Saturday 12th August 1916

Buigny L’Abbe

Some light training was done, “musket practice and handling of arms” and “various inspections were held to ascertain the state of the men’s kits. All deficiencies were made good”. In the evening orders were received for a further move to be made next day to Bailleul.

Lt. William Andrew Leo Kerridge (see 30^th July) who had suffered the effects of the German gas shells fired after the actions at Munster Alley, was evacuated to England.

Former member of Tunstill’s Company, Cpl. George Clark (see 23^rd June), now serving with ASC, Motor Transport Section, based at Bulford Camp, Wiltshire was promoted Acting Sergeant (unpaid).

Pte. William Leach (see 1^st August), who had been in England since having been wounded in May, appeared before an Army Medical Board assembled at 3^rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth. The Board considered the facts of his case and recorded “General health good. Walks with a limp owing to thigh wounds. There is ankylosis of his left arm at elbow. The limb is flexed at nearly a right angle and movements up and down are very limited”. The Board reported his disability as 100% at present but noted that “it will improve”. He would accordingly be discharged with effect from 29^th August with a pension of 25s. per week, to be reviewed after six months.

Pte. William Leach

Image by kind permission of Andy Wade and MenOfWorth

The weekly edition of the Keighley News carried reports on casualties among Tunstill’s Company;

News has been received from the front by Mr. and Mrs. F.S. Thornton of 18 Well Street, Keighley, that their son, Lance-Corporal Harry Thornton (see 29^th July), of the Machine-gun Section of the West Riding Regiment, has been killed in action. Second Lieutenant Maurice Odell Tribe (see 29^th July), writing to Mrs. Thornton on August 2 said: “Your son died instantaneously, killed by a bullet. He did not know death was coming, nor was there a moment’s pain. He was in a difficult place and behaving as he had done in many other difficult places; one particularly I remember when by his coolness and clever handling of his gun he saved the life of a particular friend of mine, and largely helped by that in taking of a German trench. For that he had been recommended for a D.C.M., but higher honours than this army could give have come to him. I often feel that those whom we call dead may be able to do so much more for us than ever they could before. We all miss him very much and I am sure we shall not forget him.” A further letter has been received from Sergeant Tom Pickles of the Machine-gun Section, who said: “Your son Harry made the great sacrifice whilst doing his duty like the brave lad he was. He was caught by a sniper’s bullet … We all feel very keenly for you. Harry was well liked in the section and I found him a good man. He was shortly in for promotion but God willed otherwise.” An apprentice to motor engineering with Messrs. Grace & Sutcliffe, Lance Corporal Thornton enlisted in the early stage of the war at 18, and had been in France about twelve months. He was well known in the town, and was associated with the Upper Green Congregational Sunday School.

L.Cpl. Harry Thornton

Private Claude Smith Slater (20) (see 9^th July) West Riding Regiment of Hamworth Lane, Ingrow, has died from wounds. He enlisted in the early stages of the war, and had been at the front for about twelve months. He was formerly employed as a woolsorter by Messrs. J. Haggas & Sons, Ingrow, and was associated with the Wesley Place Wesleyan Chapel.

Pte. Claude Smith Slater

Lance Corporal Matthew Best (see 10^th July) of the West Riding Regiment, and of 63 Sun Street, Keighley, has been wounded in the left arm and is now in hospital at Newcastle. He had been wounded previously in the war.

L.Cpl. Matthew Best

The Times carried a brief obituary of Lt. Frederick Hird (see 8^th August) who had been killed at Munster Alley;

HIRD – Killed in action on 29^th July, whilst gallantly leading his men against a counter-attack. CAPTAIN (sic.) FREDERICK HIRD, Duke of Wellington’s, younger son of the late James Hird, RN, of Lowmoor.