Friday 8th October 1915

Jesus Farm, Erquinghem

The Battalion remained in billets, finding large working parties each evening to assist the Royal Engineers.

The weekly edition of The Craven Herald carried much news about Tunstill’s Company, including an account of continued support for Geraldine Tunstill in providing ‘comforts’ for the men:

THE “COMFORTS FUND”

10^th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment “Comforts Fund”

Mrs. H.G. Tunstill acknowledges with most grateful thanks the following donations: Mr. Walter Morrison, £50; Mr. Harry Tunstill (Aysgarth), £5; Mr. J. Brigg, £1; the Stationmaster at Newsholme, 5s.; Mr. W. Farrer (Carnforth), £1 and Mrs. Goulderr (Rheims), £2; proceeds of entertainment arranged by Mrs. and Miss W. Procter at Otterburn, £2 5s.; Mrs. H.G. Tunstill, £2; Mrs. Dudley Illingworth, £1; Mr. Hudson (Hellifield), £1. She despatched the following “comforts” to Captain Tunstill for distribution to the men last week: six shirts, 12 pairs of socks and six mufflers from the Slaidburn and District Working Party, per Mrs. King-Wilkinson; six pairs of socks from Miss Hammond, Arncliffe; five pairs of socks from Miss M. Parker, Stainforth; 5,000 cigarettes; 150 handkerchiefs; 80 pipes; 80 tins of sweets; 90 tablets of soap; 12 doz. safety matches; 4 doz. pencils; 60 writing pads; 50 pairs of leather bootlaces and 80 packets of cocoa.

The same edition also published confirmation of the death of Pte. Willie Burley (see 30^th September) and the recent letters from Ptes. Harry Horner (see 27^th September) and Johnny Smith (see 25^th September):

GRASSINGTON ROLL OF HONOUR

Information is to hand that Private Willie Burley, of Skirethorns, who was wounded on the same day as Private A. Stubbs, as stated in last week's issue, has succumbed. The young hero was well-known and respected in the district, and much public regret has been expressed at his early death. The flag at the maypole, which is utilised as the flag-staff, was immediately put at half-mast on receipt of the news.

News from the Boys.

J.W. Smith writes: “Thanks very much for the parcel. We came out of the trenches on Sunday night for a rest after being in the firing line for twelve days. We had two very fierce bombardments, the worst on Saturday morning. They started about 4.30 and kept at it until after 11 o’clock, and there were thousands of shells fired, but our chaps fired a lot more than they did, and did a lot more damage, hitting their trenches nearly every time and blew them to blazes. It seemed like one mass of fire all along the line. We had to hold our trenches while those on the right advanced, which was a great success. We did not get off scot free. They dropped a lot of shells all about the trenches, and we had some casualties, but were lucky not to have more. The artillery chaps told us it was the hottest they had had. We lost one man the first day by sniper; they are clever at that job – firing all day on the off-chance of hitting you. The other day they got to know where we got our water from and they were not long before they were shelling it, and put two shells through the water tank. We saw a rare duel between a German and British aeroplane, but our man got him down with a shot through the petrol tank”.

LONGPRESTON

PRIVATE HORNER’S EXPERIENCES

The Following is a copy of a letter received by the Rev. R. Shipman, from Pte. H.E. Horner:

Rest Billets,
Somewhere in France,
September 28^th 1915

To Rev. R. Shipman,

Dear Sir,

I am writing you these few lines to let you know that we are in the best of health, as I know you will be thinking and wondering how we are all getting on and what we are doing. I am very thankful that I am able to write this letter to you, as I did not think one of us would come out of the trenches alive, after what we have been through these last few days.

About 4.30 last Saturday morning all was very quiet and a few minutes later our big guns opened fire and then the German guns started, and shells came falling down like rain. What with the noise of our shells passing over us and the German shells coming on us, on all sides, we did not know where we were, and every minute we thought we should be blown up into the air.

Then we got the order to open fire on the Germans. Just at first we did not like to put our heads up over our trench, but we knew we had to do it, and with a cool mind we all started firing. After the bombardment was over and the smoke cleared away we could see the German trenches and most of them were blown to bits with our shells. We seemed to be firing better shells than the Germans, as most of ours were high explosives. On Sunday morning we were very glad to hear the news that we were going out of the trenches, as we had had enough of them. It was our first time in. We were brought right up into the firing line and there we stayed for twelve days. We had two days’ rain which made the trenches very dirty, as they were full of water, which we had to stand and walk about in. It must have been very bad for the men who were in the trenches out here last winter. Those at home in England do not know half of what they must have suffered. The trench which we came out of into the road was full of clay and water which we had to go through. When we had got through it we were all wet through and covered with clay from head to foot. Now we have got our clothes clean, and we have got a good sleep, which we were very much in need of, as we have not much chance of sleep when we are in the trenches. We are about two miles behind the trenches in little wooden huts, about 24 of us in one hut.

We are in the best of health and feeling very well and fit and will soon be ready for going back into the trenches again after a few more days rest. After we had been firing a few minutes we had no fear of the shells, for we all fired as hard as we could till our rifles were red hot and we could not hold them, not thinking of any danger or of being hit with the shells. We were very lucky in our trench, as not one of us was hit, but all the time shells were dropping very near us. Two shells dropped right on the front of our trench while we were firing, and goodness knows how we missed being blown to bits, as it sent sandbags and things flying into the air and filled our eyes with dust. The bombardments last for about three hours and for that time we hardly knew where we were, only we were firing away at the German trenches. We were all very thankful when we found ourselves all in the trench and unhurt.

The trenches which we were holding were the nearest point to the German trenches and on our right the trenches were a long way back. They wanted to get the trenches on our right in a line with ours; so we were firing on the Germans to keep them from firing on our men who were attacking the German trenches on our right. As far as we know all went very well and they took a lot of the trenches as well as prisoners, and for this last week on this front we have done very well. We have to cook our own food when we are in the trenches; we get a fresh supply daily. I have eaten meat that I could not have thought of eating at home, and we have washed ourselves in water in which about a hundred had washed in.

We were very lucky for water, as there was a farm just behind where we could get it. The Germans have shelled it and now we cannot get water there; we have to carry it about a mile. There are people still living in the houses about two miles behind the trenches, and some of them get shells every day; but most of the houses are blown down. At night, when it is dark, the Germans send up a lot of star shells, which light up all round, so that they can see our trenches or any working party which might be out. We are now about three miles south of where Capt. Preston lies buried. There are graves where soldiers have been buried all round about here. There is one very near the huts where we are now staying.

I will close, trusting in the Lord for a safe return back to the little village.

I am, yours respectfully,

H.E. HORNER

Thursday 7th October 1915

Jesus Farm, Erquinghem

The Battalion remained in billets, finding large working parties each evening to assist the Royal Engineers.

A draft of 60 NCO’s and men, mostly from from 11^th (Reserve) Battalion, who were due to reinforce 10DWR disembarked in France. The majority of this draft have been identified.

Among the men posted from 11DWR was Pte. Harry Ambler. He was a 40 year-old painter, originally from Brighouse but had lived for many years in Middleton, Lancs.; he was married with five children. He had enlisted in Bury in July. L.Cpl. Joseph Baxter (see 29^th September) had originally served with 10DWR but had not proceeded overseas in August. Pte. Thomas William Binks was a 27 year-old labourer from Usworth, County Durham; he had originally served with 8DWR and had been wounded before being transferred to 10DWR. L.Cpl. James William Booth was a 22 year-old farm labourer from Bradford. Pte. Harry Braithwaite was a 32 year-old window cleaning contractor from Bradford; he was married, with four children (2 other children had died). Pte. James Broadbent was a 38 year-old labourer from Oldham. Pte. George Brown (17287); in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man. Pte. William Seymour Budd had been one of the Keighley men attached to Tunstill’s original recruits and had initially trained with the Battalion. He had been 34 years-old when he enlisted in September 1914. He had been born and brought up in Keighley and, in June 1910, had married Sarah Jane Kingham. The couple had one child, Louisa, and had been living in Bengal Street, Keighley, with William working as a fitter in an agricultural machine factory. The reason for his delayed departure from England is unclear. Pte. William Bulmer was a 40 year-old coal miner from Castleford; he was married, with four children. Pte. Irvine Clark (see 14^th September 1914); his departure for France may have been delayed on account of his age as he had only turned 19 on 14^th September, after the main body of the Battalion had embarked. L.Cpl. Harry Clark (see 7^th September) his departure had been delayed due to treatment for syphilis.  Sgt. Edward George John Cooke was a 30 year-old engineer from Peckham and was married with two children. He had served eight years (1901-09) with 1DWR and 2DWR and a further four years on the Reserve. He had re-enlisted in September 1914 and had been appointed Corporal in November 1914 and promoted Sergeant on being posted to France. Pte. John Edward Dolan had enlisted in June 1915, aged 29; he was married with two children and had been working as a gas engineer in Armley. L.Cpl. Edwin Dracup (see 27^th September). Pte. Harry Duthoit was a 40 year-old weaver, originally from Wakefield, but had been living in Colne; he was married, with five surviving children (six other children had died). Cpl. Wilfred Fletcher was a 21 year-old plumber from Halifax and had been married for just two months. L.Cpl. Owen Gregan was a 23 year-old weaver from Halifax. Pte. John William Harrison was 18 years old and from Bradford. He would be wounded twice and would be transferred firstly to 9DWR and then to 2DWR. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish any details as to the dates or circumstances of his having been wounded. Pte. William Haste; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man. Pte. Rennie Hirst was a 20 year-old ‘piecer’ from Huddersfield; he was married with one son and his wife was heavily pregnant with their second child who would be born on 16^th October. Pte. Ernest Holland was a 23 year-old labourer from Littleborough; he was married but had no children. L.Cpl. George Holmes (10794) was a 28 year-old fitter from Bradford. Pte. Joseph Holmes was a 34 year-old wood sawyer from Bradford; he was married but had no children. Pte. Jonas Jowett; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man. Pte. William Kershaw (12689) was a 21 year-old dyers’ labourer from Rastrick. Pte. John Knox; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man. Pte. William Knox, was 25 and from Ketton, Rutland, but had been working in Sheffield as a milkman for the Attercliffe Co-Op in Sheffield when he enlisted in 1914. Whilst in training in the Spring of 1915 he had married Ethel Thomas. Pte. Thomas Lloyd was a 32 year-old oil distiller from Huddersfield; he was originally from Derby but had been adopted by Mrs. Bottomley of Slaithwaite and was known in the family as ‘Jack’. He had enlisted on 9^th August 1914 and had trained with 11DWR. Pte. Fred Lockwood was a 24 year-old shop assistant from Halifax. Pte. Charles William Long was a 31 year-old stone dresser from Idle, Bradford; he had married whilst in training in May. Pte. John Edwin Lumb was a 22 year-old weaver from Golcar; he had enlisted in June. Pte. James McMath IMAGE was a 25 year-old cloth finisher. He was originally from Derbyshire, but had been living in Holmfirth; he was married with one son and his wife, Eva, was pregnant with their second child. Pte. Daniel Nevison was a 28 year-old cotton weaver from Barnoldswick; he was married, with two children. The details of his service with the Battalion are unknown but he would be subsequently transferred and would serve with 9DWR, 2^nd/5^th DWR and finally 5DWR. Pte. Albert Henry Nutter (see 26^th September). Pte. Ernest Parkin was a 37 year-old stone dresser from Huddersfield; he was married, with one daughter. Pte. Thomas Richardson was a 22 year-old iron turner from Leeds; he had served three years with 3^rd (reserve) Battalion DWR and had been embodied on 8^th August 1914 and transferred to 11DWR on 16^th November 1914.  Pte. Herbert Ridley was 22 years old and from Fulham; he was married with one son and his wife, Helen, was pregnant with their second child. He had enlisted in April 1915 and had been in training with 3DWR at Tynemouth. Pte. Cornelius Thomas William Rigby was a 42 year-old veterinary medicine dealer; though originally from Staffordshire, he had lived for many years in Denby Dale, Huddersfield. Pte. Michael Henry Rourke was 33 years old and from Huddersfield; he had enlisted in July 1915 and had trained with 11DWR at Brocton Camp. Pte. Charles Rushworth was a 34 year-old dyers’ labourer from Bradford; he was married, with two children. Pte. John Shone was a 23 year-old textile worker originally from Huyton but had been living in Steeton; he was married but had no children. Pte. Harry Siddall was a 34 year-old labourer from Sheffield. Pte. Joseph Smyth was a 22 year-old tinner from Leeds; he was married, but had no children. Pte. Lewis Sykes had originally volunteered on 1^st September 1914, having married only three weeks previously, and had been posted to 9DWR. However, after eight weeks he had been discharged as medically unfit. In July 1915 he had enlisted again and had now completed three months’ training. Pte. George Tate was a 25 year-old carter from Leeds. Pte. John Thomas Waddington was a 33 year-old foundry labourer from Keighley; he was married, with four children (six other children had died in infancy). Pte. Fred Wainman; in the absence of a surviving service record, I am unable to make a positive identification of this man. Pte. Thomas Ward was a 21 year-old labourer from Huddersfield; he had had just two months’ training with 11DWR before being posted to France. Pte. George Edward Western was a 19 year-old driller from Bradford. Pte. Norman Wilson was 21 and from Halifax where he had worked in the grocery department of the Halifax Industrial Society.

Pte. James McMath

Having arrived in France doubtless many of the men would have despatched postcards and letters to their loved ones. One such postcard survives among a remarkable collection of correspondence written by Pte. William Knox (see above). (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters).

“Just a postcard to let you know that I am still keeping very well. Hope you are the same. Will write you a letter when we get to our destination. We are at a resting camp and we are expecting to go up to the base any time now. It is lovely weather here but expect it will get hotter later on”.

Wednesday 6th October 1915

Jesus Farm, Erquinghem

The Battalion remained in billets, finding large working parties each evening to assist the Royal Engineers.

In the quieter conditions prevailing whilst out of the line a number of men from the Halifax wrote home and their letters would appear in the Halifax Courier (16^th October):

“We read in your weekly paper, which a lot of us receive from our homes every week, that you would like the names and addresses of the Halifax lads in our Battalion. Sorry we cannot get to know the names of all, but have got them in A Company. We have been around to all and enclose a list of the men and the articles we are mostly in need of at present. A lot of the things mentioned it is impossible to get here, and things that we could buy are very dear indeed; forinstance a 2d. tablet of soap costs 5d.

We are behind the firing line, after having a fairly rough time in the trenches, and we are not sorry to come out, as the last three days we had rain and were over the boot-tops in water and sludge, and it felt a treat to be able to take our boots off and part with the mud, thick on boots and puttees, and get on clean, dry socks. We were in the big bombardment recently, when the Allied troops made headway. I think, by the number of shells that dropped in our trenches, we came out of it very lucky, only having about six casualties in our Company. We think the Battalion is upholding the Dukes’ good name. We stuck 12 days in the firing line in our first taste of trench life, so we got a good breaking-in. We might also say we had our best bit of luck when, about two days after leaving the trenches, we got a good hot bath and a claen change of underclothing, which made us feel new men, ready to face the baby-killers again. Hope single men left in England will come forward and help their fellow comrades to drive the Huns into their own land.

Yours respectfully

R. Swallow and J. Smith, 3^rd Platoon, for the Halifax lads in A Company.

Pte. Richard Swallow was a 25 year-old power loom overlooker from Halifax and was married, with one daughter. Pte. John Smith (13487) was 26 years old and from Halifax, where he had worked as a ‘teamer’ for the Lancs. and Yorks. Railway; he had served in the Territorials before the war and had initially re-joined his territorial battalion before being transferred to 10DWR whilst in training in England. He was officer’s servant to 2Lt. Harry Harris (see 27^th August).

There was also a letter from Pte. William Henry Jones (see below):

“We are resting. We had a share in the glorious advance of last month and which, if not a very prominent one, was a link in the chain. Our artillery had a very violent duel with the enemy, and the screaming and explosion of shells, the rattle of machine guns and the sharp spit of thousands of bullets against the parapet, made you think of Dante’s Inferno. We were prepared to advance but the order was not given … Ptes. Holmes, Cross Hills, and Siddall, Ripponden, are the only local men I am aware of who were wounded”.

William Henry Jones was a 33 year-old compositor from Halifax; he was married but had no children.

Tuesday 5th October 1915

Jesus Farm, Erquinghem

The Battalion remained in billets, finding large working parties each evening to assist the Royal Engineers.

Pte. Levi Randle (see 15^th September) was appointed Lance Corporal.

Pte. Edward Isger (see 29^th August) was reported as having been drunk; on the orders of Capt. John Atkinson (see 4th October he was to be confined to barracks for 14 days.

Calvary at Jesus Farm, photographed in 2015.

Monday 4th October 1915

Billeted in huts near Rue Marle.

A fine clear day, but again frosty overnight.

The two Companies in the Bois Grenier Line (C and D) were relieved by 11^th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, whose War Diary commented that there was, “Great delay caused by the bad state of the communicating trenches; thick, slippery mud made movement very slow”. Having been relieved, these two Companies marched five miles to billets at Jesus Farm, north-west of Erquinghem-Lys. Meanwhile A and B Companies marched three miles west to join them at Jesus Farm.

The Battalion now formed part of 23^rd Division reserve, along with 8^th Yorkshires. However, the other two Battalions of 69^th Brigade (9^th Yorkshires and 11^th West Yorkshires) had been despatched to Estaires to supplement the reserve to 20^th Division.

Pte. Bertie Legg (see 11^th September) was reported by CQMS Thomas Malone as having been ‘found asleep during working hours’; on the orders of Capt. John Atkinson (see 27^th August) he would be confined to barracks for four days. 

Pte. Willie Marsden was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance, suffering from scabies; he would be discharged to duty three days later. He was a 21 year-old dyers’ labourer from Bradford.

Back in England, Lily Webb, wife of Pte. Solomon Richard Webb (known as 'Sammy') (see 7^th September 1914) gave birth to the couple’s second child; the boy was named Arthur.

Sammy, Lily, George and Arthur Webb, pictured when Sammy was home on leave in Spring 1916.
Photograph by kind permission of Eileen Bamford and relatives of Sammy, to whom I very grateful for their generosity in providing information about Sammy.

 

Sunday 3rd October 1915

Billeted in huts near Rue Marle.

The War Diary tersely stated, “One man was wounded; nothing to report”.

The man wounded was Pte. John William Cooper; he had suffered a gunshot wound to his right wrist, presumably whilst on one of the working parties with the Royal Engineers. He would be admitted to 23^rd General Hospital at Etaples before being evacuated to England three days later onboard the Hospital Ship St. David. He was an original member of the Battalion, having enlisted, aged 29 and married with four children, while working as an iron turner in Keighley; he had previously served with the territorials.

Pte. Daniel Nicholls (see 24^th September), who had been wounded ten days previously, was evacuated to England from 8^th Stationary Hospital at Wimereux. The details of his treatment in England are unknown.

Saturday 2nd October 1915

Billeted in huts near Rue Marle.

The Battalion provided working parties to support the Royal Engineers.