Saturday 7th October 1916

Support trenches north-west of Martinpuich.

Fine day, windy and wet at night; temp 66F

In accordance with the orders received the previous evening, the Battalion returned to positions at Destremont Farm, 26^th Avenue and 70^th Avenue, ready to support 11^th West Yorks. in their attack, which was to be made in conjunction with troops to the right. The move was made under heavy shelling, but by 12 noon the Battalion was in position. Under Brigade orders, ‘B’ Company was then detached and sent forward to be placed under the command of 11^th West Yorks, and held in reserve by them. The initial attacks went in at 1.45pm. East of the Bapaume Road 9^th Yorks. achieved their objectives and occupied large parts of the village. However, for West Yorks., attacking twenty minutes later, west of the road, there was much greater resistance. “2^nd Flers Line was again found to be strongly held. The supporting lines advancing from Destremont Farm suffered as severely as the leading troops both being enfiladed by machine gun fire from left flank. The first attack failed”. 11^th West Yorks. suffered heavy losses with 8 officers and 217 other ranks reported as casualties, with more than 60 killed or missing.

‘B’ Company 10DWR was then ordered up to be in position to make a second assault. However, as this advance was being prepared, the Germans, finding themselves outflanked by other units, surrendered to parties of 11^th West Yorks. and the Company from 10DWR was able to occupy the trenches largely unopposed. The CO 11^th West Yorks. then requested further reinforcements and ‘C’ and ‘D’ Companies of 10DWR were sent up to hold the front line. At 7.15pm ‘A’ Company and Battalion HQ of 10DWR were moved forward to Destremont Trench and Lt. Col. Hayne (see passim) then took over command of the front line from OC 11^th West Yorks. It soon became clear that the line was not held in sufficient numbers and Hayne found that his Companies were supported by only 61 remaining men from 11^th West Yorks. As a result he sent forward two further platoons from ‘A’ Company and requested that two platoons from 8^th Battalion Yorks. and Lancs. be sent up to supplement the two weak platoons from ‘A’ Company which now constituted his only reserve. Major Robert Harwar Gill (see 6^th September) was then ordered “to proceed to the front line to clear up the situation and inform me as soon as possible of the position”.

L.Cpl. James Barker (12288) (see 30^th July) suffered a gunshot wound to his left hand, resulting in a compound fracture to the little finger; the detals of his immediate treatment are unknown but he would be evacuated to 23^rd General Hospital at Etaples. Pte. Thomas Riding (see 23^rd June) suffered a minor shrapnel wound to his left ankle; he would spend four days away from the Battalion being treated locally before returning to duty on 12^th October. Pte. Richard Swallow (see 4^th October) suffered (minor) shell contusions to his abdomen; he would be admitted via 1^st/3^rd Northern Field Ambulance to 15^th Division Rest Station before re-joining the Battalion two days later.

Having occupied OG2 and with the situation, at least temporarily, somewhat quieter, it became possible to recover and to bury the remains of some of those who had been killed in and around the German-held trenches on 4^th October. The bodies of 2Lt. Robert Main Graham (see 4^th October) and 2Lt. Henry Herbert Owen Stafford (see 4^th October) were both identified and their bodies recovered. According to a later report Staffiord’s body, “was brought in by some of another Company. His servant, Pte. Harold Walker Bray (see below) said, “everything was found in his pockets as it should be”. However, as with so many of the other burials, the graves of Graham and Stafford were lost in subsequent fighting and both are now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Other bodies were also recovered from the area around the former German-held parapet, including those of Lt. Harry Harris (see 4^th October) and Sgt. John Hartley (see 6^th October). It was reported that Harris’ body, and most likely those of Hartley and the others, had been buried, “at a point about 1,000 yards south-west of Le Sars”. After the Armistice these burials were among more than 3,000 which were exhumed and re-interred at Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont.

Pte. Harold Walker Bray was a 31 year-old married man from Golcar, near Huddersfield, with three children; he was an original member of the Battalion.

Lt. Harry Harris

Sgt. John Hartley

Hartley family memorial in Cowling

Prior to the return to the front line Capt. Adrian O’Donnell Pereira (see21st August) reported sick, “complaining of exhaustion and loss of nerve”; he was evacuated for treatment locally in the first instance.

Capt. Adrian O'Donnell Pereira

2Lt. Fred Baume (see 4^th October), who had been wounded during the initial advance at Le Sars, was evacuated to England onboard the hospital ship Carisbroke Castle, travelling from Le Havre to Southampton. Having arrived the following day, he would be admitted to 3^rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford.

Cpl. John Knowles (see 8^th July) and Ptes. Harry Gordon Binns (see 5^th July), John Dalby (see 13^th August), and Fred Smith (15149) (see 5^th July), who had been in England since having been wounded in July, were posted to 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Gateshead.  

Pte. Reginald Hancock (see 19^th July), who had been severely wounded in the chest during the advance on Contalmaison was released from 2^nd Western General Hospital in Manchester, following three months in hospital.

Pte. Albert Ellis (see 21^st August), who had been in England since having been wounded in August, was transferred from Redburn Auxiliary Hospital in Eastbourne to Urmston VAD Hospital, also in Eastbourne.

A ceremony was held in Settle for the formal presentation of a German machine gun on loan from the War Office. Chief guest was Walter Morrison (see 25^th July), who had been instrumental in the raising and equipping of Tunstill’s Company, accompanied by Capt. Gilbert Tunstill himself and his wife Geraldine; Capt. Tunstill was currently recuperating from an accidental injury suffered in September (see 19^th September). A detailed account of the event subsequently appeared in the local press:

CAPTURED MACHINE GUN HANDED OVER TO THE CARE OF LIEUT-COL. MORRISON

A German machine gun or automatic rifle, which has been captured from the Germans and kindly lent as a war trophy to the locality by the War Office, was handed over to the care of Lt. Col. Walter Morrison n Saturday last. It had been decided to have the presentation in the Market Place but owing to the torrential rain the proceedings had to take place in the Victoria Hall and commenced with an inspection of the members of the Giggleswick School Officers’ Training Corps under the command of Capt. E.D. Clark, by Lt. Col. Walter Morrison.

Mr. G. K. Charlesworth, who occupied the chair, was accompanied on the platform by Lt. Col. Walter Morrison, Capt. Tunstill and Mrs. Tunstill, Mr. R.N. Douglas, Mr. T. Brayshaw, Mr. T. Harger, Mr. T.E. Pearson, Lt. T. Brayshaw, Coy. Sgt-Major W.J. Robinson DCM and Sgt. R. Rawdin.          

Mr. G.K. Charlesworth, in opening the ceremony, thanked Mr. R.N. Douglas (headmaster of Giggleswick School) on behalf of the town and district for the compliment he had paid the town by allowing the members of the School Officers’ Training Corps to be present. It had no doubt been done partly on behalf of the town of Settle and partly as a compliment to the Chairman of the Governors of the School, Mr. Walter Morrison. He understood Mr. Brayshaw (secretary of the Local Relief Fund) had got the machine gun from the War Office, and also that few of these guns had been given out in England, but that some large guns had been given to big towns. He thought he was right in saying that no towns as small as Settle had received an automatic gun and it was due to Mr. Brayshaw that Settle had. Those who stayed at home were inclined to grumble at the taxes, but they could never do too much for the men who were fighting the battles, and the more there was to pay the more pleased they should all be. There were some very good Relief and other committees, especially in Settle, and he did not think there was another district where the War Relief work had been better organised than at Settle. They were just about to make an effort for the Christmas parcels for the soldiers, because as the war went on more and more men went to the front and the Relief Committee relied on everyone to help them. They were proud to have with them their County Council Representative, Captain Tunstill. He was not a County Councillor who went to Wakefield only, but he went round the district to gather men to go to the war with him. He went as a private and by merit was raised to be a Captain. (Cheers). He then introduced Captain Tunstill.

Captain Tunstill thanked the Chairman for the kind words which he had said about him. Had it not been for the good work of the people of this country they could not, he said, have carried on in France. In speaking of the war he said that the men from the Settle district were in the thick of the fighting on 11^th July and helped to make one of the best captures by taking the village of Contalmaison. There were some 2,000 casualties that day, and the things that held them up were the machine guns. Practically 80% of the casualties were caused by the machine guns. The Boches had retired to their dugouts – 30 or 40 feet deep in the ground. The machine gunners, who were very brave fellows, stood the bombardment and afterwards got their guns into action, and played on the advancing infantry, and nearly all the casualties were caused by this means. They captured 300 prisoners and got nine machine guns. Two of the guns were allotted to his Regiment and the others to other regiments which also took part. He had written to see if one of these guns could be procured for Settle and he thought there was a chance of Settle getting one. He had been with the Company which left Settle two years ago, but the Company had changed. He thought he knew every man who went out with him, but he certainly did not know them now. They had been made up half a dozen times since then. He would remember the men he went out with as long as he lived. They did their work well under great difficulties. None of the men knew what a bed was out there, the only one they got being probably a barn floor (the building most likely not having a roof on) when they were having a rest. It was much easier holding the ordinary line as they did last year than being in a “show” like the Somme. The men were many times wading up to the middle in water. They were very thankful for the things which had been sent out to them from this district. Over and over again men had been kept alive by them, and they appreciated them very much, although perhaps they did not write much about it. He hoped to get back to his Regiment but he was prepared to go anywhere. He had hoped to see some of the men who had been with him at Settle that day but he had not then seen any. There was one man he would like specially to mention and that was Sgt. Edmondson (see 1^st September). He had done some particularly fine work and had both legs badly knocked. He had done his share of soldiering if he did no more. He had done more than his real share. There never was a harder worker or a finer man alive (applause). In closing he referred to the OTC and said what a fine body they were, and if there was another war he would not mind going out with them (applause). 

Mr.R.N. Douglas, who was received with much applause, said on behalf of the committee who were organising the War Societies in this town he had been appointed to make the presentation to Mr. Morrison, who was recognised as the “Military Father” of this district. It was 57 years since he first started in the district the North Craven Volunteers. The War Office had sent down this gun for the purpose of expressing the gratitude which it felt at the the work which had been done in the district, and he thought that the work might be divided into three portions. The first was the work which had been done by Captain Tunstill. Many of them were present two years ago in that room on the occasion when Captain Tunstill came to get as large a number of men as he could to serve with him in the British Army. He made a speech which was short indeed, but if he had not been present with them there, he would say it was the finest, manliest, most straight forward and sterling speech which it had ever been his lot to hear (applause). A man who could make that speech was bound to get his men. He went out to France and the War Office had given him a certain amount of recognition already for the work he had done. In these days, in the British Army, promotion went by merit, and Pte. Tunstill of two years ago was Captain Tunstill of today, and partly in further recognition of the work he had done the War Office had assigned a gun to Settle. Their second objective, he believed, was to thank the district for what they had contributed to the Forces and to other things connected with the war – the Belgian, Red Cross, YMCA Funds, England’s Day, France’s Day and Russia’s Day. Every ‘dog’ has had his day and the ‘dog’ that had had his day in Settle had been very well done indeed. It was no light matter in these days of expensive living, when one man was doing the work of two, to undertake extra labour, but everything had been generously supported. In recognition of the generosity of Settle the War Office had sent this gun. Their motive was to express their thanks for what Lt. Col. Morrison had been able to do for his country. It was not only in the generous contributions which he had made to all the local and public funds throughout the country but it was also in recognition of the enormous amount of work he had done, and done so successfully, in the matter of recruiting. In the year 1859 Mr. Morrison instituted, organised and himself commanded, a Corps of Settle Volunteers and in so doing he started the military ardour in that part of Yorkshire, which has shewn such splendid fruit. It was right and fitting that this gun should be placed in the safe keeping of Mr. Morrison, and it was right that some sort of recognition of all he had done should be shewn to him in the name of the Committees who had the organisation of the things connected with the war in Settle. He then made the presentation amidst much applause.  

After the Settle Band had played a short piece, Lt. Col. Walter Morrison, in accepting the care of the gun, said that he felt it a great compliment to have this perfectly authentic copy of the war placed in his keeping. About 100 years ago the Craven Legion was disbanded – 1,000 infantry and 200 cavalry – and that was commanded by the then owner of Malham Tarn House, Lord Ribblesdale. They were a very fine body of men. Then as they had been reminded, about 57 years ago a Corps of Volunteers were formed. The Craven Legion was formed to protect our country against the attacks of one who aspired, like the present Kaiser, for world power – Napoleon. The territorials were the strict successors of the volunteers, who reached a considerable amount of proficiency in drill and shooting. He informed his hearers that he was rightly entitled to call himself Lt. Col. Morrison by order of the Council and to keep that rank, but he never used it except on special occasions. The territorials were started with the idea that it was possible to get 30,000 men at least until this war came upon Europe. Then there was the invasion of Belgium, France and Russia. It had been agreed to protect the smaller countries and it was this that made the increase in the territorials. Then there were the atrocities in Belgium etc. We had not heard the worst of these outrages; some of them had been too bad to put into print. There had been times in history when we seemed to be in a very low and dangerous position, but we had always been fortunate enough to have men who filled the position. Lord Kitchener’s name was known not only in this island, but throughout the whole of the British Empire, and the men who flocked into the ranks because they thought that in Lord Kitchener they had a man who would lead them to victory and who had always been successful in everything he undertook. It was his name more than anything else which in a remarkably short time brought four millions of recruits into our Army. All that Lord Kitchener had done on a large scale, their neighbour Captain Tunstill had done on a small scale and had done it equally well (applause). He went round from village to village, made short speeches full of matter, and then asked men to come forward, and all these men, being Craven men, were fine fellows. It was thought quite possible that raw troops might not behave well, but from the very beginning the territorials were real good soldiers. In referring to the Officers Training Corps, he said it was not only in the rank and file that gallantry was shewn, but it had been shewn equally strongly by the officers. If there was another war, there would be a very large number of officers ready to come out. Then there were the women, who had gone out as nurses etc. In his own school at Malham Tarn, where there were 171 children, they had been making sandbags and stockings. Of course there were some slackers among women, those who preferred to look in the glass and buy expensive robes, but there were not many of them. Of course every Englishman was not brave. There was the ‘Conscientious Objector’, but there were not many in that district. We were fighting against a brutal race, led by a singularly brutal man in the person of the Kaiser, and it would be observed that he had never been under fire. If he had, there would have been reports in every newspaper in Germany. The Germans as a nation had sunk to a lower level than any tribe that had ever lived. There was no savage tribe that had ever sunk to roping women together so as to drive them at the point of the bayonet in order to save themselves. He again thanked them for the honour they had done him (applause).

The Chairman thanked the Settle Band for their help, saying that they had done so much for nothing that they had nearly been forgotten and after a collection had been taken for the benefit of the Christmas parcels for our local soldiers and sailors the ceremony closed with the National Anthem.

Original notice of the meeting in Settle, preserved in the album kept by Geraldine Tunstill

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Capt. Gilbert Tunstill (front right) and Geraldine (middle row, right), with other members of  Geraldine's family

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton.

Walter Morrison

At around the same time, Walter Morrison had also dedicated himself to the production and presentation of what was to be described as, “a humble and sincere expression … of the gallant, heroic and self-sacrificing spirit shown by the sons of Craven in resisting the unscrupulous, malignant and pre-arranged design of Germany and her dupes to crush the British Empire and the civilised countries associated with her”. At a meeting held at his home at Malham Moor, a board of trustees was formed, comprising of Morrison himself, Col. John Birkbeck and Thomas Brayshaw to record the service of all those from Craven. At the end of the war this would come to fruition in the production of the commemorative volume, Craven’s Part in the Great War (see the remarkable  website, www.cpgw.org.uk from which I have been able to take much information and to the creators of which I owe an immense amount of gratitude).

The case of Capt. William Norman Town (see 26^th July) who would later serve with 10DWR, was considered by a Medical Board convened at St. Andrew’s Hospital, Malta. He had been admitted to the hospital ten weeks previously suffering from malaria. The Board found that, “he is in a very weak condition. He has a very bad appetite and on taking ordinary diet his stomach gets upset causing pain, vomiting and slight jaundice. He has lost a great deal of weight (one and a half stone) and is unfit for exertion. The Board recommends that he be transferred to England”.