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5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry     The 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry was a territorial battalion serving with the York & Durham Brigade, Northumbrian Division. They had just departed for their annual summer camp when war broke out and they were at once recalled their home base at Stockton-on-Tees. They moved to the Hartlepools on the 10th of August, then to Ravensworth Park and were in Newcastle by October. They proceeded to France, Landing at Boulogne on the 18th of April 1915 and joined 150th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. They saw action in the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915, on the Somme in 1916 and at Arras and Passchendaele in 1917. On the 12th of February 1918 they transferred to 151st Brigade in same Division and were in action on The Somme and in the Battles of the Lys. In July after heavy losses, the battalion was reduced to cadre strength and transferred to Lines of Communication, and on the 16th of August 1918 the 5th DLI transferred to 117th Brigade in 39th Division were engaged in training the newly arrived American troops. They remained a training cadre and were disbanded in France on the 9th of November 1918. 3rd Aug 1914 5th Durhams recalled from Camp   The 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry were at Deganwy in North Wales for their annual 15 day training camp with the York and Durham Brigade in early August 1914 They broke camp on the 3rd of August and returned to County Durham to prepare for the expected declaration of war. They were a unit of the Territorial Force with their HQ at the Drill Hall, Stockton-on-Tees where A, B and C Coys were also based. D, E and H Coys were based at the Drill Hall, Darlington while F and G Coy were based at the Drill Hall, Castle Eden. 4th Aug 1914 5th Durhams deployed to Hartlepool and South Gare  The territorials of the 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry are deployed to Hartlepool and South Gare to dig coastal trenches to defend the mouth of the River Tees. 11th DLI Martin Bashforth 10th Aug 1914 5th DLI Recruit in Darlington   The front page of the Northern Echo carried a recruitment notice: "An Officer of the 5th Durham Light Infantry will attend at the Drill Hall, Darlington, tonight between seven and nine o'clock to enlist men willing to serve in the above regiment. Only men with four years' service between the ages of 18 and 35 and who are in possession of their discharge certificates can be taken" As part of the recruitment campaign the Darlington Company paraded in the streets of the town this evening. Northern Echo 3rd Sep 1914 Accidental Injury 19th of April 1915 Establishing HQs 22nd of April 1915 Germans Attack 22nd of April 1915 At Readiness Level 22nd of April 1915 Standing by 23rd of April 1915 Under attack 23rd of April 1915 Troop concentrations 23rd of April 1915 Northunberlands Transferred 23rd of April 1915 Moving forward 23rd of April 1915 Urgent Moves 24th of April 1915 Transfer of Infantry 24th of April 1915 Units in position 24th of April 1915 Positions of Northumberland Division   25th of April 1915 Considerable losses 25th Apr 1915 In Support 25th Apr 1915 In Action 26th of April 1915 Confusion 28th of April 1915 Messages 3rd of May 1915 Divisional Area Allotted 3rd of May 1915 Orders 4th of May 1915 CinC to address troops 5th of May 1915 HQ Report   18th of May 1915 Battalion placements 24th May 1915  Operational Report 24th May 1915  Operational Report 31st of May 1915 Report 6th of June 1915  2nd Jul 1915 Reliefs 6th Jul 1915 Reliefs 10th Jul 1915 Reliefs 5th Aug 1915 Reliefs 3rd Sep 1915 Reliefs Complete 12th September 1915 Reliefs 22nd September 1915 Smoke 23rd Sep 1915 Reliefs 24th September 1915 Orders   24th September 1915 Programme 24th Sep 1915 Reliefs 25th September 1915 Wind 25th September 1915  25th September 1915 Patrols 25th September 1915 Orders   26th September 1915 Patrols 9th of October 1915 Orders 10th Oct 1915 Instruction 10th October 1915 Orders 16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme 22nd Oct 1915 Reliefs 30th Oct 1915 Reliefs 1st Nov 1915 In the Trenches 1st November 1915 Warnings 1st Nov 1915 In the Trenches 2nd November 1915 Ammunition Allotment 3rd of November 1915  4th November 1915 Reliefs 4th November 1915 Orders 4th November 1915 Training Programme 7th Nov 1915 5th Yorks Relieve 5th DLI 7th November 1915 Orders Issued 7th November 1915 Reliefs 7th Nov 1915 Reliefs 8th November 1915 Orders   10th November 1915 Shelling 11th November 1915 Reliefs 12th November 1915 On the Move 13th November 1915 Training Programme 1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets 11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment 11th December 1915 Orders 13th December 1915 Reliefs   13th December 1915 Orders   13th December 1915 Order   13st December 1915 Orders   13th December 1915 Reliefs   13th December 1915 Orders   15th December 1915 Advance Parties 20th of December 1915    23rd Dec 1915 Reliefs 1st Jan 1916 In the Trenches 8th Jan 1916 Reliefs 10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens 16th January 1916 Visit 16th January 1916 Reorganisation   25th January 1916 Enemy Active 25th January 1916  27th January 1916 Snipers, Sausages and Whizz-bangs   29th of January 1916 Machine Gun Emplacements   29th January 1916 Machine Guns   30th January 1916 Snipers   31st January 1916 Casualties 31st January 1916 Enemy Lines   1st February 1916 Enemy Aircraft   2nd February 1916 Aeroplane Photographs   4th February 1916 Reliefs   4th February 1916 Enemy Guns 4th February 1916 Enemy Artillery   5th February 1916 Shelling 5th February 1916 Shelling   5th February 1916 Snipers 5th February 1916 Uniforms 6th February 1916 Orders   6th Feb 1916 Reliefs 7th February 1916 Shelling   7th February 1916 Artillery Active   9th February 1916 Orders   9th of February 1916 Orders 9th February 1916 Artillery Active   9th February 1916 Call Ups 11th February 1916 Warning 11th February 1916 Enemy Active   12th February 1916 Gas Alert   12th February 1916 Quieter   14th February 1916 Bomardment   15th February 1916 Orders   18th of February 1916 Reliefs Complete   21st February 1916 Snow 22nd February 1916 Gas 22nd of February 1916 Machine Guns   23rd February 1916 Warning 24th February 1916 Reliefs 24th Feb 1916 Reliefs Complete 25th February 1916 Dangerous Wind 26th February 1916 Hostile Artillery   28th February 1916 Dummys 28th February 1916 Orders   29th February 1916 Report 29th February 1916 Orders   29th February 1916 Orders   1st March 1916 Orders   1st of March 1916 Bombardment   2nd of March 1916 Bombardment   6th of March 1916 Orders   7th of March 1916 Orders   7th of March 1916 Orders 8th of March 1916 Mining   9th of March 1916 Orders   10th of March 1916 Reliefs Completed   10th of March 1916 Orders   10th of March 1916 Orders   16th of March 1916 Orders   18th of March 1916 Orders   20th of March 1916 Orders   23rd of March 1916 Reliefs   28th of March 1916 Reliefs   28th of March 1916 On the March   28th of March 1916 Orders   31st of March 1916 Orders   1st of April 1916 Moves   1st of April 1916 Orders   7th Apr 1916 Relief 23rd of April 1916 Orders   29th of April 1916 Relief Complete 30th of April 1916 Stand To 30th of April 1916 At Rest   1st of May 1916 Orders 14th of May 1916 Training & Sport 18th of May 1916 Orders 20th of May 1916 Orders   24th of May 1916 Orders 25th of May 1916 Orders 27th of May 1916 Reliefs   4th Jun 1916 Reliefs 14th of June 1916 Tinme 14th of June 1916 Orders   27th of June 1916    3rd Jul 1916 Reliefs Complete 4th Jul 1916 Reliefs 15th Jul 1916 Reliefs 24th Jul 1916 Reliefs 30th Jul 1916 Reliefs 1st of August 1916 Gas 2nd of August 1916 Alert 4th Aug 1916 Relief Completed 8th of August 1916 Reliefs   1st of September 1916 Locations 1st Sep 1916 Flies   2nd Sep 1916 Wet Day   7th Sep 1916 Conference   11th Sep 1916 Return to Duty   13th of September 1916 Instructions   13th of September 1916 Orders   14th Sep 1916 Stretcher Bearers   15th Sep 1916 In Action   16th Sep 1916 Large number of Casualties   17th Sep 1916 Stretcher Bearers   18th of September 1916    21st Sep 1916 Poor Sanitation   23rd Sep 1916 In the Trenches 24th Sep 1916 In the Trenches 24th of September 1916 Reliefs   24th of September 1916 Orders   25th Sep 1916 In the Trenches 25th of September 1916 Attacks   26th Sep 1916 In Action   27th of September 1916    27th of September 1916 Instructions 28th of September 1916 Reliefs 28th of September 1916 Attacks Made   29th of September 1916    29th of September 1916 Orders   29th of September 1916 Orders   30th of September 1916 Patrols   30th of September 1916 Barrage   30th of September 1916 Orders Amended   2nd of October 1916 Orders 2nd of October 1916 Reliefs 2nd of October 1916 Orders 3rd of October 1916 Reliefs   3rd of October 1916 Congratulations 4th of October 1916 On the March 6th of October 1916 Training 7th of October 1916 Training 8th of October 1916 Rain 9th of October 1916 Working Parties 12th of October 1916 Training 14th of October 1916 Training and Working Parties 15th of October 1916 Exercise 19th of October 1916 Orders   20th of October 1916 Working Parties 22nd of October 1916 Situation 22nd of October 1916 Orders   22nd of October 1916 Signals 23rd of October 1916 Orders 23rd of October 1916  24th of October 1916 Reliefs 25th of October 1916 Situation   25th of October 1916 Instructions   25th of October 1916 Information Required   26th of October 1916 Orders   26th of October 1916 Orders 28th of October 1916 Orders   28th of October 1916 Appendix   28th of October 1916 Orders 29th Oct 1916 Reliefs   30th of October 1916 Orders   31st of October 1916 Orders 31st of October 1916 Orders   1st Nov 1916 Reliefs   1st of November 1916 Thick Mud   2nd of November 1916 Orders 2nd of November 1916 Instructions 2nd of November 1916 Orders   2nd of November 1916 Shelling   3rd of November 1916 Orders   3rd of November 1916 Reliefs   3rd of November 1916 Orders   4th of November 1916 Secret   6th of November 1916 Orders 9th Nov 1916 Reliefs 30th of November 1916  7th of December 1916  30th of December 1916    1st of January 1917    9th of February 1917 Orders   12th of February 1917    13th of February 1917    28th of March 1916  29th of March 1917  20th of April 1917    26th Jun 1917 Attack Made   21st Jul 1917 Reliefs 26th Jul 1917 Raid 27th of July 1917    10th of August 1917    2nd of September 1917 Intelligence   3rd of September 1917 Intelligence   3rd of September 1917 Intelligence 4th of September 1917 Intelligence   5th of September 1917 Intelligence   6th of September 1917 Intelligence   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1917 Intelligence   30th of September 1917 Intelligence   1st of October 1917 Intelligence   4th of October 1917 Intelligence   12th of October 1917 Orders 12th of October 1917 Orders 17th of October 1917 Orders   27th of October 1917 Movement   27th of October 1917 Intelligence   28th of October 1917 Intelligence   29th of October 1917 Intelligence   30th of October 1917 Intelligence   31st of October 1917 Intelligence   8th of November 1917 Orders   9th of November 1917 Orders   13th of November 1917 Dispositions   12th Dec 1917 Reliefs 18th of December 1917 Intelligence   19th of December 1917 Intelligence   19th of December 1917 Intelligence 20th of December 1917 Intelligence   21st of December 1917 Intelligence   22nd of December 1917 Intelligence   23rd of December 1917 Intelligence   24th of December 1917 Intelligence   25th of December 1917 Intelligence   25th of December 1917 Intelligence   26th of December 1917 Intelligence   3rd of January 1918  24th of January 1918  31st of January 1918 Orders 10th of February 1918 Orders 11th of February 1918  14th Feb 1918 Reliefs 14th Feb 1918 Reliefs 14th Feb 1918 Reliefs 16th of February 1918 Orders 18th Feb 1918 Reliefs Complete 27th of February 1918 Orders 21st Mar 1918 Enemy Attack   22nd Mar 1918 Under Pressure   22nd Mar 1918 Under Attack   23rd Mar 1918 Heavy Fighting 24th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal 25th Mar 1918 Pressed Back   26th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal   31st Mar 1918 Fierce Fighting   1st of April 1918 Operations   6th of April 1918 Orders 7th of April 1918 Orders   9th Apr 1918 Into the Line   9th Apr 1918 Enemy Attacks   9th of April 1918 Message   11th Apr 1918 Heavy Fighting   12th Apr 1918 Heavy Fighting   13th Apr 1918 On the Move   13th Apr 1918 In Defence   13th of April 1918 Report   13th of May 1918 Shelling 25th of May 1918 Reliefs 27th of May 1918 In Action 28th May 1918 Hard Fighting 14th of October 1918  If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Want to know more about 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry? There are:5592 items tagged 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry available in our Library   These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War. Those known to have served with 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry during the Great War 1914-1918. Allon William. Pte. (d.10th Nov 1916) Anson Alexander. CSM. Appleton John. Sgt (d.25th April 1915) Archbold William. Pte. (d.26 Apr 1915) Atkinson MM. John William . Sgt. Atton Robert. Private (d.18th Sept 1916) Attridge A. W.. Pte. Baines William Bartle. Pte. Bayliss Paul William Thomas. Pte Berry George Wilfred. 2nd Lt. (d.25th Aug 1917) Bond Frederick. Pte. (d.12th Apr 1918) Bowman George. Pte. (d.24th Apr 1915) Bragg Henry Stanley Stainton. Pte. (d.17th June 1918) Broadley William. L/Cpl. Brown Benjamin. Pte. Brown J. C. D.. 2nd Lt. Brown M. L.. Pte. Brown Norman. Sgt. Buckfield Charles Henry. Pte. Burdon Leonard. Colmson Charles. Pte. (d.10th Apr 1917) Comollie Horace Peter. Pte. Cross Edward. Pte. (d.12th Oct 1915) Daley Daniel. Pte. (d.5th Aug 1915) Danks George Alfred. Pte. Dent William Horner. Pte. (d.31st Mar 1918) Dixon Robert Henry. Pte. Dobson William J.. L/Cpl. (d.15th Sep 1916) Elliott Robert. Pte. (d.4th Oct 1917) Elwick William Moses. Pte. (d.4th Apr 1918) Fairburn John. Pte. (d.15th Sep 1916) Fardoe Henry. Sgt. (d.1st Nov 1917) Farrell Michael. Pte. Fearns William. Pte. (d.15th Sep 1916) Graham Thomas. Pte. (d.28th Sep 1918) Grocock Albert Ishmael. Pte. (d.9th Apr 1918) Guterman A. W.. Pte. Hayes William Joseph. L/Cpl. (d.15th Dec 1917) Hessler Jacob Andrew Norman. Capt. (d.27th May 1918) Hessler Jacob Andrew Norman. Capt. (d.27th May 1918) Hill C. L. G. . 2nd Lt. Holmes Wilfred Ewett. Pte. (d.16th Nov 1916) Hughes Joseph Henry. CSM. (d.1919) Hugill Wilfred. Pte. (d.26th April 1915) Jackson George Edward. Pte. Ketch MM. Percy. Cpl. King Charlie. Pte. (d.15th Sep 1916) Lonsdale Willie. (d.29th Mar 1918) Lonsdale Willie. Private (d.29th Mar 1918) Luke John Norman. 2nd Lt. Manley Albert Thomas. Pte. (d.30th March 1918) Manley Thomas Henry . L/Cpl (d.27th May 1918) Marley W.. Capt. Mawson Joseph. Pte. (d.29th March 1918) McGovern Peter. L/Cpl. (d.24th Sep 1916) McNaney Patrick. Pte. (d.26th June 1917) Miller John Henry. Pte. (d.24th Apr 1915) Muir Percy. Pte. (d.18th Sep 1916) Newby Thomas Arthur. Pte Nutbrown George. Pte. (d.16th Sep 1916) O'Neil James. Pte. (d.13th Nov 1915) Onslow John Charles. Pte. Parker James . Pte. Parker James. Pte. Parks Joseph. Pte (d.24th Jan 1916) Pattison John George. Pte. (d.4th Dec 1917) Pattison Robert. Pte. (d.23rd May 1915) Peirson Ernest S.. Pte. (d.15 Apr 1918) Penman Bernard. Pte. (d.22nd May 1915) Penman Thomas. Pte. (d.24th May 1915) Poole Alexander Henry. Pte. (d.23rd April 1917) Porter Henry Albert. Pte. Pratt Edward Henry. Pte. Pratt Edward. (d.15th Sep 1918) Preston Joseph Edwin. Private (d.21st Nov 1918) Price Walter John. Pte Quinn John. Pte. (d.29th March 1918) Ramsden Bertram. Pte. Ransom William. Pte (d.1st May 1915) Ratcliffe Alfred. Pte. (d.14th Oct 1918) Ratcliffe Alfred. Pte. (d.14th Oct 1918) Robson S. Pte. (d.2nd Nov 1917) Scott Harold James Walter. 2nd Lt. Sharp Thomas. Pte. (d.23rd April 1917) Shenton Clifford Edward. Pte. Smith Alexander Bayneham. L/Cpl. (d.17th Sept 1916) Stephenson Joseph Henry. L/Cpl. Thew DCM, MSM. Arthur William. RSM. Vane-Tempest C. S.. Wall Thomas. Pte. (d.26th Jun 1917) Wallis James. Pte. (d.17th Aug 1915) Walton R. S.. Pte. Wanley Arthur. L/Cpl. (d.20 May 1917) Ward Alfred Edward. L/Cpl. (d.22nd March 1918) Watling J. W.. (d.3rd Mar 1919) White George Ernest. Sjt. (d.25 May 1915) Whitfield Charles W.. Pte. (d.24th May 1915) Worrall Waide Reginald. 2nd Lt. All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List Records of 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry from other sources. The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website. 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. Looking for help with Family History Research?    Please see Family History FAQ's Please note: We are unable to provide individual research. Can you help? The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation. Announcements 19th Nov 2024     Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 264989 your submission is still in the queue, please do not resubmit. Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to the Great War. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted. World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.   Pte Paul William Thomas Bayliss 5th Btn Durham Light Infantry Paul Bayliss served with the 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in WW1. Paul Bayliss Add to this record.   Pte. William Horner Dent 15th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.31st Mar 1918) William Dent was the paternal uncle of my grandfather. He died on 31st of March 1918 at the age of 19 whilst serving in the 15th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. My grandfather was born six years later and was named William Horner Dent in his memory. My grandfather then served in WWII throughout the war and, thankfully, managed to survive his service, despite being left for dead after the Normandy landings. He was eventually saved by a Canadian field medic and received some of the first cosmetic surgery ever performed in the UK, due to horrific burn injuries. Zellie Rosewell Add to this record.   Pte. William Fearns 5th Btn Durham Light Infantry (d.15th Sep 1916) William Fearns served with the 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Amanda Fearns Add to this record.   Pte. Robert Elliott 15th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.4th Oct 1917) Private Robert Elliott of the 15th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, died age 27, on the 4th of October 1917. Nick Elliott Add to this record.   Pte. James O'Neil 15th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.13th Nov 1915) James O'Neil voluntarily signed up as soon as War was announced, he was even too impatient to wait in the queues in Coventry City he went up to Nuneaton to sign up, and was assigned to the Durham Light Infantry on 5th of September 1914. On 9th September 1914 he travelled by train to Newcastle, then on to Halton Park for training with the Battalion. After being moved to billets in Maidenhead, he then sailed for Boulogne, France from Folkestone on the Duchess of Argyle. By October 1915 he had reached the Belgium border, and in November was in the trenches at Frelinghein, just outside Houplines. He volunteered for Listening Post Duty on 13th of November 1915 but received a severe head injury and died of his wounds in a field ambulance the same day. He is buried at Bailleul Cemetery in France. James was the youngest son of Eliza and James O'Neil, and one of 3 brothers that fought in WW1. Clare Chamberlain Add to this record.   Pte William Ransom 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.1st May 1915) William Ransom is buried in his home town. Add to this record.   Pte. Clifford Edward Shenton 15th Btn. Durham Light Infantry I believe that Clifford Shenton was only 15 when he joined up, born in 1899, he returned to Liverpool minus his right leg. Alan Hayes Add to this record.   2nd Lt. Waide Reginald Worrall 8th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment Reg Worrall was my father's brother-in-law. He volunteered at the outbreak of war and served as a stretcher bearer with 1/3rd West Riding Field Ambulance until 1917 when he was selected for officer training. He became a 2nd Lt in 8th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment. He was posted to France in April 1918 and transferred to the 5th DLI and saw action with 151st Trench Mortar Battery. On 27th May he was wounded in both arms and both legs and captured near Craonne. After a spell in hospital in Germany he was transferred to Karlsruhe POW camp. He was then removed to Kampstigall POW camp near Konigsburg on the Baltic Sea. He was repatriated to England in 1919. Add to this record.    Leonard Burdon 5th Btn Durham Light Infantry Leonard Burdon served with 5th DLI. He died in 1923 Tracey Burdon Add to this record.   Pte. Patrick McNaney 1/5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.26th June 1917) Patrick McNaney was only 17 years of age when he joined up, seeing it as an adventure which avoided him having to work in the mines. Patrick was killed in the Battle of Arras but his body never found. His name appears on the wall of the cemetery in Arras. Lynda Corker Add to this record.   Pte. Benjamin Brown 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry My father, Ben Brown, never talked about the war. Like most veterans, but sometimes when he had had a couple of pints he would tell us about little events that he was involved in. One such story was that out on patrol they had no water and they came upon a well marked poison. They were so thirsty they would have to drink the water. One of the men had tin of Andrews Liver Salts in his pack, so they all laced their water with a big dose of Andrews Liver Salts. Either Andrews Liver Salts are great laxative or the well was not poisoned. Another event was that they were in the trenches and noticed a figure in a nearby farmhouse moving around the house so six of them lined him and all shot at the same time hoping to kill a German whom they took to be an Observation Officer. Later in the day their squad moved up and they managed to get to the farmhouse and check whether they had killed the German. To their total dismay and shock it turned out to be a British officer they had killed. My father said that one of the earliest bayonet charges he took part only 120 survived out of over 700 men. He was gassed as the only gas prevention equipment they had was an instruction to piss on their handkerchiefs and put this over their noses. My father and his mate Haddy Burton were both shot. My father pleaded with a German soldier to finish him off but he just laughed at him and left him to die. When my father woke up after being wounded he saw all these monk like figures walking around and chanting. He thought he was in heaven. He was in a monastery, being cared for by the monks. On the hospital ship going back to England he was totally incapacitated due to his wounds and gassing, and was in the bottom deck in the bowels of the ship. A navy man gave him a life jacket, and when Dad asked what it was for was told they may get torpedoed and it would keep him afloat. Dad told him to stick it up his arse as there was no way he could get up to the top deck from his present position, and would prefer to die quickly down below decks. Dad was told he would not live to see his 21st birthday, being only 18 years old, but went on live to be 74 years old and fathered a family of three boys and two girls. Ben Brown Add to this record.   Pte. Albert Thomas Manley 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.30th March 1918) Albert Manley of 19 Kimberly Road, Leicester, enlisted at Leicester Town Hall in 1917 into the Leicestershire Regiment. He was posted overseas in February 1918 and transferred to the 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. He was wounded on the 24th of March 1918 in the German spring offensive and was taken to No. 10 General Hospital at Rouen. He died of wounds on 30th of March 1918 aged 19 years. Add to this record.   Pte. Thomas "Curly" Graham 2nd Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.28th Sep 1918) Thomas Graham enlisted in the 5th Durham Light Infantry in 1915 and served throughout till July 1918 when he transferred to the 2nd South Staffs. Thomas died of wounds on the 28th of September 1918 and is buried at Grevillies near Bapaume, aged 35. Tom O'Hara Add to this record.   Pte. Wilfred Ewett Holmes 1/5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.16th Nov 1916) Wilfred Holmes served with 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Jan Holmes Add to this record.   L/Cpl. Alexander Bayneham Smith 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.17th Sept 1916) Alexander Smith served with B Company, 5th Battalion, DLI. His name is on the original roll dated 17th of April 1915. He was born and enlisted in Stockton on Tees. Add to this record.   Sgt. John William Atkinson MM. 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry My great grand father, John Atkinson, also known as Jack, served in the 5th Battalion the Durham Light Infantry 1914- 1918. He was a coal miner from Trimdon Colliery in County Durham and worked at Deaf Hill pit. He entered the theatre of war on the 31st of October 1916 and went on to be wounded on the 17th of September 1916 during the battle of Flers Courcelette. He returned to active service in June 1917 and won the Military Medal during the Battle of Estaires on the 9th of April 1918. On the 27th of May 1918 he was taken prisoner during the third battle of the Aisne and was incarcerated in Damstadt POW camp. After repatriation he returned to the mining industry and passed away in 1951 aged 68. I believe J W Atkinson is seen on a photo supplied to this site by J Miller of Durham Light Infantry prisoners of war- bottom left front row. Lee Randle Add to this record.   L/Cpl. Joseph Henry Stephenson 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry Joseph Stephenson served in the 1/5th, 3/5th and the 20th DLI in Italy. Paul Add to this record.   Cpl. Percy Ketch MM. 1/5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry Percy Ketch, born 1898, is my grandfather in law. He died in 1964. He served with the 1/5th DLI and saw action as a machine gunner. He was injured in the shoulder whilst manning the machine gun for which he won the Military Medal. Shaun Ackerley Add to this record.   L/Cpl. Peter McGovern 1/5th Btn. C Coy. Durham Light Infantry (d.24th Sep 1916) Peter McGovern served with C Company, 1/5th Btn, Durham Light Infantry. Add to this record.   2nd Lt. Harold James Walter Scott 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry Harold J W Scott was a prisoner of war. He was reported missing on 23rd of March 1918 and was repatriated on 12th of October 1918. Diana McGlone Add to this record. Recomended Reading. Available at discounted prices.

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