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8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
The 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry were a unit of the Territorial Force with their HQ at the Drill Hall, Gilesgate, Durham.
A Coy was also based there, being drawn from from Gilesgate, Sherburn Hill, Brandon and Sacriston, B Coy was also based at Gilesgate, C Coy was based in Lumley Terrace Chester-le-Street, D Coy at the Drill Hall, Birtley, E Coy at The Armoury, Beamish and Burnhope, F Coy at the Drill Hall, Stanley, G Coy at The Armoury's in Washington and Houghton-le-Spring and H Coy at Drill Hall, Hamsteels and also recruited from Langley Park and Sleetburn.
After training in Britain they proceeded to France on the 17th of April 1915 landing at Boulogne to joined 151st Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division. They saw action in the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915 and in June after suffering heavy casualties merged with the 6th DLI to become the 6/8th until mid August.
They were in action again on the Somme in 1916 and at Arras and Passchendaele in 1917, in 1918 saw action on The Somme and in the Battles of the Lys. In August the 8th DLI transferred to 117th Brigade, 39th Division and was disbanded in France on the 6th of November 1918.
4th Aug 1914 Durham Territorials break camp At Conway Camp in North Wales, reveille was sounded at 4am. The Territorials of the 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions Durham Light Infantry quickly broke camp and marched to the station to board special trains back to their County Durham bases to mobilize for war. 11th DLI Martin Bashforth
1st Sep 1914 8th DLI on the Move
17th April 1915 On the Move
17th Apr 1915 On the Move
18th Apr 1915 Stores
19th April 1915 On the Move
19th Apr 1915 On the Move
19th of April 1915 Establishing HQs
20th April 1915 On the Move
20th Apr 1915 On the Move
21st April 1915 Inspections
21st Apr 1915 Inspections
22nd April 1915 Arms Tested
22nd Apr 1915 On Stand by
22nd Apr 1915 Arms Tested
22nd of April 1915 Germans Attack
22nd of April 1915 Standing by
23rd of April 1915 Under attack
23rd of April 1915 Northunberlands Transferred
23rd of April 1915 Concentration
23rd of April 1915 Divisional Movements
23rd of April 1915 Delays
23rd of April 1915 Urgent Moves
23rd of April 1915 Brigade to 5th Corps
23rd Apr 1915 On the March 
23rd Apr 1915 Orders
24th of April 1915 Reserve Brigades
24th of April 1915 Transfer of Infantry
24th of April 1915 Units in position
24th April 1915 On the March
24th Apr 1915 Stand To
24th of April 1915 Positions of Northumberland Division
25th April 1915 On the March
26th of April 1915 Confusion
26th of Apr 1915 Experience
27th Apr 1915 Sparse Roll Call
3rd of May 1915 Orders
3rd of May 1915 Divisional Area Allotted
3rd of May 1915 Orders
4th of May 1915 CinC to address troops
10th May 1915 At Rest
18th of May 1915 Appreciation
18th of May 1915 Letter
22nd of May 1915 Reliefs
31st of May 1915 Report
7th of June 1915 Artillery into position
8th Jun 1915 Reorganisation
15th Jun 1915 No Fires
16th Jun 1915 Heavy Bombardment
16th Jun 1915 Infantry Assault
17th Jun 1915 Trench Work
18th of June 1915 Attack at Hooge
18th of June 1915
20th Jun 1915 On the March
20th of June 1915 Move
21st Jun 1915 Relief
22nd Jun 1915 Snipers Active
22nd Jun 1915 On the March
23rd Jun 1915 In Huts
27th Jun 1915 Reliefs
3rd Jul 1915 Reliefs
5th Jul 1915 In the Trenches
6th Jul 1915 In the Trenches
7th of July 1915
16th Jul 1915 On the March
17th Jul 1915 Into Reserve Trenches
18th Jul 1915 In the Trenches
19th Jul 1915 Situation Normal
20th Jul 1915 Men Wounded
21st Jul 1915 Snipers Active
22nd Jul 1915 Good Progress
22nd Jul 1915 Companies in Reserve
24th Jul 1915 Reliefs Completed
25th Jul 1915 Church Parade
26th Jul 1915 Working Parties
27th Jul 1915 Working Parties
28th Jul 1915 Company Reliefs
29th Jul 1915 Reliefs
30th Jul 1915 Working Parties
31st Jul 1915 Availability of Supplies
1st Aug 1915 Battalion to be Re-established
3rd Aug 1915 Reinforcements
4th Aug 1915 Inspection
5th Aug 1915 Reorganisation
6th Aug 1915 Drill and Working Parties
7th Aug 1915 Reliefs Completed
8th Aug 1915 Trench Work
9th Aug 1915 Under Shellfire
11th of Aug 1915
13th Aug 1915 Reliefs Completed
27th of Aug 1915
4th Sep 1915 Communication Exercise
7th September 1915 Inspection
12th September 1915 Reliefs
18th Sep 1915 Reliefs Completed
24th September 1915 Orders
24th September 1915 Programme
25th September 1915 Wind
25th September 1915 Orders
26th September 1915 Reliefs Complete
26th September 1915 Reliefs Complete
27th September 1915 Patrols
27th September 1915 Orders
27th September 1915 Orders
28th September 1915 Reliefs complete
5th Oct 1915 Reliefs Completed
6th Oct 1915 Relief Plan
11th Oct 1915 Attack Planned
13th Oct 1915 Diversion
13th of October 1915 Orders
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
1st November 1915 Warnings
2nd November 1915 Ammunition Allotment
3rd of November 1915
4th November 1915 Reliefs
4th November 1915 Orders
4th November 1915 Training Programme
7th November 1915 Orders Issued
7th November 1915 Reliefs
8th November 1915 Orders
10th November 1915 Shelling
12th November 1915 On the Move
13th November 1915 Training Programme
24th Nov 1915 Training and Football
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
2nd December 1915 Orders
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
18th December 1915 On the Move
20th Dec 1915 Under Shellfire
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
14th Jan 1916 Reliefs Completed
15th January 1916 Artillery Active
16th January 1916 Visit
16th January 1916 Reorganisation
23rd January 1916 Shelling
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 Enemy Lines
1st Feb 1916 In the Trenches
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 Feb 1916 Reorganisation
6th February 1916 Orders
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 Feb 1916 On Stand by
14th February 1916 Bomardment
15th February 1916 Orders
18th of February 1916 Reliefs Complete
18th of February 1916 Less Shelling
19th of February 1916 Reorganisation
21st February 1916 Snow
22nd February 1916 Gas
22nd of February 1916 Machine Guns
23rd February 1916 Warning
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 March 1916 Orders
6th of March 1916 Orders
7th of March 1916 Orders
7th of March 1916 Orders
8th Mar 1916 Reliefs
8th of March 1916 Mining
10th of March 1916 Reliefs Completed
10th of March 1916 Orders
10th of March 1916 Orders
13th Mar 1916 Concert
16th of March 1916 Orders
18th of March 1916 Orders
20th of March 1916 Orders
23rd of March 1916 Reliefs
26th Mar 1916 Reliefs
31st of March 1916 Orders
1st Apr 1916 Hostile Shelling
2nd Apr 1916 Hostile Shelling
3rd of April 1916 Orders
8th Apr 1916 Into the Trenches
14th Apr 1916 Field Gun Targetted
20th of April 1916 Orders
22nd of April 1916 Gas
27th Apr 1916 Inspection
28th of April 1916 Inspection
30th of April 1916 Stand To
30th of April 1916 At Rest
1st of May 1916 Orders
7th May 1916 Church Parade
14th of May 1916 Training & Sport
15th May 1916 Brigade Cross Country Run
16th May 1916 Parade
17th May 1916 Football
18th of May 1916 Orders
20th May 1916 Boxing Match
20th of May 1916 Orders
21st May 1916 New CO
23rd May 1916 Inspection
24th of May 1916 Orders
25th of May 1916 Moves
25th of May 1916 Moves
27th of May 1916 Reliefs
8th Jul 1916 Reliefs
1st Aug 1916 Bathing
1st of August 1916 Gas
2nd of August 1916 Alert
30th Aug 1916 Practice Attack
1st of September 1916 Locations
1st Sep 1916 Flies
2nd of September 1916
2nd Sep 1916 Wet Day
7th Sep 1916 Conference
9th Sep 1916 Arrangements Made
10th Sep 1916 Moves
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 of September 1916
16th Sep 1916 Large number of Casualties
17th Sep 1916 Reliefs Completed
17th Sep 1916 Stretcher Bearers
18th of September 1916
19th of September 1916 Messages
21st Sep 1916 Poor Sanitation
24th of September 1916 Reliefs
24th of September 1916 Orders
25th of September 1916 Attacks
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
30th of September 1916 Patrols
1st of October 1916 Attacks
2nd of October 1916 Orders
2nd of October 1916 Attacks
2nd of October 1916 Reliefs
2nd of October 1916 Orders
2nd of October 1916 In Action
3rd of October 1916 Reliefs
3rd of October 1916 Congratulations
3rd of October 1916 Attack
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
25th of October 1916 Situation
26th of October 1916 Orders
26th of October 1916 Orders
27th of October 1916 Situation
28th of October 1916 Orders
28th of October 1916 Appendix
28th of October 1916 Working Parties
28th of October 1916 Orders
30th of October 1916 Orders
31st of October 1916 Orders
31st of October 1916 Orders
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
5th of November 1916 In Action
6th of November 1916 Information Obtained
6th of November 1916 Orders
6th of November 1916 Intelligence
30th of November 1916
1st of January 1917
26th of January 1917
13th of February 1917
17th of April 1917
23rd Apr 1917 Attack and Counter Attack
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
7th of September 1917 Intelligence
8th of September 1917 Intelligence
9th of September 1917 Intelligence
9th of September 1917 Intelligence
10th of September 1917 Intelligence
11th of September 1917 Intelligence
12th of September 1917 Intelligence
13th Sep 1917 Reliefs
13th of September 1917 Intelligence
14th of September 1917 Intelligence
15th of September 1917 Intelligence
16th of September 1917 Orders
16th of September 1917 Intelligence
16th of September 1917 Intelligence
17th of September 1917 Intelligence
18th of September 1917 Intelligence
19th of September 1917 Intelligence
20th of September 1917 Intelligence
21st of September 1917 Intelligence
22nd of September 1917 Intelligence
22nd of September 1917 Intelligence
23rd of September 1917 Intelligence
24th of September 1917 Intelligence
26th of September 1917 Intelligence
27th of September 1917 Intelligence
28th of September 1917 Intelligence
28th of September 1917 Intelligence
29th of September 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
4th of November 1917 Orders
8th of November 1917 Orders
13th of November 1917 Dispositions
18th of December 1917 Intelligence
19th of December 1917 Intelligence
19th of December 1917 Intelligence
20th of December 1917 Intelligence
21st of December 1917
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
26th of December 1917 Intelligence
30th of December 1917 Orders
2nd of January 1918
24th of January 1918
3rd of February 1918 Orders
9th Feb 1918 Reliefs Complete
10th of February 1918 Orders
11th of February 1918
27th of February 1918 Orders
23rd Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
26th Mar 1918 Withdrawal
27th Mar 1918 Under Fire
28th Mar 1918 Confusion
29th Mar 1918 Orders
30th Mar 1918 Orders
31st Mar 1918 Attack
6th of April 1918 Orders
13th of April 1918 Report
27th of May 1918 In Action
1st of June 1918
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Pte Thomas Pooley 1/8th Btn Durham Light Infantry (d.26th Apr 1915) Thomas Pooley's war lasted a mere 6 days. The battalion landed at Boulogne on April 20th, and he was killed on the 26th, at Gravenstafel, during the 2nd battle of Ypres.
His name is recorded on The Menin Gate memorial, and also on the Memorial in Tow Law, County Durham, near his home village of Sunniside, Crook. He enlisted at Tow Law (date unknown)and was probably in H Coy. due to the proximity of its base in Hamsteels to both Tow Law and Sunniside.
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Pte. Harry Collingwood Mitton 1/8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.29th Sep 1916) My great-grandfather Harry Mitton was born on the 18th June 1888 in Mungrisdale, Cumbria, the son of Welbury Mitton and Agnes Eliza Phoebe Collingwood. He fought in the Battle of the Somme as part of the 151st Brigade in the 50th (Northumbrian)
Harry was killed in action on the 29th September 1916, he has no known grave. His name is on the Memorial for The Missing at Thiepval, as well as on the war memorial in Chopwell Village, on a plaque in Chopwell Church Hall, as well as having his name carved into the wall in Ainstable, Cumbria where he grew up. He left behind a wife and three young children.
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Pte. Joseph William "Joe" Harding 8th Battallion Durham Light Infantry Joseph William Harding was born in High Pittington in May 1898. He joined the 8th Battalion DLI in April 1915 just before his seventeenth birthday. He was the youngest of six children, the other five being girls, so his early volunteering to fight was a great shock to the women in his life. He managed to survive the war but was wounded in March 1918 and was honourably discharged just before his 21st birthday in 1919. He lived a long and happy life mentioning his wartime memories often, but without going into any specific detail and always skirting around the horrific events he must have witnessed. He married Laura in 1924, they had a daughter, Monica, and two granddaughters. He lived most of the remainder of his life in Halifax, West Yorkshire, where he died in April 1981.
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Pte. Hans Major Embleton 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry My granddad, Hans Embleton, was taken prisoner at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915. He was taken to a holding camp at Munster 2 larger and sent to work in the coal mines and coke ovens. I have just found out he was taken to Chimnitz prison camp February 1918 until repatriated to Britain December 1918. He was made to work in the salt mines with Russians and was starving as all the people were in Chemnitz. He finally got a good parcel August 1918 and managed to receive some more. He was told to work on after the Armistice or get no food the soldiers refused and were threatened with a machine gun but they still refused and then took control of the gun and the German guards gave up and fled the camp and town as the Russians moved in to take control.
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Pte. Hans Major Embleton 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry My granddad, Hans Embleton, enlisted in June 1913 into the Territorials, joining 8th Durham Light Infantry. He went to training camps as well as working in the mines.
In August 1914 he was at Morphia in Wales training. They where told to go to Folkstone to go to France to join the campaign. They marched through France to Belgium and filled in the gaps in the Second Battle of Ypres. After a great bombardment by the Germans that lasted for ten days and nights the Durham Light Infantry suffered heavy loses, and eventually only a few remained. They where taken prisoners, including my granddad, in May 1915.
They where taken by cattle trucks to Munster and put into a holding camp until they where sorted out for work. My grandad was in Muster camp 2 and was sent to the coal mines in Oberhausen Westphalia. He was put to work. Every day he witnessed his comrades being beaten including himself and was sent to the coke ovens as punishment. He survived and was repatriated December 1918.
He came to live with us in 1959 and he told me all about the war, being a prisoner and all the trauma he went through. When he got back to the receiving camp in December 1918, after they de-mobbed him, he signed a form. Little did he know he was signing his war pension away for just two pounds so he never received any. He died in 1973.
He earned the Allied Victory Medal, British War Medal and 1914-1915 Star.
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Sgt. William Bolton Coates 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.26th April 1915) William Coates served with the 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry.
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Pte. Robert Coulson 1/8th Btn Durham Light Infantry (d.26th Apr 1915) My great uncle Robert Coulson who was known as 'our Bob' was one of 12 children, son of William and Alice Coulson. He died when a shell fell at his feet at St Julian during 2nd Battle Ypres, he was 20 years old.
He is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres.
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Pte. James William Dinsley MM 1st/8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.12th Apr 1918) My Great Uncle died in action just before the end of the war in Merville. Dinsley is a very rare surname and strangely enough he seems to have died the same day as another man of the same surname, only he was called Joseph. My thinking is that they may have been cousins or distant relatives.
Editor's Note: Private Dinsley was the son of Joseph and Jane H. Dinsley, of 33 Kathrine Street, Willington, County Durham. James Dinsley was fighting in the Battle of the Lys when he was killed in action aged 27, and he is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium.
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Pte. Robert Tulip 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.10th Apr 1918) My great great grandfather, Robert Tulip, died on 10th April, 1918 aged 42 during the Battle of the Lys. He is buried at Haverskerque British Cemetery. He was the son of Thomas and Isabella Tulip of Walbottle, and was husband to Elizabeth Tulip. They had 5 children Alice, Thomas, Robert, Elizabeth and Phylis.
My great great grandfather Robert's brother William died 6 weeks after on 30th May 1918 in the Battle of the Aisne. His grave has not been found. He is commemorated on Soissons Memorial.
Rest in Peace. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.
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L/Cpl. Edward Bruce Haswell 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.30th June 1917) Edward Bruce Haswell served with the 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and died on the 30th June 1917.
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Sgt. John Albert Stainthorpe 14th Battalion Durham Light Inantry (d.26th Dec 1915) John Albert Stainthorpe died aged 28, he was the Son of John William and Jane Stainthorpe (nee Hall) of 4 Henry Street Jarrow. John Albert Stainthorpe, aged 23, a House Agent's Clerk, is listed as living with his parents John William & Jane Stainthorpe in 4, Henry Street, Jarrow-on-Tyne in the 1911 Census. He was born and enlisted in Jarrow. He first served in France on teh 11th of September 1915.
John is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery and is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow.
He was also commemorated on the Triptych in St. Mark's Church Jarrow (it is no longer a Church)
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2/Lt. Robinson Wallace 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.2nd Oct 1916) Robinson Wallace, Second Lieutenant, served in the 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, having previously served as a Private 320 in the 3rd Northern Cyclist Company. He died age 20 on the 2nd October 1916 and is remembered at Monkton Memorial and is buried in Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension. His medal card shows the award of the War and Victory Medals.
Robinson was born in Heworth 1896, son of Robinson Jackson and Margaret Jane Wallace of 9 Osborne Terrace, Felling, Gateshead. In the 1911 census Robinson Jackson Wallace(46) is a Police Constable, with his wife of 23 years Margaret Jane(43). They have 3 children, all single, living here, Ada A(23) and Margaret A(19), both Elementary School Teachers. Robinson Wallace is 15 years old and still at school.
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Pte. John William Cooper 1st/8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.27th Mar 1918) John Cooper died age 25 whilst serving with the 8th DLI. He was born in Jarrow. The 1911 census records his as John William Cooper age 18 Unemployed Labourer living with his mother Isabella Hunter (formerly Cooper nee Butland) and his stepfather Edward Hunter and family at 55 Wylam Street, Jarrow on the 1911 census. His father was the late Robert Cooper.
John lived in Jarrow and Gateshead, he enlisted in Gateshead.
He is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial.
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Pte. William Ewing 1st/8th Btn Durham Light Infantry (d.9th Apr 1918) William Ewing. Private 302871, 1st/8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry was the son of Hugh and Mary Ewing (nee Dorrian) and husband of Catherine Ewing (nee Hagan) of 63 Wansbeck Road Jarrow. William was born, enlisted and was living Jarrow. He died age 35 on 9th April 1918 and is remembered on the
Ploegsteert Memorial. Panel 8 and 9
The
1911 Census shows him living at 74 Stothard Street Jarrow:
William Ewing age 29 Master Fishmonger born Jarrow
(married 2 months, children 0) and Catherine Ewing wife age 30 born Jarrow.
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Pte. Thomas James Ridden 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry Thomas James Ridden was my great grandfather. I never met him as he died 4 years before I was born. He entered the theatre of war 20th April 1915 after enlisting with the Northern Cyclist Battalion on 30th June 1908. He was a miner for the Priestman Coal Company in civilian life.
He was awarded the Silver War Badge under AO no 11 of 10/8/1917 (from the records). This has lead me to believe he saw service on the Western Front. I believe he was gassed and pensioned out as a result of this service.
He was Discharged from 8th Battalion DLI on 4th April 1918.
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Pte. Hans Major Embleton 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry My grandad, Hans Major Embleton, served in the First World War with the Durham Light Infantry. He was a miner when he signed up on the 25th June 1913, he became a member of the 8th Battalion territorial force and used to do training at weekends and worked down the mine in the week. He survived the War but was taken prisoner near the end. This left him very thin and weak but he returned to Sacriston and back in the mine. He got married in 1920 and my mother was born in 1921 in Sacriston. My grandad came to stay with us through the 1960s and he told me stories of the war mainly in the prison camp living on water and potato peelings if you were lucky. He was awarded the Territorial Force War Medal and I am very proud of him.
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Pte Thomas George Dix 1/8th Batalion Durham Light Infantry (d.17th Sep 1917) Thomas Dix was the son of Alfred Dix and Louise Isabella Alp. He enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry in 1914, and married Hannah Ford in 1916. Thomas died of wounds on teh 17th of September 1917 and is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux.
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Pte. Walter Beet 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.11th April 1918) I have only just found my grandmother's cousin, Walter Beet, and I wondered why he joined the Durham Light Infantry when living in Yorkshire. Could it be that they marched through Wadsworth on their way to war and he decided to join them?
Editors Note: Walter Beet enlisted in 1917, at this time men were assigned to which ever Battalion required reinforcements and conscription was in force. The concept of Pals Battalions, made up of men from their local area was a thing of the past by the time Walter joined up.
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Pte. Charles Luckraft 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry Charles Luckraft joined up some time in the middle of 1915 and came home in early 1919. I think that following the Battle of Arras in 1917 he transferred to the the 8th Tank Regiment
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L/Cpl. William John Harrington 10th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.16th Sep 1916) William John Harrington was born in Bowburn County Durham. He served with the 8th, 9th and 10th Battalions DLI during the Great War
He was killed in action with the 10th DLI on the 16th of September 1916 during an attack on Grid trench, north of Flers, during the Battle of the Somme.
William was 22 years old and has no nown grave, he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial and his medals are on display in the DLI Museum in Durham City.
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