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18th (2nd Bradford) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
18th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, the 2nd Bradford Pals,
was raised in Bradford on the 22nd of January 1915 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. They were disbanded in France on the 15th of February 1918.
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
9th February 1916 Call Ups
24th Apr 1916 Reliefs 18th DLI are relieved by 18th West Yorks at 8.20pm. Durhams marched to billets at Colincamps.
The National Archives 18th DLI War Diary WO95/2361/1
19th May 1916 Relief 18th DLI vacated trenches on being relieved by 18th Btn. West Yorks Regiment at 2pm and moved into billets at Colincamps.The National Archives 18DLI WO95/2361/1
27th Jun 1916 Raid Report on German Raid 27.6.16 Reported by Capt. W.D. Lowe Adjt. 18 DLI. 1.8.16 Approximate disposition of Coys.
A Co. S 5/2, S 5/4, B Co. S 5/5, S 5/6, C Co. M 35/1, M 35/2, D Co. On support lines.
18th West Yorks on right flank, 2/5th Gloucesters on left. Bombardment began 9.30pm. Communication between HQ & forward line broke down at one. All reports came through D Co. The bombardment appeared chiefly to be on the front of B Co. & the support line in rear of B. Field Guns & Mortars chiefly used on front line & 5.9 on support line. 2225. Enemy was reported in front line at M.35/1, 2 which was being raided. They were ejected in 5 minutes. At 2245. 18th West Yorks reported enemy in his line Hun St, Oxford St,that he was counter attacking at 11.15pm, I undertook to cooperate with my right Co. 2300. Battalion Bomb store was on fire at ---- Hall, this was put out, re-fired & again extinguished. 28th Jun 0130. Report from B Co. 18th DLI stating Germans had entered his left but were immediately ejected & that C Co. trenches had also been entered. He thought no prisoners had been taken. A dugout between B & C Coys was ---- & prevented B Co. after charging its trenches from coming to assistance of C Co. All communication trenches badly blown in & that right & left flanks of support line are badly damaged. 0400. C Co. reported bays blown in & number of men buried, that the enemy came over fifty strong but owing to action of Lewis Guns only about 6 entered & were quickly ejected, number of wounded cannot be estimated, they were considerable. A Co. heavily shelled, parapet seriously damaged, on barrage lifting parapet was manned & Lewis Gun fire opened, enemy did not enter trenches. Action taken.
C Co. was reinforced by 1 platoon from Support Co. leaving 3 platoons in support lines. A prisoner, apparently on telephone work was captured by D Co. in front of Church Redoubt. Very few casualties in Support Line Redoubt, right & right centre of front line, heavy on left centre, & very heavy on left of front line.
The National Archives 18DLi War Diary WO95/2361/1
28th Jun 1916 Detachment D Coy. 18 DLI attached to 16th West Yorks for operations left Bus for the front line.The National Archives 18DLI War Diary WO95/2361/1
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
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 Sep 1916 Reliefs 18th DLI are at Windy Corner in the Givenchy Sector and report in their war diary: "Quiet fine morning. Some artillery activity to the South in morning beginning about 8.0am. 18 West Yorks relieved 18 DLI in afternoon completing 16.55. No casualties. 18 DLI less A Coy. which remained in village line returned to Brigade Reserve Billets in Gorre."18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
29th Sep 1916 22.00. 18th DLI moved from Gorre and relieved 18th West Yorks in front line with A, D, C, in Front Line Right to Left and B Co. in reserve at Windy Corner and Poppy Redoubt. Relief completed 14.06, no casualties. 15th West Yorks on Right, 13th Yorks & Lancs on Left. Some mutual trench mortar activity in evening 6-7 pm. Quiet night.18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
26th Oct 1916 18th Durhams vacated billets at Sailly Au Bois and relieved 18th West Yorks in Left Sub Sector Hebuterne. Relief complete 2.0pm. Very wet and trenches in very muddy condition. A & B Coys front line, D & C Coys Right & Left Support. Enemy used gas & tear shells.18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
11th Nov 1916 18th DLI relieved at Hebuterne by 18th West Yorks. Relief complete 3.55pm. Only one casualty entering the town. Battalion moved into huts & shelters in the Dell, Sailly. Men's feet in poor condition.18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
27th Nov 1916 Reliefs Completed 18th DLI are relieved by 18th West Yorks and moved into billets in Rossignol Farm. Very wet day. Trenches in very muddy condition. Relief complete 5.30pm. Battalion formed part of Divsional Reserve. Men very tired but in fairly good condition.18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
3rd Dec 1916 18th Battalion DLI vacated billets at Rossignol Farm and proceeded to take over Left Subsector Hebuterne from 18th W.Y.R. Relief complete 3.20pm. C Coy. Left Front. B Coy. Right Front. D Coy. Left Support. A Coy. Right Support. Raiding party left out at 7.0pm.18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
9th Dec 1916 18th DLI are relieved by 18th W.Y.R. relief complete 4.0pm. Proceeded into billets in Sailly & Keep, A & B Coys in Sailly. B & C Coys in garrison of Hebuterne Keep. Men in good condition, no casualties.18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
15th Dec 1916 2Lt Busby & draft of 23 ORs reported to 18th DLI HQ. 130 ORs billeted at Couin.
18 DLI relieved 18th W.Y.R. in L3 relief complete 12.40pm. Raiding party left at Sailly. B & C Coys. right & left front. A & D Coys. support.18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
6th Jan 1917 18th DLI vacated billets and relieved 18th WYR in L3 subsector Hebuterne Relief complete 10.45am. B & C Coys left & right front Coy’s, A & D support. Weather bad. Communication trenches too bad to use. Only six Coy Officers including Coy Cdrs. Bosche very quiet.18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
1st June 1917 Positions
1st June 1917 Operational Order 119 
1st June 1917 Positions
1st June 1917 Table B.O.O.119.
1st June 1917 Table B.O.O.119.
3rd June 1917 Operational Orders
3rd June 1917 Orders
4th June 1917 Trench Work
4th June 1917 Operational Order 120
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 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
19th July 1917 Amendment to Orders
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
13th. August 1917 Orders
16th August 1917 Diary
22nd. August 1917 Diary
24th August 1917 Diary
7th of May 1918 Parade
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Lt Col Herbert Francis George Carter MID. 18th Btn Durham Light Infantry, Yorkshire Light Infantry "Lt.-Col. Herbert Francis George Carter was the son of General Francis Carter. He married Hermione Grace Guinness, daughter of Gerald Seymour Guinness and Eleanor Grace de Capell Brooke, on 26 June 1918. He died on 28 February 1919, while on active service. He gained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the service of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He was decorated with the award of the Military Cross (M.C.)" [http://www.thepeerage.com/p30152.htm]
"Herbert Carter came from a military family (his brother was Brigadier General F.C Carter) and was educated a Wellington and Sandhurst. He had strong West Yorkshire connections through his mother, a Thornhill of Fixby Hall, Huddersfield. The Thornhills were Yorkshire gentry back to the middle ages. Their wealth grew in the industrial revolution when coal was found on their land.
Carter joined the local Regiment, the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, in 1904 when he was eighteen. He served for time in Crete and was clearly an able and intelligent young officer. He achieved rapid promotion to full lieutenant and was made assistant adjutant of 2nd KOYLI shortly after his twentieth birthday. His time in Crete gave him the taste for foreign travel and he pursued an unusual career leaving the Battalion to enlist on a language course. He served in Russia and Japan as an attache at the British Embassies having become one of the Armies few first class interpreters in Russian and Japanese. There may have been connections with the Intelligence Service, and his post war service in Vladivostok, where he helped to train the White Russian forces may have had more to it than linguistic fluency. He was also a gifted musician and artist, and it may be that his foreign travels devolved his cosmopolitan taste for Turkish cigars and Astrakhan Collared Overcoats.
Carter, too, was well connected. His wife, Grace, was a Guinness and Carter was sufficiently well known to the royal family for the Kings personal security to write enquiring after his health when he was taken seriously ill in Russia in 1919. Sadly, Carter died of pneumonia in Russia in 1919 shortly after his daughter was born. Grace eventually re-married to Air Marshal John Cotesworth Slessor, one of the architects if British air strategy during and after WWII.
When war came in 1914, Captain Carter returned to join the 2nd Battalion KOYLI in Belgium, arriving at the front 25th October. Like Maurice Kennard, he took part in thedesperate defence of the Messines Rige. Casualties were heavy and within six days he was the only surviving officer in his battalion. He was mentioned in despatches and became the first KOYLI officer to be awarded the Military Cross 31 October.
Carter was critical lack of firepower on the British side (at that time there were only two machine guns per battalion, often obsolete Maxims) compared to the better equipped Germans. In November 114 he wrote to a friend in Regimental H.Q. in Pontefract.
'It is damnably frightening, but the excitement and comradeship is wonderful… My salaams too all and DO TRAIN SOME MORE MACHINE GUNNERS.'
Carter was wounded at Hooge 17 November, 114. His subsequent career reflects again the networking of the pre-war regular army. He spent time in Gallipoli as A.D.C to General Hunter-Weston with 2th Division but returned to England when Hunter-Weston was evacuated out of Cape Helles with sunstroke and exhaustion in July, 1915. He joined the newly formed 31st Division at Ripon as a staff officer under the new command of General Robert Wanless-O’Gowan who had been his Brigadier in Flanders. When the Pals arrived in France he had the advantage of being on the staff of his Divisional Commander and Corps Commander." - Bradford Pals by David Raw
"He won the first Regimental KOYLI Military Cross and was given the task of commanding the 18th (2nd Bradford Pals) Bn West Yorkshire Regiment on the afternoon of the 1st July 1918 after their disastrous attack on the Somme, leaving only 60 men available at his first Roll Call and also had the black task of signing the death Warrant of Privates Crimmins and Wild who were Shot at Dawn.
He entered Sandhurst in 1903 and was commissioned into the KOYLI a speaker of Russian, he was also proficient in Japanese. At the outbreak of the Great War, he proceeded to France with his Regiment and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry on the Ypres Messines Road on the 31st October 1914. By 1916 he was serving as a Staff Officer at GHQ and on the afternoon of the 1st July 1916 following the disastrous attack on the Somme was given command of the 18th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment, the 2nd Bradford Pals. Following a search for survivors of the attack a Roll call could only muster 60 men and with this number he followed orders and continued the attack. He had the privilege of leading his Pals until their disbandment during February 1918, when he was given command of the 18th Bn Durham Light Infantry. A dark moment in his military career was in September 1916 when two men under his command deserted Private H. Crimmins and Private A. Wild. Recapture these men were tried by Court Marshal and Lt Col Carter signed their death warrant, the men were shot on the dawn of the 5th September 1916." - http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/bosleys-military-auctioneers/catalogue-id-srbos10005/lot-024bb3c3-f00d-4772-852a-a444003ed3cc
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L/Sgt. Herbert Ernest Howes 18th (2nd Bradford) Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment Herbert Howes was my grandfather. He died in 1945 so we never met although my father told me that he had been badly affected by gas and never really regained good health after the war.
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2nd Lt. John Taylor Smith MM. 2nd Btn West Yorkshire Regiment (d.29th Mar 1918) John Smith served with the 2nd and 18th Battalions, West Yorkshire Regiment He was wounded approx. 27th/28th of March around Rosieres.
He managed to get or was taken to the dressing station, but died of wounds on the 29th of March 1917.
He is buried in the CWG Cemetery at Rosieres.
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Sgt. Jonathan Wilson MM, MiD. 18th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment Jonathan Wilson was awarded the Military Medal and was Mentioned in Despatches, he served with the 18th West Yorkshire Regiment.
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Pte. William Harold Jones 18th Btn West Yorkshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916) William Harold Jones was the son of Robert and Sarah Jones of Penbrynbach, Llanrhaeadr, Denbs.
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Pte. Daniel Exley 18th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment  My Great Grandad Daniel Exley enlisted in the 2nd Bradford Pals, travelling initially to Egypt in 1915, before heading to France in 1916. He participated in a night raid on the night of 29th/30th June which was a disaster .... of the 4 Officers and 38 Men which took part in the raid, 13 were killed and 12 wounded.
My Great Grandfather received a hand written commendation for his participation in this raid, and he survived the Somme battle, being wounded sometime in 1916 and medically discharged in 1917
Editor's Note – The war diary for the 18th Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment contains a report of the above incident, completed by Lieutenant M.Clough. The report states: -
Party left our front line trenches, as scheduled, 12.28am, 30/6/16. Advance was slow owing to numerous shell holes and flares. Apparently our party was seen almost as soon as we had left our own trenches, for they seemed prepared for us, & we were met by bombs when between 25 and 30 yards from their trenches.
They sent up a single green rocket & formed a barrage of hand grenades in front of us and trench mortars and artillery behind us.
The trenches seemed fairly knocked about, and the wire was cut, where we were, in sufficient quantity to allow the passage of troops.
Their trenches seemed very full of men and, apparently, very deep.
Finding we could not get forward, I brought my party back as well and as soon as possible as I could. This took some two hours. As far as I can judge my casualties, at present, are about 10 killed and 12 wounded out of 38 men and 4 officers. At present 2 officers, Lieut. F.Watson and 2/lt Worsnop, are missing. I have been slightly wounded myself in two places.
Our H.E. shells were all dropping a little over half-way between our line and the German line, quite 20 yards short of their wire, and this was taking place during our scheduled hour for the raid. My watch was synchronised with an artillery officer sent by Col. Craven.
That report was signed by Lieutenant Mclough, following which there was the following addition: -
Casualties as verified later : Missing: 2 officers (Lt F.Watson & 2/lt J.W.Worsnop), O.R. 9; Killed – O.R. 1; Wounded 18 (of whom 2 d. Of w., 1 S.W. at duty) 1 officer (Lt M.Clough)
Lieutenant Clough may be Morris Clough who reached the rank of Captain and was killed in action on 25th April 1918. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
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Pte. William Allen Craven 18th (Bradford Pals) Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916) As a family having a history of living in Thackley for 150 years, and myself having an interest in genealogy and local history, along with military history, I would like to portray a personal and hopefully touching story about my Great Uncle, William Allen Craven, brother of my maternal grandmother.
One can only speculate how life was for most families in the mid to late 1800’s, as was the case with the Cravens, they were heavily committed to working in the woolen industry of Bradford, and moving around from rented property to rented property as their family grew in size. In fact the head of the family, James Arthur Craven, would move several times, all in Thackley, to better conditions and slightly larger properties as needs must.
In May 1894 my great uncle entered the world and would eventually be part of a family of 6 however, his youngest brother would die at the age of 11 months named after his father. By the time William was 17 he became a Wollen O Junner as recorded in the 1911 census by the registrar. As war loomed the campaign to recruit young men from the towns of Northern England became very prominent.
William joined the 18th Bradford Pals, number 18/1667 part of The Prince of Wales (West Yorkshire) Regiment. He would leave for the final time from 79 Park Road, Thackley, saying his farewells to his family and girlfriend Florrie thinking he would return in a short while. They were marched to Ripon in May 1915 from Bradford, then transferring to Fovant in Wiltshire to be issued with tropical kit before eventually sailing to Egypt for further training.
They would return aboard the S.S. Minneapolis, disembarking in Marseilles on March 6th 1916, where they marched from the docks to railway sidings, for a train journey by ramshackle wagons at a leisurely pace in extreme cold weather, to Pont Remy railhead near Abbeville on the 9th March 1916. The 18th Battalion and William would march to Citerne where he would remain for two weeks for further training. One can only imagine the contrast to the hot climate of Egypt to the freezing cold and snow as they arrived, having covered 12 miles a day sleeping rough at night in filthy barns.
On March 25th they marched off towards Beaumont Hamel area, where they got near the western front with all its loud detonations and glaring flashes in the dark. On arrival beginning of April at Bus-les- Artois they were assigned billets. It is said the rolling plains of Picardy reminded many of the ‘Pals’ of Yorkshire. Eventually the 18th occupied a sector on the Serre Road, which is where my story commences.
So my journey commenced Easter 2013, in the company Smart Car via the channel tunnel train to arrive for our 3 night stay at Amiens using this as our base. The following very cold day we travelled to Albert and visited the museum, not to be missed, and eventually made our way onto Serre Road after visiting Hebuterne where a plaque remembers the Bradford Pals. It was here that we saw two coaches parked outside the main cemetery along with teachers and school children. I walked up the track where in the distance are Mathew, Mark, Luke & John copses along with small immaculately kept walled lined graves, set out to remember the fallen, some named and some unknown. It was here somewhere my great uncle fell after 7.30am on the 1st July 1916 in the Battle of the Somme, that a strange yet poignant event happened to me.
I had visited Railway Hollow and the memorial to the Accrington Pals and was walking back with Linda, when we saw walking towards us, a party of adults and children. My ears pricked up to the sound of a teacher who asked “Are you Martin Lonsdale?†To say I was surprised that I would be asked this in the middle of a ploughed field right in the middle of No-Mans land after 97 years from the start of The Battle of the Somme, seemed incredulous. It was followed up by “Yes I am†to which another lady teacher said we saw the car and we are all from Woodhouse Grove School, and I live in Idle. We wished them well and were glad to have met them. Now I know this would not have happened if it was not for the Smart Car with my company name and logo, but was it not a moment when some time in life events take a turn for a reason. Could it have been that William was walking the very same path those 97 years ago and had seen a pal and shouted out “Hello mateâ€, the mind can run away with you thinking about it. I would like to think it was a connection, however, I am Yorkshire bred and accept it was a fate of coincidences.
William was never found his body presumably blown up or he disappeared in the mud after being mowed down by German machine guns, we will never know. The final part of the journey took me to Thiepval Memorial designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens where his name is one of over 72,000 soldiers never to have had a known grave. Records showed that around half of the 150,000 British dead killed on the Somme in 1916 had no known grave. Should you ever go see this stunning Memorial, Pier and Face 2A, 2C and 2D his name is there, say hello to my Great Uncle and thank him and the rest of the fallen for their sacrifice.
I have re-produced one of the last letters he wrote on the 15th June 1916 to my grandmother who was 11 years old.
"Dear Sister,
Just a few lines to let you know I am quite well and in the best of health trusting you are the same. I am very pleased indeed that you are writing to me, also keeping very friendly with Florrie while I am away.
Mother wrote and told me that you had got a bicycle of your own now, so I guess you will see life a bit.
Well I hope you are a good girl and helping mother all you can, because it is very hard for her now that Ernest and I are away from home. I trust that you will do all you can to comfort father and mother, until the struggle ends.
I have got lots of stories to tell you when I see you again about the Germans. How is Ada getting along and has she got a bike also? I really ought to write her.
Give my best love to Percy tell him I will write later.
With best Love from your affectionate brother Allen xxxxx"
Later in life my grandmother was moved to Thackley Grange in 1987 suffering from dementia. The family all went to see her very shortly after my father had passed away who was called Allan Craven Lonsdale. Her eldest son my uncle, had not told her my father had passed away. As we were all around her bed, she said “Where is Allan†no one knew what to say for a second or two, but it was a request for her brother Allen her mind had regressed in time with her illness. A moment that will be with me for ever.
As a tribute on the 4th August this year, Robin Gamble of Idle Church arranged a day of remembrance. The Tenor bell commenced ringing from 8.00pm for each fallen soldier from our district. I heard it from my house and went along to the vigil at 9.00pm in tribute to the memory of a lost generation of young men, William Allen Cravens name was read out as one of the fallen.
Should you be passing 79 Park Road, have a think about my great uncle you might even live there. As for his other brother Ernest who also went to war, his story tells the tale of someone with a different outcome one of mystique and fear.
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Pte. Arthur Wild 18th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.5th Sep 1916) Pte. Arthur Wild served with the 18th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment. He was executed for desertion on 5th September 1916 aged 24 and is buried in Vieille-Chapelle New Military Cemetery, Lacouture, France.
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Pte. Herbert Crimmins 18th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.5th Sep 1916) Herbert Crimmins served with the 18th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment. He was executed for desertion on 5th September1916 and is buried in Veille-Chapelle New Military Cemetery, Lacouture, France.
Privates Herbert Crimmins, 32, and Arthur Wild, 24, were shot in September 1916. Their crime was to wander off before a battle, get drunk and sleep in a cornfield.
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L/Cpl. Harold Wright 18th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.15th July 1916) Harold Wright was born in the Yorkshire Village of Addingham in 1894. He volunteered in 1915 and joined what was to become known as the 2nd Bradford Pals otherwise 18th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment. His initial posting overseas was to Egyt with his unit. In early 1916 the unit was transferred to France and he was seriously wounded in the 1st or 2nd day of the battle of the Somme. He was transported back to England but died in hospital in Plymouth on 15th July 1916. He is buried in a family plot at Heaton cemetery in Bradford. He was awarded the 1914/15 star, victory medal and British medal, some of which where after his death.
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Pte. Edward Alexander Newton 18th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment Edward Newton Enlisted 9-12-15 and went to France on 24-9-16, he received gun shot wound to the chest on 1-3-17. He was treated in Croydon hospital from 24-3-17 to 21 -5-17 and remained in the UK until 27-7-17 when he returned to France. On 25-4-18 he was blinded by shell burst and 26-4-18 is recorded as being gas poisoning blind for 5 weeks, he was discharged 6-3-19.
He had wife and 4 daughters when he enlisted and had a further 3 daughters after the war.
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Pte George Ellis Robinson 18th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment My Grandfather was George Ellis Robinson. He enlisted in the 2nd Bradford pals and was an infantryman until 10th July 1916. His service then changed with the formation of the machine gun corps where he served with the 6th Btn until being demobbed on 5th May 1919.
On surviving the war he married his Bradford girlfriend Ethel Abrahams and they had one child who was my mother Betty. They moved to St Annes on sea in later life where my Grandfather died in 1970. Though very young when he died I do remember him and am so glad to have a living link with such a proud and dignified man.
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Pte. Walter Ashworth 18th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment Walter Ashworth was my grandfather. He was born in Hebden Bridge in W.Yorks and served and completed his apprenticeship as a tailor in Bradford.
He joined the 2nd Bradford Pals in 1915. After training, he was shipped out firstly to Egypt and then to France for the Battle of the Somme. He was wounded on the 1st June 1916. He had gone 'over the top' with many, many other soldiers and was shot three times, once in the mouth, once in the back and once in the leg. He was left for dead in a bomb crater filled with water for almost three days. Someone noticed him moving and he was removed from the battlefield and sent firstly to an ambulance station where an Army chaplain saw him and sent my grandmother, his fiancee at the time, a letter telling her he had been wounded and was being sent to the hospital at Sidcup. He ended the letter saying, "and may God help him."
He spent many months in hospital having operation after operation on his face and other injuries. He was one of the first soldiers to receive plastic surgery by Sir Harold Gillies and a painting of the medical procedures performed on his wounds is in the Royal College of Surgeons in London. When he was able to return to Bradford, he tried to resume his position as tailor in a leading men's wear shop there. However, he still had bandages on his face and the owners of the business would not put him behind the counter as they told him he would scare the customers away! He worked in their workshop behind, still doing his tailoring but behind the scenes, for one week and then became so upset about the way his bosses were treating him that he resigned and went home. About a week later, his boss appeared on his doorstep begging him to come back because the customers were outraged about what had happend and nobody would deal with anybody in the store but Mr Walter Ashworth, their tailor! He felt a little better about that but still decided not to return. I should add that all the employers in the Halifax and Bradford area had stated quite emphatically that all soldiers who enlisted in the Pals would have their job held open for them when they came back. I'm afraid my grandfather felt too bitter to go back and work for that employer.
He married my grandmother in 1917 in hospital. In 1922, he was still having operations on his face from time to time and his health was not good so the doctors suggested he find somewhere warm to convalesce so my grandfather replied to an ad in the paper from Australia where a sheep station owner was wanting a butler and a cook for two years! He applied for it, got the job and went over to Sydney by himself. When all the details were completed, he sent for my grandmother and my mother, who was a little girl at that time. They worked on this huge sheep station way out in the Aussie bush for two years, he became stronger and regained his health, both physically and emotionally, and they then returned to England.
He opened a tailor's shop in Halifax, then moved to Blackpool and had a successful career until he retired in his sixties. He left his daughter, two grandchildren, and three great grandchildren at his passing.
He was a true gentleman, never talked about his experiences in the war but carried his facial scars and a shrapnel-riddled back all his life with dignity and bravery. He was extremely popular with everybody he met and he never let his appearance get him down. We are all very proud of him.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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The Comprehensive History of the 16th, 18th and 20th (Service) Battalions of the Prince of Wales Own West Yorlshire Regiment 1914-1918.
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