15th (1st Leeds) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment

   15th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (1st Leeds Pals) was raised in Leeds in September 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City. After training locally they moved to Silkstone in December 1914. In May 1915 The Battalion joined the 93rd Brigade, 31st Division and moved to South Camp, Ripon and later to Hurdcott Camp near Salisbury. In December 1915 they set sail for Alexandria in Egypt to defend the Suez Canal. In March 1916 The 31st Division left Port Said aboard HMT Briton bound for Marseilles in France, a journey which took 5 days. They travelled by train to Pont Remy, a few miles south east of Abbeville and marched to Bertrancourt arriving on 29 March 1916. Their first taste of action was at Serre on the Somme where they suffered heavy casualties as the battle was launched. In 1917 they were in action in the Battle of Arras. In early 1918 they were on the Somme then moved north into Flanders for the Battle of the Lys and the Final Advance in Flanders.

25th Sep 1914 Leeds Pals arrive at Breary Banks  The 15th West Yorks, Leeds Pals travelled by train from Leeds to Masham on Friday 25 September 1914. They marched from Masham station to Breary Banks, in Colsterdale, where they occupied part of the hutted village which had been built for the Leeds Corporation reservoir construction workers, the remainer of the troops were accommodated under canvas.

25th May 1915 Leeds Pals leave Breary Banks  The 15th West Yorks, Leeds Pals left the training camp at Breary Banks, Colsterdale, bound for Egypt.

16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme

1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets

11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment

10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens

28th Jan 1916 A Sad Day at Rest Camp

9th February 1916 Call Ups

30th Mar 1916 Leeds Pals suffer first casualty in action  (Acting Sgt)Corporal Frank Bygott was the first Leeds Pal to be killed in Action. The battalion had arrived near Serre on 29th March. That evening he took part in a raid on German lines 250 yards to their front. During the return he received a fatal wound - from 'friendly MG fire.

1st Jul 1916 In Action  Front Line 0700. Beginning of Battle of Somme. The Objective of 18th DLI line running S.E. of Serre.
0450. 18th Battalion DLI reached assembly trench Maitland. HQ near Warley, Maitland junction. 11th East Lancs on left, West Riding on right.
At 0505. Special bombing parties of 18th DLI proceed to Sap A to report to 15th West Yorks.
0600. German guns appear to be inferior to our artillery. Our aircraft patrol lines effectively.
0720. Mine sprung at Beaumont Hamel by British.
0730. Men begin crossing to German lines carrying artillery discs but smoke prevented good observation.
0920 Brigade instruct 18th Battalion DLI to move to line Monk trench to support 18th West Yorks.
0947. A Coy. 18th DLI leave Maitland and advance to Monk.
1000. B Coy. 18 DLI leave Maitland and advance to Monk with C Coy. 18th DLI in Maitland ready to advance. HQ in Maitland between Bleneau and Grey. 18th West Yorks in Languard east of Maitland, Brigade HQ on Legend.
1100. A & B Coys 18th DLI are heavily shelled in the open between Monk and Maitland.
1130. German artillery very effective and appearing to predominate. Brigade instructs B Coy 18 DLI to reorganise in Dunmow.
1157. Message to Brigade reporting dispositions of 18th DLI. 2 Platoons A Coy. in Monk. 1 Platoon A Coy. in Flag, 1 Platoon A Coy. in Maitland, B Coy. west of Monk, C Coy. in Maitland, Btn HQ as at 10am. Heavy casualties in all Coys.
1232. Brigade instructs B Coy. 18th DLI to hold Sackville in conjunction with 4th Div.
Brigade instructs ------ to hold New Dunmow.
1353. C Coy. 18th DLI with 60 men of 18th West Yorks in New Dunmow, A & B Coys garrison Maitland with bombing parties on right and left of New Dunmow and Languard and Lewis guns north and south of New Dunmow.
1511. 1 Coy. 11th East Yorks move to Maitland and are under O.C. 18th Durham LI to cover 159 Bty RFA.
1540. O.C. 18 Durham LI moves 11th East Yorks from Maitland to take over defence of Languard.
1543. C Coy. 18th DLI reports
(1) Front line trench blown out of existence as fighting trench,
(2) Front line full of East and West Yorks
(3) Recall of bombing parties working with 15th West Yorks.
1550. 18th West Yorks are collected by 18th Durham LI in New Dunmow. A & B Coys 18th DLI are being reorganised. Stragglers of 16th West Yorks are being collected.
Casualties in 18th DLI approximately (less D Coy.) 5 Officers wounded, 11 OR killed, 126 OR wounded. 4 Officers D Co. wounded, 17 OR D Co. reported Btn HQ.
18 Durham LI instructed by Brigade to hold front line for the night and expel counter attack. C Coy. manned front line, A & B in Maitland. 16th West Yorks in Dunmow. C Coy. 18DLI has bombing parties Sap A & Sap B
1745. 11th East Yorks reported in position in Languard.
1830. Major Tilly reported at 18th DLI HQ.
The National Archives 18DLi War Diary WO95/2361/1 Appendix 1

2nd Jul 1916 In Action  At 0100. B Coy. 18th DLI moved up to the front line. (D Coy. attached to A)
0330. 66 reinforcements reported at HQ and joined their Coys.
0830. 2 Platoons C Coy. in Monk with 4 MG of MG Co. and 2 MG in Dunmow.
1330. Brigade instructions to occupy front line from K.35.a.3.7 to K.29.c.80.95 with 1 Co. 4 L.G. by day, with 2 Coys 8 L.G. by night, remainder & HQ to hold north & south Monk. This completed by 2.40 pm and Brigade informed.
1500 - 1530. Special bombardment by our artillery during which 2 off. 9 OR C Coy. were wounded 1 OR C Co. killed.
1830 - 1900. Special bombardment by our artillery.
2020. Brigade informed that enemy was at ----- ----- shells ---- in North Monk. 40 wounded chiefly of 16th West Yorks were collected by C Coy. in front line.
2300. Kings Own on right of 18th DLI and wiring in front.
2306. Germans reported to be seen carrying up Gas Cylinders to front line.
2330. GOC 93 I.B. instructs 18 Btn DLI to send remainder of D Coy. back to Bus.
Late. Brigade warn 18th Btn DLI of possible gas attack, front line to hold on. 18th West Yorks to send 2 Coy’s one to North Monk, one to South Monk and 2 remaining Coy’s to move up later. 16th West Yorks to remain in Dunmow, 15th West Yorks in Maitland. Information also received that 2 Brigades of 48th Division with 3 Battalions of 29 Division will attack hostile line from River Ancre to Pt 29 at 3.30am. Artillery to bombard enemy’s line.
The National Archives 18th DLI War Diary Appx.1 WO95/2361/1

10th Aug 1916 Reliefs  18th Durhams HQ moved from Le Hamel to Essars
At 20.05. 18th Battalion DLI relieved 2nd Wilts, vacated billets & moved into trenches East of Festubert, B Co. & D Co. in Front Line right & left, C & A Co in Support Lines. Hants Battalion on right 16th West Yorks on left. 15th West Yorks & 1 Co. 11th East Yorks in Brigade Reserve. Wagon line moved into billets at Le Touret.
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

20th Aug 1916 Stand To  18th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry report from Le Touret "Considerable enemy artillery activity gradually increasing throughout the day and not reduced by our artillery fire. B Co. 18th DLI in O.B.L reported extensive damage done by enemy fire to Islands 1 to 9, 13 to 14, also to Barnton trench. B Co. sent up 2 platoons reinforcements. No casualties. Under Brigade instructions 18th DLI stood to 8.0pm to 11.30pm, when ordered to stand down. 18th West Yorks in village line also stood to and sent up 100 reinforcements to O.B.L.
Artillery fire slackened about 8.0pm and all was quiet at 11.30pm & throughout the night 20th/21st of August 1916. 15th West Yorks drove out a raiding party with heavy losses, which attempted about 8.40pm to raid between No 12 Island and No 9 to No 10. Considerable damage was done to No 12 & 11 Islands."
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

26th Aug 1916 Reliefs  Trenches Festubert Sector
21.00. 18th Battalion. DLI Less C Co. which remained in O.B.L right relieved 15th West Yorkshire Regiment. B Co. front line Right, D Co. front line Left. A Co. O.B.L Left. 16th West Yorks Battalion on our Left. 2nd Yorks Battalion on our Right. No casualties. Later in night 2 casualties.
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

1st Sep 1916 Reliefs  18th DLI hold trenches in the Festubert Sector "Fair. 92nd Brigade on our left bombarded hostile trenches. Very weak reply. Exceptionally quiet day.
20.30. 18th Battalion DLI, less D Coy. which remained in Left O.B.L relieved by 15th West Yorks without casualties & proceeded into billets at Le Touret."
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

11th Sep 1916 Reliefs  At 09.15. 18th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, less details moved into front line in Neuve Chapelle Sector. A, B and D Coys in Front Line C in reserve. Battalion on right is 15th West Yorks. Battalion on left 2/1st Bucks Battalion, Ox & Bucks of 184th Brigade, 61st Division. Details moved to Transport Lines South West of Lestrem. 18th DLI relieved 13th York & Lancasters. Very quiet night.
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

21st Sep 1916 Shelling  18th DLI took over left subsector from 18th West Yorks with 3 Coys. B, C and D, Right, Centre & Left in front line and A Coy. in support at Windy Corner. Very quiet afternoon. 15th West Yorks on right of 18th DLI, 11th East Lancs on left of Battalion. A fair amount of Minenwerfer activity on both sides.
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

6th Oct 1916   18th DLI with transport moved in conjunction with 15th West Yorks leaving billets at Bethune 9.30am and leaving 15th West Yorks at Busnes, entered billets at La Pierriere 1.0pm.
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

23rd Nov 1916   Wet in the morning and cold. 15th West Yorks took over A Coy, 18th DLI sector. C Coy relieved by D Coy. A Coy moved into billets in Hebuterne. Now D Coy Left Front. B Coy Right Front. C Coy Left Support. A Coy Left Support. Patrols reconnoitred No Man's Land.
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

10th of January 1917 On Front Line

18th Jan 1917 Court of Inquiry

1st June 1917 Positions

1st June 1917 Operational Order 119

1st June 1917 Positions

1st June 1917 Table B.O.O.119.

2nd June 1917 Training

3rd June 1917 Operational Orders

3rd June 1917 Orders

4th June 1917 Table B.O.O.121.

4th June 1917 Operational Order 120

4th June 1917 Orders Issued

6th June 1917 Operational Order 121

7th June 1917 Orders

7th June 1917 Operational Order 122

9th June 1917 Orders

9th June 1917 Operational Order 124

11th June 1917 Operational Order 125

13th June 1917 Artillery Quiet

14th June 1917 Orders Issued

14th June 1917 Operational Order 126

June 15th 1917 Orders

16th June 1917 Quiet

17th June 1917 Orders Issued

18th June 1917 Operational Order 128

19th June 1917 Orders

20th June 1917 Orders Issued

20th June 1917 Table B.O.O.130.

20th June 1917 Operational Order 129

20th June 1917 Operational Order 130

21st June 1917 Artillery In Action

22nd June 1017 Heavy Shelling

23rd June 1917 Aircraft Active

24th June 1917 Bombardment

25th June 1917 Patrols

26th June 1917 Patrols

26th June 1917 Table B.O.O.134.

26th June 1917 Operational Order 134

26th June 1917 Operational Order 134

27th June 1917 Artillery Active

28th June 1917 Shelling

1st July 1917 Diary

2nd July 1917 Table B.O.O.135.

2nd July 1917 Diary

3rd July 1917 Diary

4th July 1917 Diary

6th July 1917 Diary

13th July 1917 Diary

14th July 1917 Diary

19th July 1917 Diary

21st July 1917 Diary

26th July 1917 Diary

26th July 1917 Diary

29th July 1917 Reliefs Complete

31st July 1917 Diary

1st August 1917 Diary

2nd August 1917 Orders

4th August 1917 Orders

6th August 1917 Diary

7th August 1917 Diary

8th August 1917 Diary

9th August 1917 Diary

13th. August 1917 Orders

16th Aug 1917 On the Move  18th Battalion DLI entrained at Laurel Siding at 4.0pm and went by train to transport lines at Neuville St Vaast. They left Neuville St Vaast at 8.15pm and marched up to take over from 13th Y&L in support in Acheville Sector. Relief complete at 12.30am on the 17th. Order of battle is 15th WYR in L1. 16th WYR in L2. 18th DLI in support. 18th WYR in reserve. 5th Div on right. 92nd Brigade on left. 18th Battalion DLI HQ was established in Beehive Support.
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

16th August 1917 Diary

22nd. August 1917 Diary

24th August 1917 Diary

23rd Mar 1918 Orders

27th Mar 1918 In Action

12th Apr 1918 Withdrawal  At about 7.30am messages received from A,B, & D Coy’s 18th Durhams and a telephone message from C Coy to say that enemy were massing in front of them. 2nd Lt Freer reported to OC C COY that troops of 13th York & Lancasters were retiring. OC C Coy held on for about 15 minutes after left of York & Lancasters had withdrawn. He reported patrol coming through Grand Beaumart. D Coy on the left held on for some time longer than other companies and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. B Coy also inflicted casualties before retiring. The 15th West Yorks retired on the left of D Coy 20 minutes before D Coy moved. Orders were issued to Coy’s to hold on to line of the original first objective in the previous nights attack. 3 officers were wounded (seriously & left behind in the withdrawal) 18th DLI Coy’s retiring had (approx) the following casualties: A Coy 70, B Coy 80, C Coy 60, D Coy 60. Coy’s held for a short time this first objective but again withdrew.
The CO and Adjutant attempted to form a line 200yards South East of the Rau Du Leet and all Coy’s were at the same time warned to hold at all costs the road running along the Rau Du Leet. About this time our own artillery shelled us very heavily. The CO and Adjutant were only able to get a certain number of men as the front upon which the withdrawal was taking place was a large one and men had retired too far back, but with what men they could get at they formed a line. CO sent Adjt back to get into communications with Brigade HQ at the Farm (originally Battalion HQ) near Cemetery in F.12.a. Instructed all Coy’s in event of being forced to withdraw from line Rau Du Leetto form a strong point at the Cemetery. All Coy’s did not receive this order in time to do so. D Coy Commander with 15 men held on to the line Rau Du Leet to the North West of Blanche Maison. B Coy Commander with a few of his own men & some of 15th West Yorks held on near the Cemetery holding up the enemy advance after the main body had retired well back from the line Rau Du Leet. Battalion HQ also covered retirement of the main body by holding firm on line at Farm F.12.a.7.4. to F.11.a.9.9. Retirement to line of railway from F.5. central to South of Outtersteene.
Whole Brigade collected along railway which was a difficult position owing to necessity of men exposing themselves while watching dead ground in front and owing also to the exact fire of enemy machine guns on the railway line. Strength of Brigade on railway about 400. On right 15th West Yorks, centre 13th York & Lancasters, left 18th DLI. This line was held for over an hour when message was received from 15th West Yorks saying that their flank had been turned and that enemy were across the railway and were enfilading us. 15th West Yorks retired. Major Lowe held right half Battalion while Adjt withdrew with the left half through very close country and thick hedges. After withdrawing about 50yards Adjt took up new position facing East in open ground. On right half Battalion withdrawing, it was seen that they were under fire from farms on high ground to the South 300yards away. Right half Battalion formed defensive flank to the right while left half took up position facing South East on North side of the Bailleul to Outtersteene Road where we held for some time until right half of Battalion joined us.
After a conference of Maj Lowe MC, Maj Nutt 13th York & Lancasters and all officers it was decided that we were likely to be completely surrounded in a few minutes and decided to work round North & North West to our Brigade HQ at Merris. Putting out advanced guard, left flank guard, and rear guard we worked up behind hedges & after going about 400yards came into contact with Lt Col Tilley 15th West Yorks. CO’s conferred together & Lt Col Tilley & Maj Nutt voted reporting to 33rd Division which were occupying position defending Metern. Maj Lowe wished to work round and report to our own Brigade. Whole Brigade moved back and took up position with the 18th Middlesex Battalion on 33rd Divisional line facing South & East midway between Bailleul and Metern. Arranged with OC 18th Middlesex to take over a line of a few small rifle posts facing South East. Improved these trenches. Very little shelling.
18th Durham Light Infantry War Diary WO95/2361/1

17th Apr 1918   18th Durhams report "Very heavy shelling commenced about 9am in the vicinity of Borre. Received orders from Brigade to move to V.9.d. NW of La Kruele in the afternoon moved thence to L’Hoffand, Hazebrouck defences. 92nd Composite Battalion on the left, 94th Battalion on the right, 93rd Battalion in reserve at V.23 & V.29. Draft of 119 ORs arrived at details. Our line ran V.23.d.3.8, V, V.29.d.7.4., V.30.c.3.7., D.6.a.3.3."
18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1

27th Apr 1918 Reliefs

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Want to know more about 15th (1st Leeds) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment?

There are:5321 items tagged 15th (1st Leeds) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment 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
15th (1st Leeds) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Benn Alan. Pte.
Binns MM. Arthur. Pte.
Bridgett Samuel Charles. Pte. (d.12th Apr 1918)
Dimery George W.. 2nd Lt. (d.4th April 1917)
Fielding Arthur Bernard. Pte.
Hitchen George Henry. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
Hitchen George Henry. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
Hornsey Henry Parker. Pte.
Hunter DCM. Douglas. Sgt.
Lintott Evelyn. (d.1st Jul 1916)
Lock George William. Pte. (d.16th Oct 1917)
Mallinson Albert. (d.23rd February 1917)
Nelson Arthur Lumley. Sgt. (d.28th July 1917)
Peacock Frederick. Pte.
Walton Sydney. Cpl. (d.1st July 1916)
Widdop Leo. CSM.

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Records of 15th (1st Leeds) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment from other sources.

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Pte. Samuel Charles Bridgett 15th/17th Btn. West Yorkshire (d.12th Apr 1918)

Samuel Charles Bridgett was my Grand Uncle, he was the youngest child of my Great Grandmother and Great Grandfather. He joined the Army on 12th May 1917 when he was 18 years old, he was 5'7", and weighed 10st 3lb. His previous occupation was Farming & Horseman.
He was transferred on 18th May 1917 to the 10th Training Reserve Battalion, and again on 18th Aug 1917 to the 7th Training Reserve Battalion. On 1st April 1918 he was transferred to the West Yorkshire 15/17th Regiment. On 12th April 1918 he was reported missing in Flanders, Belgium, 1 month off his 19th birthday. I have visited the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium, where his name is inscribed. I feel enormous pride, especially as he joined of his own free will at such a young age.
Brenda Selfridge

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Pte. Alan Benn 15th (1st Leeds) Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment

Alan Benn joined the 15th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment on 12th of February 1915. His service record shows he joined up and went to Egypt on 22nd of December 1915, then France from 8th of March 1916 and was then posted missing 3rd of May 1917.
It turned out that he was taken as a Prisoner of War on 4th of May 1916 and transferred to Dulmen, Germany. Alan arrived back in Hull on 30th of December 1918 on board the Frederick VIII having spent 1 year and 240 days as a POW.

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CSM. Leo Widdop Sherwood Foresters

Leo Widdop joined the Leeds Pals, 15th West Yorkshires in 1915/16. He then served with the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Sherwood Forester.
One day, he and his batman went out to reconnoiter a German ammunition area at the Laventie front. The batman was killed and Leo was wounded in the head. He was captured and taken to the Limburg POW camp. According to Leo, he was operated on in the camp by German medical staff, and a metal plate was inserted into his head to replace missing skull fragments. The family have letters sent from his regiment's officers saying that he was lost and presumed dead. He was returned home in 1919.

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Pte. Frederick Peacock 15th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment

My Grandad Frederick Peacock joined up on the 30th of June 1917, the day after his 18th birthday. He was injured in Armentieres in 1918. I believe he was taken as a prisoner of war and returned to England via hospital ship and was taken and cared for in January 1919 by St Dunstan's, who supported him and gave him skills to help him live his life to the best he could.
He married in 1937 and he and his wife had two children, a daughter and son. His wife passed away in 1971. He was then cared for by his children and grandchildren until his death in 1973. I have tried to find any information regards his time in the army and his life after returned to England.
Susan Stephenson

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Pte. George William Lock 15th (Leeds Pals) Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.16th Oct 1917)

George William Lock (uncle to Herbert Dowd) was born on 18th of January 1898 in Leeds and was christened on 24 March at Leeds Wesleyan Methodist Church. He was recorded as being the son of Robert Watson Lock & Mary Lock even though Robert Watson Lock had died on 30th of December 1895! His mother, Mary, later married George McCullon in the second quarter of 1899 and had three children with him, Amy, born 15 September 1900, James, born 17 January 1903 (died in the second quarter of 1904) and Alice, born fourth quarter 1905. Mary already had five living children from her first marriage to Robert Watson Lock, Jane Elizabeth, christened 4 September 1884; Polly, christened 1 August 1886; Ann, born 25 October 1888; Dorothy, born 20 December 1890; and Harriet, born 6 November 1892. A sixth child, Alice, was born 29 November 1894 and was buried 10 March 1896. In 1901, at the age of 3 and named George W McCullon, he was living in the family home at 12 Red Lion Place in the parish of Hunslet St Mary, with his father George, a coal miner; his mother, Mary, and his sister, Amy. His older sisters, Polly (aged 14), Ann (aged 12), Dorothy (aged 10) and Harriet (aged 8) were all in the Hunslet Childrens Home in Rothwell.
In 1903, Ann, Dorothy and Harriet would all be sent to Canada under the Dr Barnardo scheme. Harriet married there and, as far as is known, never returned. Even though Ann and Dorothy came back, it is not known whether they were ever reunited with George.
In 1911, the family lived at 54 Sussex Avenue, Hunslet. His mother, Mary, had passed away in 1907 aged 45, so he, aged 13, was living with his father, George; his younger sisters Amy (aged 10) and Alice (aged 5); and a housekeeper, Grace Evans.
His attestation records do not survive, so it is not possible to say when he enlisted. Officially, the age at which a man could enlist in the army was 18 during World War 1 but many boys enlisted giving false ages or being encouraged to do so by recruiting staff. Often, these boys would be kept in the UK until their nineteenth birthday (when they became eligible for overseas service). Therefore, it is possible (although unlikely since he didn't receive the Egypt Star 1914-1915) that George could have enlisted as early as 1914 when he would have been just 16 years old.
He joined the 15th Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment), known as the Leeds Pals as part of Kitcheners Army. He may also have volunteered later or, most likely, been called up as a result of conscription under the Military Service Act 1916 (for single men aged 16-41). It is not known when he arrived in France but he probably joined the battalion as one of the many casualty replacements. Throughout the year so far there had been a steady flow of reinforcements joining the battalion and early in April 1917 a detachment was sent to Robecq to train reinforcements. They moved to Ecurie for two weeks where they were joined by reinforcements on 4th of Sep 1917.
On the first day on the Somme, 1st July 1916, the 31st Division attacked towards the village of Serre with the Leeds Pals advancing from a line of copses named after the Gospels. The battalion was shelled in its trenches before Zero Hour 0730hrs and, when it advanced, it was met by heavy machine gun fire. A few men got as far as the German barbed wire but no further. Later in the morning the German defenders came out to clear the bodies off their wire, killing any that were still alive. The battalion casualties, sustained in the few minutes after Zero, were 24 officers and 504 other ranks, of which 15 officers and 233 other ranks were killed. One of the survivors, Private A.V. Pearson, Leeds Pals said "The name of Serre and the date of 1st July is engraved deep in our hearts, along with the faces of our Pals, a grand crowd of chaps. We were two years in the making and ten minutes in the destroying."
The battalion returned to the front-line trenches of the Somme at Arleux again on 13th of October, and on the 19th went back into the support line. During this time, on Tuesday 16th of October 1917, George was killed. The details are recorded in both the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and in the Index to Roclincourt Military Cemetery in, France where he is buried. His father is named as George McCullen of 1 Greenwood Square, Waterloo Rd, Hunslet, Leeds,YKS. He was one of the 773 or so men from the Leeds Pals who did not come home. He was posthumously awarded the Victory and British Medals.
Kevin Dowd

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Sgt. Arthur Lumley Nelson 15th Btn West Yorkshire Regiment (d.28th July 1917)

My dad was named after Arthur Nelson who was captured and died as a prisoner of war. He is buried in Niederzwehren Cemetery. My father, in WW2 was driving an officer when they stopped at the war cemetery and he was able to visit the grave.

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2nd Lt. George W. Dimery 15th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.4th April 1917)

The only thing I know is that George W Dimery is buried at St John's Churchyard in Moor Allerton. He was my mother's Uncle, my great uncle.

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Pte. George Henry Hitchen 15th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916)

My Great Uncle George Henry Hitchen was killed going over the top, unfortunately I cannot find him commemorated on any war memorial in Leeds.
Dean Marshall

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Pte. George Henry Hitchen 15th (Leeds Pals) Battalion Prince of Wales' Own West Yorkshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916)

My grandma, Eva Marshall (Nee Hitchen), had 3 brothers who served in the First World War, 2 survived. However, George Henry Hitchen was reported as missing presumed killed. He is is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial however I cannot find his name on any memorials in his home town.
Little is known about the family and I would love to hear from anyone who has further information. Are you a Hitchen or do you know of anyone called Hitchen? They lived in and around Hunslet (South Accomadation Road area). Any information would be appreciated.
Dean Marshall

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Pte. Henry Parker Hornsey 15th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment

I was told by my mum that her father, Henry Parker Hornsey 1886-1955, was a member of the Leeds Pals during WW1 and that he was a POW in Germany. Can anyone tell me more about him?
Mary Goodrum

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Sgt. Douglas Hunter DCM. att. 93rd Light Trench Mortar 16th West Yorkshire Regiment

Douglas Hunter joined 16th West Yorkshire Regiment on the 21st September 1914 in Bradford. He served in Egypt 1915 to early 1916 before moving to France. He was attached to the 93rd Light Trench Mortar Battery where he took part in the battle of the Somme.
He was awarded the DCM for Gallantry at Gavrelle on the 3rd of May 1917 for keeping his Trench Mortar in action during an attack with good effect. He was also awarded the French Medal Militair for a separate action. Douglas was later, whilst still attached to the 93rd Light Trench Mortar Battery, moved to the 15/17th West Yorkshire Regiment after the 16th was disbanded. Douglas Hunter was demobbed in 1919 but later in the Second World War became part of the Home Guard serving as a lieutenant.
Douglas Hunter was my Grandfather I was born in his house in Batley Yorkshire and when he died I was left his DCM by my Grandmother, I have since then tried to find everything I can about my Grandfather.
His brother, Donald Hunter, who served with the 10th Yorkshire Regiment was killed in action on the 21st September 1916 exactly two years after Douglas Hunter had joined the army, he is remembered at Thepeval Memorial France.
Philip Douglas Lodge

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Pte. Arthur Binns MM. 15th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment

At the Battle of the Somme in 1916, a German hand grenade fell into the trench, close to Arthur Binns of the Leeds Pals. Whilst his pals were frozen with fear he strode forward, picked it up and threw it back where it came from. For this action he was awarded the Military Medal. Of the Leeds Pals 750 of 900 were killed in that battle.
Later in 1918 at The First Battle of the Somme (1918) at the end of March Arthur was taken Prisoner of War and at repatriation he returned so terrible thin. On the 25th of Feburary 1919 he was discharged and married his sweetheart Alice on the same day.
David Kidd

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Albert Mallinson 15th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (d.23rd February 1917)

My great-great-grandfather, Albert Mallinson from Elland in Yorkshire, was killed 23rd February, 1917, in Somme, France. He is interred at Gezaincourt Communal Cemetery, Somme. If anyone has any information concerning him, please get in touch.
Laura Brown

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Want to know more about 15th (1st Leeds) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment?

Those known to have served with15th (1st Leeds) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regimentduring the Great War 1914-1918.

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If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

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The Wartime Memories Project
- 15th (1st Leeds) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
15th (1st Leeds) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
during the Great War 1914-1918.