12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry


The 12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry was formed at Newcastle in September 1914 and joined the 68th Brigade in 23rd Division, alongside the 13th Battalion. They moved to Aldershot, Hampshire in November, then to Willesborough, Kent in February 1915 and went on in May to Bramshott.
They proceeded to France landing at Boulogne on the 26th of August and concentrating near Tilques.
On the 5th of September 23rd Division became attached to III Corps, moving to the Merris-Vieux Berquin area, for trench familiarisation under the guidance of the 20th (Light) and 27th Divisions.
They took over front line sector between Ferme Grande Flamengrie to the Armentieres-Wez Macquart road in their own right on the 14th.
During the Battle of Loos CIII and CV Brigades RFA were in action attached to 8th Division. With 23rd Division holding the front at Bois Grenier, they were relieved from that sector at the end of January 1916 and Divisional HQ was established at Blaringhem with the units concentrated around Bruay for a period of rest.
On the 3rd of March they returned to the front line, taking over a sector between the Boyau de l'Ersatz and the Souchez River from the French 17th Division, with the Artillery taking over an exposed position between Carency and Bois de Bouvigny where it was subjected to heavy shelling.
In early March a Tunnelling Company was established and men with a background in mining were transferred from the ranks to the Royal Engineers.
In Mid April they returned to Bruay area for rest until mid May when they again took over the Souchez-Angres front, just before the German Attack on Vimy Ridge on the 21st. The brunt of the attack fell on 47th (London) Division, to the right of 23rd Division and the 23rd Divisional Artillery went into action in support of the 47th.
On the 1st of June the Artillery supported 2nd Division as they undertook operations to recover lost ground. On the 11th of June the 23rd Division Infantry moved to Bomy and the artillery to Chamblain Chatelain and Therouanne to begin intensive training for the Battles of the Somme. They were in action in The Battle of Albert including the capture of Contalmaison, The Battles of Bazentin Ridge, Pozieres, Flers-courcelette, Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy including the capture of Le Sars.
In 1917 they fought in The Battle of Messines, The Battles of the Menin Road, Polygon Wood and the The First and Second Battles of Passchendaele. In November 1917 the Division moved to Italy concentrating between Mantua and Marcaria before taking over the front line at the Montello on the 4th of December.
In 1918 they were in action during the fighting on the Asiago Plateau and the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, including the passage of the Piave and the Monticano. At the Italian Armistice at 3pm on the 4th of November, the 23rd were midway between the Rivers Livenza and Meduna, east of Sacile.
They moved to billets west of Treviso and demobilisation took place in January and February 1919.

6th of October 1915 Into Trenches

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

6th of July 1916 In Trenches

8th of July 1916 Congratulations Received

13th of July 1916 Albert Shelled

17th of July 1916 In Support

19th of July 1916 Shelled Heavily

1st of August 1916 Support Trenches

5th of August 1916 Heavy Shelling

30th of September 1916 Working Parties

7th of October 1916 Intense Bombardment

15th of October 1916 To Erie Camp

11th Apr 1918 Reliefs

11th Sep 1918 Reliefs

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There are:5248 items tagged 12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry available in our Library

These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Those known to have served with
12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Anderson Robert. Cpl. (d.15th May 1917)
Ayre Joseph. Pte. (d.17th July 1916)
Batey Wilfrid. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
Bexfield Albert Edward. Pte. (d.3rd May 1917)
Brown William. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
Brown William. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
Brownlee Joseph. Cpl. (d.30th Jul 1916)
Burton DCM Fred. RSM (d.27th Oct 1918)
Carr-West Herbert St. John. Maj. (d.27th Oct 1918)
Chambers D. M.. Capt.
Charlton Edward George. Pte (d.30th Oct 1918)
Clayton Benjamin Chipchase. Sgt. (d.16th Aug 1917)
Daglish MM Robert. Pte
Davison Robert. L/Cpl. (d.11th Jun 1917)
Day Victor Wallace. Pte. (d.6th July 1916)
Donaldson John. Sgt. (d.8th July 1916)
England Bertie Charles Martin. L/Cpl. (d.25th September 1917)
Fisher Harry Laureate. 2nd Lt. (d.27th Oct 1918)
Flattely Richard Carter. Sgt. (d.28th June 1917)
Gorman Timothy.
Haughey Thomas. Pte. (d.17th August 1917)
Hunt Herbert. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
Lee William. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
Lockett William Henry. 2nd Lt. (d.7th Oct 1916)
Longstaff Richard Parker. Pte
Mackey William. L/Sgt (d.26th May 1917)
Maddison Miles William. Pte.
O'Hara MM. John William. Sgt. (d.27th Oct 1918)
Parkinson Thomas. Pte. (d.15th June 1917)
Richardson Albert. Cpl.
Ringer Walter. Pte. (d.7th October 1916)
Robson James William.
Rogers John. Pte. (d.9th October 1916)
Rutherford W.. Pte.
Sanderson James. Pte. (d.21st Sep 1917)
Simm Richard. Pte.
Simpson William. Pte.
Teague Edgar Vivers. Pte. (d.27th Oct 1918)
Watson MM. Walter Ballantyne. Pte.
Wealleans Harry. Pte. (d.18th Oct 1917)
Whitfield Robert Clark. L/Cpl (d.25th Sep 1916)
Young Ernest. Pte. (d.8th Jul 1916)

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

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Pte. William Brown 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.7th June 1917)

When William Brown enlisted, on 26 May 1915, he left his job as a printer and was assigned to the Royal Field Artillery and given 5033 as his service number. However, this was a nominal assignment for the purposes of his initial training and, before he went overseas on active service, he was transferred to the Durham Light Infantry, on 9th January 1917 â€“ the day he left for France. Whilst still in training at Rugeley Camp in Staffordshire, he found himself in trouble for overstaying his leave pass and was fined a dayâ€™s pay.
The attack which would take Williamâ€™s life would later be called the Battle of Messines. He was my Grandmother's brother.
Roy Bowden

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Pte. Richard Simm 12th Battalion, A Coy. Durham Light Infantry

My Grandfather, Richard Simm, was born on the 10th October 1893 at number 7 Douglas Street, Stanley, County Durham. One of twelve children born to Joseph and Sarah Jane Simm. At the age of 14 years he left school and started work as a coal miner at the local colliery.
At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 he was the eldest son alive and he felt it was his duty to enlist. He joined the Durham Light Infantry and served with A Coy the 12th Battalion.
The Battalion arrived in France on the 26th August 1915. It saw action on the Somme at Pozieres in July 1916 and Le Transloy in October. In 1917 During the third Ypres he fought at Messines. In November 1917 they where sent to Italy and fought in the battles at Piave and Vittorio Veneto.
In 1919 my Grandfather was discharged and he went back to been a Coal Miner. He married his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth Raine on the 28th June 1919. They had three daughters, one of them my mother, Elizabeth Simm. In the Second World War my Grandfather served as a Sergeant in the Home Guard at South Moor, County Durham. He died on the 5th January 1983 at the South Moor Miners Hospital aged 89 years.
John Richard Cole

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Pte. Ernest Young 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.8th Jul 1916)

Ernest Young was born in 1884 to Samuel and Ann Young (née Wilson). He was killed in action at Bailiff's Wood during the Capture of Contalmaison on the 8th of July 1916. An Australian soldier from the 3rd Australian Infantry Brigade, Sapper G.W. Lindop, penned a letter to Ernest's wife Hannah Young (née Jackson) informing her of his death. He included photos found on Ernest with the letter that contained some holes where 'the bullet or a piece of shell went through into his right side.'
Lewis Day

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Maj. Herbert St. John Carr-West 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.27th Oct 1918)

My great-grandfather Herbert Carr-West died in Italy in the last days of the war. He is buried at Giavera British Cemetery, Arcade.

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Pte. Joseph Ayre 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.17th July 1916)

My grandfather Joseph Ayre was 30 or 32 and was in the Battle of the Somme. He was a stretcher bearer and was attached to the 12h Battalion, DLI. He died on Monday 16th July 1916 in the Battle of the Somme. My family was told his friend went over the top into No Man's Land to save some of the men that had already gone over and my grandad followed to help try to bring some of the wounded back. Apparently bullets and shells were being fired fast and furious and both men were blown up.
My father was 8 years old and he had two other sisters and I remember him saying Joseph Ayre never came back there was no one to bury! They weren't the only family without a father, they had to make do and mend. My father was young when he went to work down the coal mine to make a wage.
My grand father's name is on Thiepval Memorial in France and also in Durham Cathedsral Book of Remembrance within the DLI Chapel. The pages are turned every day so you may see the war dead names. My family don't have any photos of him at all.
Miriam Lonsdale Cope

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L/Cpl Robert Clark Whitfield 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.25th Sep 1916)

Robert Whitfield was my great grandfather. He died of his wounds on Monday 25th of September 1916 and is buried at the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery (Extension) near Amiens in France. His eldest daughter, my grandmother Grace, was only 10 years old when he died, so there are no photos and she never spoke of him.
Susan Crawford

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L/Sgt William Mackey 12th Battalian Durham Light Infantry (d.26th May 1917)

William Mackey is my grand father. He enlisted at Newcastle in 1914. He left a wife and two sons, my dad was 2 years old, and his brother, who was not born at the time of his death.
He is buried at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground Ypres. RIP.
Raymond Mackey

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Pte. John Rogers 12th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.9th October 1916)

John Rogers enlisted in September 1914 when he was 19 years old. He was wounded by a gun shot to the chest on the 7th of October 1916, during The Battle of The Somme. He died from his wounds on 9th of October 1916. He is buried in the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, close to the village of Albert in France.
His mother asked that his cigarette case with his initials engraved on it, be sent to her, if it was ever found. It is not known whether it was ever recovered.
Cathy Stubbs

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Pte. Wilfrid Batey 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.7th June 1917)

Wilfrid is commemorated on this memorial. His parents were Walter & Annie Batey, who lived at 31 Oak Street, Haverton Hill. I am not related to Wilfrid Batey but I have uncovered his details during my research into the Haverton Hill & Port Clarence War Memorial.
Martin Dunnill

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Cpl. Albert Richardson 12th Btn., C Coy. Durham Light Infantry

Albert Richardson served as a signaller with C Coy. 12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.
Louise Post

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Sgt. Richard Carter Flattely 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.28th June 1917)

We don't know very much about Richard Flattely, but have been researching for my daughter's history project.
Born in 1888, formerly a general labourer, he joined the the Durham Light Infantry in 1914. He died of wounds on 28th June 1917 aged 28 and is laid to rest in Etaples, Flanders, France.
Roger Povey

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Pte Robert Daglish MM 12th Btn Durham Light Infantry

My Great Great Grandfather, Private Robert Daglish 18240 served with the 12th battalion, Durham Light Infantry during the great war.
Born in 1895, he worked as a coal miner at South Moor. After the outbreak of the war he answered the call and joined Kitchener's new army at Newcastle in September 1914.
The 12th Battalion along with the 13th joined the 68th Brigade, 23rd Division and my ancestor waa assigned to A company, 12 Battalion, Durham Light Infantry moving to Aldershot, Hampshire in November, then to Willesborough, Kent in February 1915 and went on in May to Bramshott. He then proceeded to France landing at Boulogne on the 26th of August and concentrating near Tilques. On the 5th of September 23rd Division became attached to III Corps, moving to the Merris-Vieux Berquin area, for trench familiarisation under the guidance of the 20th (Light) and 27th Divisions. They took over front line sector between Ferme Grande Flamengrie to the Armentieres-Wez Macquart road in their own right on the 14th. During the Battle of Loos CIII and CV Brigades RFA were in action attached to 8th Division. With 23rd Division holding the front at Bois Grenier, they were relieved from that sector at the end of January 1916 and Divisional HQ was established at Blaringhem with the units concentrated around Bruay for a period of rest. On the 3rd of March they returned to the front line, taking over a sector between the Boyau de l'Ersatz and the Souchez River from the French 17th Division, with the Artillery taking over an exposed position between Carency and Bois de Bouvigny where it was subjected to heavy shelling. In early March a Tunnelling Company was established and men with a background in mining were transferred from the ranks to the Royal Engineers, whether my ancestor was part of this, sadly I will never know. In Mid April they returned to Bruay area for rest until mid May when they again took over the Souchez-Angres front, just before the German Attack on Vimy Ridge on the 21st. The brunt of the attack fell on 47th (London) Division, to the right of 23rd Division and the 23rd Divisional Artillery went into action in support of the 47th. On the 1st of June the Artillery supported 2nd Division as they undertook operations to recover lost ground. On the 11th of June the 23rd Division Infantry moved to Bomy and the artillery to Chamblain Chatelain and Therouanne to begin intensive training for the Battle of the Somme. They were in action in The Battle of Albert including the capture of Contalmaison, The Battles of Bazentin Ridge, Pozieres, Flers-Courcelette, Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy including the capture of Le Sars. In 1917 they fought in The Battle of Messines, The Battles of the Menin Road, Polygon Wood and the The First and Second Battles of Passchendaele. It was here that my ancestor worked as a company runner, running between the lines carrying vital messages from HQ to the front. During the third battle of Ypres he received the Military Medal for actions unknown and was mentioned in the London Gazette in January 1918. My grandfather always told me that it was during the third battle of Ypres that my great great grandfather received a shrapnel wound and was brought back to England and his medal card supports this as it shows that he received the 1915 star, British war medal, Victory medal and the Military Medal and his only theatre of war was France. After the war, he moved to Burnhope and worked as a miner until his death in 1954. Sadly I never met him and have been unable to find any photos or records of him other than his medal card. However I have inherited his identity bracelet which he wore through out the great war and this shows his name, service number, company, battalion and regiment. It is also engraved with the intials MM supporting that he was awarded the military medal. I would however be grateful if anyone can share any more information about him or show me a photograph as i have never seen what he looks like. It would be dream come true if by any chance anyone knew of the where abouts of his medals.
Ryan Daglish

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Pte. Harry Wealleans 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.18th Oct 1917)

Harry Wealleans was born in Guisborough, Yorkshire and enlisted in Middlesbrough. He died in France or Flanders on 18th October 1917 from wounds.
Michelle Wolfenden

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Pte. William Brown 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.7th June 1917)

We know very little about my great uncle William Brown and his loss in 1917. We are planning a trip to Ypres and the Menin Gate in June 2017 to commemorate his loss.
Roy Bowden

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Pte. Thomas Parkinson 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.15th June 1917)

My great uncle, Thomas Parkinson, is remembered on the Menin Gate. He died at the age of 25. He served in the Cyclists Battalion and the Lancashire Regiment before being transferred, like so many, to fill the gaps in the DLI.
Julian Medina

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Sgt. John Donaldson 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.8th July 1916)

Sergeant John Donaldson, was my great uncle, who worked in the local railway yards. He enlisted in 1914, and embarked on 25th August 1915 for France. John was killed in action on 8th July 1916 attacking Bailiff Wood, near Contalmasion. Sadly, his body was never recovered and is remembered on Thiepval Memorial.
Kevin Donaldson

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Pte. Edgar Vivers Teague 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.27th Oct 1918)

Lance Sergeant Edgar Vivers Teague died of wounds during the Battle of Vittorio in Italy. When a private, he was wounded on 4th of June 1917, and I assume this was at the Battle of Messines. He was awarded the Italian Cross of War
Les Tgue

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2nd Lt. Harry Laureate Fisher 12th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.27th Oct 1918)

Harry Fisher one of four brothers who served in WW1 Alfred, William Norman and Jack Nicholson (my grandfather). William and Jack also served in the DLI (William in 5th Bn). Harry died on the 27th Oct 1918 aged 27 He is buried in Tezze British Cemetery, Italy.
David N. Patterson

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L/Cpl. Robert Davison 12th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.11th Jun 1917)

Robert Davison was my great uncle on my grandmother's side, he was a miner from County Durham, born in March 1892. He served with the 12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry and died on 11th June 1917.
Dave Hennessey

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Cpl. Joseph Brownlee 12th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.30th Jul 1916)

Joseph Brownlee was aged 30 when he died on 30th July 1916 whilst serving with the 12th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. (on CWGC records he is listed as as J. Brownley, on SDGW as Joseph Brownlee and on the Medal Index Card as Joseph Brownlee). He was born and lived Jarrow. On the 1911 census he is recorded as Joseph Brownlee age 24 Dock Labourer in Ship Repairers is with his wife Rose Ann (nee Pearson) and child at 133 High Street, Jarrow . He enlisted in Sunderland.
Joeseph is buried in Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery. He is commemorated on the Palmer Cenotaph (north face) Jarrow and on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church, Jarrow.
Vin Mullen

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12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

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Those known to have served with12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantryduring the Great War 1914-1918.

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- 12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
12th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
during the Great War 1914-1918.