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4th Battalion, Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment
The 4th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment were a Territorial unit with their HQ in Halifax. A, B, C and F Companies were based in Halifax, D Coy in Brighouse, E Coy in Cleckheaton (Their Drill Hall is now a shopfitters warehouse), G Coy in Elland and H Coy in Sowerby Bridge. When war broke out in August 1914, the units of the Division had just departed for their annual summer camp, they were at once recalled to their home base and mobilised for war service, taking up possition on the coastal defences near Hull and Grimsby. On the 5th of November they moved to billets in Doncaster for the winter. They trained in the South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in preparation for service overseeas. They proceeded to France on the 14th of April 1915, sailing from Folkestone to Boulogne. The Division concentrated in the area around Estaires. On the 15th of May the formation was renamed 147th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division. Their first action was in the The Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915. In 1916 They were in action in the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they were involved in the Operations on the Flanders Coast and the The Battle of Poelcapelle during the Third Battle of Ypres. In 1918 they were in action during the Battles of the Lys, The pursuit to the Selle and the Final Advance in Picardy. At the Armistice, The 49th Division was resting at Douai, demobilisation began in early 1919.
4th Aug 1914 2nd West Riding Brigade leave Marske The 2nd West Riding Brigade are at their annual camp near Marske on the North Yorkshire Coast, they broke camp this morning. 3000 territorials of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Battalions, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment marched to Saltburn station and entrained on specially commissioned rolling stock, for their home bases.11th DLI Martin Bashforth
14th Apr 1915 On the Move
15th Apr 1915 On the Move 
16th Apr 1915 Inspections
17th Apr 1915 Route March
18th Apr 1915 Instruction
19th Apr 1915 Instruction
20th Apr 1915 Instruction
21st Apr 1915 Instruction
22nd Apr 1915 Change of Billets
23rd Apr 1915 First Loss
24th Apr 1915 On the March
25th Apr 1915 Working Parties
26th Apr 1915 Reliefs
27th Apr 1915 Heavy Shelling
28th Apr 1915 Heavy Shelling
29th Apr 1915 Shelling
30th Apr 1915 Fear of Attack
11th Jul 1915 4th Duke of Wellingtons deposit Colours in Parish Church The 4th Battalion Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment deposit their colours at the parish church of of Saint John the Baptist in Halifax for safe keeping.http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~calderdalecompanion/souv_1915.html
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
21st November 1915 Posting
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
9th February 1916 Call Ups
3rd Mar 1916 16th Northumberland Fusilers C Coy in front line C Coy, 16th Northumberlands take over trenches 144-146 from 4th Battalion, Duke of Wellingtons.records of the 16th (service) battalion northumberland fusiliers captain ch cooke mc, newcastle upon tyne 1923
1st of June 1916 Lively Shelling
19th Mar 1917 Trench Raid
20th Mar 1917 Patrol
21st Mar 1917 Occasional Shells
4th June 1917 Entertainment
14th June 1917 Horse Show
1st Nov 1917 Inspection
2nd Nov 1917 Training
3rd Nov 1917 Orders
4th Nov 1917 Orders
5th Nov 1917 Demonstration
6th Nov 1917 Orders
7th Nov 1917 Orders
9th Nov 1917 Reliefs
11th Nov 1917 Reliefs
12th Nov 1917 Reliefs
19th Nov 1917 Prisoners
20th Nov 1917 Communications
21st Nov 1917 Orders
23rd Nov 1917 Quiet
24th Nov 1917 Shelling
25th Nov 1917 Shelling
27th Nov 1917 Reliefs
28th Nov 1917 Reliefs
29th Nov 1917 Reliefs
1st Mar 1918 Raid
2nd Mar 1918 Prisoners Taken
6th Mar 1918 Shelling
7th Mar 1918 Information
8th Mar 1918 Artillery Active
9th Mar 1918 Counter Attack
10th Mar 1918 Quiet
11th Mar 1918 Trench Raid
12th Mar 1918 Balloon
13th Mar 1918 Trench Raid
14th Mar 1918 Shellfire
15th Mar 1918 Artillery Active
16th Mar 1918 Artillery Active
17th Mar 1918 Raid
18th Mar 1918 Shelling
19th Mar 1918 Quieter
20th Mar 1918 Shelling
21st Mar 1918 Gas
22nd Mar 1918 Enemy Quieter
23rd Mar 1918 Enemy Quieter
24th Mar 1918 Prisoners
25th Mar 1918 Raids
26th Mar 1918 Orders
27th Mar 1918 Reliefs
28th Mar 1918 Quiet
29th Mar 1918 Quiet
30th Mar 1918 Reliefs
31st Mar 1918 Quiet
1st Apr 1918 Reliefs
2nd Apr 1918 Trench Work
2nd Apr 1918 Intermittent Shelling
3rd Apr 1918 Relief
3rd Apr 1918 Reliefs
4th Apr 1918 Quiet
5th Apr 1918 Reliefs
6th Apr 1918 Reliefs
7th Apr 1918 Raid
8th Apr 1918 Working Party
8th Apr 1918 Prisoners
9th Apr 1918 In Camp
9th Apr 1918 Messages
9th Apr 1918 Orders
10th Apr 1918 Orders to Move Orders were received by the 6th West Ridings at 12.15am to move off from Reninghelct in buses; the buses moved off about 3am. and we arrived at Le Creche at about 5am. We then proceeded to march to the vicinity of Le Veau (map reference B14a, Sheet 36) where the battalion halted and their packs were stacked. Tea was made for the men and the orders for the next moved were issued. Our transport proceeded by road from the Busseboom area to vicinity of Neuve Eglise (map reference T14b, sheet 18). The battalion moved off a little after 9am by platoons at 100 yard intervals and took up an assembly position about L'Epinette cross roads (map reference B27b, sheet 36. 'A' and 'B' companies were to the south and 'C' and 'D' companies to the north. The 1/4th. D. of W. were on our right and the 1/7th. D. of W. were on our left. From 10.30am onwards, Erquinghem-Lys was heavily shelled. Orders were received at about 1pm. and the battalion moved across to the Nieppe defences, which consisted of a strong line well wired. Our left rested on Armentieres Road (map reference B16b, sheet Croix du Bac) after readjustement with 1/7th. Battalion. 'B' Company were on the right with the right part of the railway (map reference B28a)and 'D' Company was on the left with the left part on the Armentieres road. 'C' Company was at first in support but later was pushed in to assist 'B' Company. 'A' Company remained in reserve but sent one platoon to be in close support to 'B' and 'C' Companies. Our trenches filled up all day with stragglers from the 22nd. and 25th. Northumberland Fusiliers and the 15th. and 16th. Royal Scots. One complete company of the 23rd. N. F.'s crowded into the left of our line and came under our C. O.'s orders. A fairly quiet night passed with some shelling on Nieppe and Pont du Nieppe. Gas shells were prevalent. Casualties on this day for 6th Battalion West Riding Regt were 10964 Private H. Kilburn (Killed in Action), 19550 Private W. Marsden (Wounded), 24765 Lance Corporal H. Spink (Wounded), 267843 Private C. Sprigg (Wounded) and 267555 Private A Stocks. (Wounded accidentally)
10th Apr 1918 Tending the Wounded
10th Apr 1918 In Action
10th Apr 1918 Messages
10th Apr 1918 Messages
10th Apr 1918 Under Attack
10th Apr 1918 Under Attack
10th Apr 1918 Hard Pushed
10th Apr 1918 In Action
10th Apr 1918 In Action
10th Apr 1918 In Action
10th Apr 1918 Withdrawal
10th Apr 1918 Attack Made
10th Apr 1918 Enemy Attacks
11th Apr 1918 In Action
11th Apr 1918 In Defence
11th Apr 1918 Rearguard Action
12th Apr 1918 Defensive Action
12th Apr 1918 Line Holding
13th Apr 1918 Holding the line
13th Apr 1918 Line Holding
14th Apr 1918 Advance Stopped The early morning was quiet and all the men were in good form, although tired. As the day proceeded, the enemy became rather more active and shelled heavily in the afternoon. At about (time left blank) it became evident that the enemy was again active on our right and a party of Bosche was seen from 6th Duke of Wellington Battalion's H. Q. to be through our line and only about 400/ 500 yards away from our H. Q. All H. Q. details, under Lieutenant Stewart and Regimental Sergeant Major Richardson were put into position with a view to filling the gap until assistance arrived. They opened rapid fire on the enemy, inflicted casualties and undoubtedly stopped the enemy's advance until a platoon of 'C' Company and a company of the 1/7th. D. of W. and 1/4th. D. of. W. arrived on the scene, when the H. Q. party was withdrawn. Casualties to H. Q. details numbered about 5 wounded by rifle and machine gun fire. The situation then quietened down and Battalion H. Q. was withdrawn about 300 yards back into a cellar. (NB. This entry in the War Diary is the only one available for 14/04/1918 and it seems unlikely that what the rest of the 1/6th. were doing on this day was ever recorded]. Casualties on this day for 6th Battalion West Riding Regt were 265626 Sergeant F. Cryer (Wounded), 303011 Sergeant F. Nicholson (Wounded), 266634 Sergeant A. Taylor (Killed in Action), 14703 Lance Sergeant J. W. Russell (Wounded), 203745 Corporal T. Howard (Killed in Action), 31778 Private F. R. Ainley (Wounded), 23866 Private T. Alderson (Wounded), 267634 Private A. V. Austin (Wounded), 266563 Private H. Baldwin (Wounded), 265142 Private P. Baldwin (Wounded), 26715 Private K. Bartlett (Wounded), 241457 Private H. Beaumont (Wounded), 267015 Private H. A. Boocock (Wounded), 17003 Private J. Boyd (Wounded), 300160 Private S. S. Buffett (Wounded), 265647 Private J. T. Cardus (Wounded), 266920 Private M. Chapman (Wounded), 242636 Private W. Charlesworth (Killed in Action), 267554 Private W. W. Cooper (Killed in Action), 267496 Private A. Crook (Wounded), 203239 Private E. Davison (Wounded and missing), 265986 Private J. W. Emmott (Wounded), 267505 Private F. E. Gaukrodger (Wounded), 240648 Private J. Haigh (Wounded), 267512 Private G. Harker (Wounded), 265387 Private A. Higgins (Wounded), 266726 Private J. W. Hilton (Killed in Action), 267868 Private F. Holden (Wounded), 26569 Private A. Jackson (Wounded), 18185 Private D. Kellett (Wounded), 303006 Private G. Lamb (Killed in Action), 266851 Private J. A. Leach (Wounded), 267829 Private J. Littlewood (Wounded), 268156 Private J. Lockwood (Killed in Action), 266803 Private F. W. Major (Wounded), 267962 Private M. Maloney (Wounded), 266562 Private P. McCann (Wounded), 265290 Private D. McFarland (Wounded), 267884 Private H O'Melia (Wounded & died of wounds 23/04/1918), 267426 Private P. Phillips (Wounded), 265009 Private C. W. Ralph (Wounded), 267888 Private A. Rothery (Wounded), 267734 Private W. Smith (Wounded), 267895 Private W. G. Smith (Killed in Action), 267924 Private C. Stenton (Killed in Action), 268426 Private F. G. Sunderland (Wounded), 41179 Private J. Taylor (Killed in Action), 41138 Private O. Taylor (Wounded), 266199 Private H. Waddington (Wounded), 29943 Private H. Wails (Killed in Action), 26657 Private S. R. Walton (Wounded and missing), 300135 Private C. Ward (Wounded), 266536 Private G. R. Watson (Wounded), 26653 Private H. Westridge (Wounded), 29894 Private W. Whitwam (Wounded), 242412 Private F. Wilkinson (Wounded).
14th Apr 1918 In Action
15th Apr 1918 Reliefs
16th Apr 1918 In Action
16th Apr 1918 Attacks Made
17th Apr 1918 Relief
17th Apr 1918 Attacks Made
18th Apr 1918 Relief
18th Apr 1918 Attacks Made
19th Apr 1918 Relief
19th Apr 1918 Snow
19th Apr 1918 Reliefs
21st Apr 1918 Reliefs
24th Apr 1918 Resting
25th Apr 1918 In Action
26th Apr 1918 Counter Attack At 3am., the 25th. Division and the French on the right of 6th Btn West Riding Regt carried out a counter-attack opposite Kemmell Hill and village and the 1/4th Battalion D of W West Ridings advanced to the forward line in conjunction with this. Owing to the heavy enemy barrage, the French did not get forward and the troops of the 25th. Division and 1/4th. D. of W. Battalion were withdrawn. Some prisoners were taken. The day passed fairly quietly and wiring was pushed on with during the night. 2nd. Lieutenant Swaby was in charge of a carrying party and inadvertently led his party in front of our line. To ascertain his position, he went forward with his orderly and several shots were heard by the party. Although patrols were sent out, no trace of either 2nd. Lieutenant Swaby or his runner was found (NB. These casualties are actually listed as being on the 25th. by the casualty list printed in May 1918; it is not known which is correct). Casualties for 6th West Ridings on this day were 265572 Corporal E. Rimmer (Wounded), 242607 Private T. Foster (Wounded), 41152 Private C. Ingram (Killed in Action), 41167 Private J. E. Laing (Wounded), 41203 Private R. Shippey (Wounded at duty).
30th of April 1918 Reliefs and Attacks
30th of April 1918 Reports
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Pte. George Samuel Frost 1st/4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.17th April 1918) George Frost was born 1894 in Bristol at Barton Hill. He served with the
1st/4th Duke of Wellington West Riding Regiment, he enlisted in Bristol as a
Private in the Wiltshire Regiment. He died 17 of April 1918 and is buried in Haringhe (Bandaghelm) Military Cemetery. Second son of Samuel Frost and Elizabeth Mary who had 9 children of 4 Waterloo Buildings, Widcombe, Bath.
At the age of 17 George was a contractor's carter.
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L/Sjt. Sam Jackson 1/4th Btn. Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment (d.3rd Sep 1916) Sam Jackson was the son of William and Margaret Jane Jackson, of Royd Square, Hebden Bridge. He was interred at Mill Road Cemetery, Thiepval in France. There is a memorial to him, his mother and brother in Wainsgate Chapel graveyard, Old Town, Hebden Bridge).
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Pte. Herbert Bramley 1/4th Btn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) (d.19th Dec 1915) Herbert Bramley was my Great Great Uncle, the son of Henry and Robina Bramley of Whixley, Yorkshire and one of seventeen children. He was born at Whixley in 1893 and became a Drayman. During the Great War, living at 44 Union Street, South Halifax and unemployed he enlisted into the British Army Territorial Force with the 1st/4th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) at Halifax on 18th December 1914 as a Private with regimental number 3527.He embarked the SS Invicta at Folkestone on 14th April 1915 and was with the British Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders serving on the Western front from 15th April 1915. On 2nd June 1915 he was admitted to No.7 Casualty Clearing Station at Merville northern France where he was treated for sickness and discharged to duty on 10th June. Herbert was killed in action and died of wounds on 19th December 1915 aged 22. He was posthumously awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Herbert is buried at Talana Farm Cemetery, Belgium.
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Pte. Allen Rowley 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment Allan Rowley was killed in action on the 15th Nov 1915
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Cpl. William Gething 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment William Gething was discharged on the 31st of March 1916 as time expired
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ASgt. John Henry Davies 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.4th Jul 1916) John Davies was killed in action on the 4th of July 1916
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CSgt. John William Siddall 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment John Siddall was discharged on the 32nd of April 1916
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Pte. Arthur Rangley 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.10th Nov 1915) Arthur Rangley died of wounds on the 10th of November 1915
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Sgt. Frank Long 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.20th Oct 1915) Frank Long died of wounds on the 20th of October 1915
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Sgt. Arthur Mallinson 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment Aaron Malinson was discharged on the 15th of May 1916
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CSgt. Francis James Cooke 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment Francis Cooke was discharged on the 31st of March 1916 as time expired
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Cpl. Percy Albert Fletcher 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.19th Dec 1915) Percy Fletcher was killed in action on the 19th of December 1915
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Cpl. Frank Wright 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.16th Oct 1915) Frank Wright was killed in action on the 16th of October 1915
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Pte. George Henry Stott 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.21st Nov 1915) George Stott died of wounds on the 21st of November 1915
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Pte. Harold Stead 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.8th JUl 1916) Harold Stead was killed in action on the 8th of Jul 1916
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Pte. Albert Smith 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.3rd Sep 1916) Albert smith was killed in action on the 3rd of September 1916
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Cpl. Harry Cliff 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.3rd Sep 1916) Harry Cliff was killed in action on the 3rd of September 1916
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Sgt. Jack Smith 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.20th Dec 1915) Jack Smith was killed in action on the 20th of December 1915
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Sgt. Herbert Briggs 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.20th Dec 1915) Herbert Briggs died of wounds on the 20th of December 1915
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Pte. Edward George 4th Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.19th Dec 1915) Edward George was killed in action on the 19th of December 1915
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