
bereavement. Her son, Sergeant Kayley Earnshaw, D.C.M., (see 28th July) was killed on June 9th, and her grandson,
Seaman Earnshaw, was lost in the naval battle.
 |
| Pte. Farrand Earnshaw |
 |
Sgt. Kayley Earnshaw, DCM
Image by kind permission of Sue Lugton
|
ADDINGHAM - NEWS OF
SOLDIERS
Miss Blackburn has received the following communication
respecting the death of her cousin, Sergt. W. Blackburn (see 11th August):-"Perhaps you have already heard
of the death of your brother (sic. cousin),
but as his Platoon Officer I would like to tell you how much we all sympathise
with you in your loss. He was a very efficient Sergeant and was very popular
among the men. Capt. Tunstill, his Company Commander, tells me he has mentioned
his name amongst those who did brilliant work in the recent fighting in which
the Battalion played so successful a part. Personally I shall miss him very
much, as he was a great help to me and could always be relied on. Again let me
assure you of our deep sympathy with you in your sorrow. - Believe me, yours
faithfully, F.L.D. Barker, 2nd Lieut., 10th West Ridings."
 |
| Sgt. Wilfred Blackburn |
ADDINGHAM - NEWS OF
SOLDIERS
Mr. Flint has received the following letters in acknowledgment
of parcels:- R. Wall writes:-"Please accept heartiest thanks for splendid
parcel. I regret to state that in our last spell in the trenches another good
Addingham lad lost his life. I am referring to Sergt. W. Blackburn, of the 10th
Battalion Duke of Wellington's. On our part of the line our chaps are doing
very well, but God only knows when it will be over. The artillery on both sides
is very good."
BURTON-IN-LONSDALE -
ONE SON KILLED, ANOTHER WOUNDED
Mrs. Kettlewell, Thornton Cottages, Burton-in-Lonsdale, has
received sad news concerning her two soldier sons, both of whom were attached
to the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. On Monday she received intimation from
York that her son, James (see 28th
July), had been killed in action on July 28th. Deceased was 24 years of age
and a fine and promising young man, standing over 6 feet in height. For eleven
years he resided with Mr. Slinger, Station Inn, Ribblehead, and for four years
before enlisting in November 1914 he was employed on the Midland Railway. He
had been in France since September last and was wounded at Loos. The letter
written by him on the day he was killed was received by his mother before the
official letter intimating his death. On Friday last Private Carr Kettlewell,
elder brother of the deceased, was wounded in the back and left shoulder with
shrapnel, and is now in the Westminster Hospital, London. Much sympathy is
expressed with Mrs. Kettlewell - herself an invalid - in her trouble. The
family are well known, the father, the late Mr. Thomas Kettlewell, having for
many years kept the Oddfellows' Arms, Westhouse.
 |
| Pte. James Kettlewell |
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