Great War>Training Camps
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- Ripon Camp during the Great War -
Great War>Training Camps
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Ripon Camp
Ripon Camp in North Yorkshire was was a vast First World War training camp, accommodating 30,000 troops. It was situated to the south west of the city. A military hospital with 670 beds stood opposite the turning to Studley Roger and is today the site of a memorial. An estimated 350,000 men passed through Ripon Camp during the course of the Great war.
30th Jul 1915 Sheffield City Battalion leave Cannock Chase The Sheffield City Battalion undertook a 16 mile route march cross country under the blazing sun with full packs, taking six hours to complete the course. 80men suffered exhaustion and failed to complete the route. On return to Penkridge Bank Camp, they had two hours to pack up and have their meal. They then marched four miles to Rugeley station and boarded trains for the 4th Army Training Centre at South Camp, Ripon.
31st Jul 1915 12th York & Lancs arrive at Ripon The Sheffield City Battalion arrived at Ripon in the early hours and the men marched to South Camp on the Harrogate Road and spent the day unloading stores and settling into the camp. The training at Ripon was mainly in musketry, but before it could begin, the men had to construct a rifle range
27th Aug 1915 Visit Mr Samuel Roberts MP visits Sheffield City Battalion at Ripon camp.
10th Sep 1915 Sheffield City Battalion hold anniversary concert On the anniversary of the formation on the Sheffield City Battalion, a concert was held. It was arranged by the Padre, Capt. J.F.Colquhoun with many of the officers and men performing.It ended with a short speech from the CO.
25th Sep 1915 Sheffield City Battalion depart Ripon The 12th York and Lancs Battalion leave Ripon Camp late at night, they march through pouring rain to the station and entrain for an eleven hour journey to Salisbury.
29th Oct 1915 13th East Yorks leave Ripon 13th East Yorks leave Ripon on 29th of October 1915 for Hurdcott Camp.If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
Those known to have trained at
Ripon Camp
during the Great War 1914-1918.
- Bellenie Arthur Leolin. Pte.
- Cooper Thomas. Pte.
- Craven William Allen. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Evison George Cooper. Cpl.
- Hatfield Ernest Hugh. Sgt.
- James John. Pte. (d.17th July 1916)
- McEwan Alexander Norman. Pte.
- Morton MM.. Godfrey Julian. Sgt.
- Platt Brandon. Pte. (d.8th July 1916)
- Russell Joseph. Pte.
- Slack Ernest. Able Sea.
- Smith David Benjamin. Gnr. (d.15th May 1918)
- Street Walter. Cpl.
- Thompson James Edward. Pte. (d.21st Apr 1916)
- Wall John Benjamin. Pte.
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. James Edward Thompson 13th (1st Barnsley) Battalion Yorks and Lancaster Regiment (d.21st Apr 1916)
James Edward Thompson was a miner and enlisted in the Barnsley Pals on the 7th December 1914 and trained at Silkstone, moving to Penkridge Camp in May 1915, Ripon in July and on to Salisbury Plain in October 1915. On 28 December he embarked at Devonport for Egypt. He then embarked for BEF in France on 11 March 1916. On the 9th April 1916 he received gunshot wounds to both legs and a fractured tibia in his left arm. On the 13th April he was moved by the 17th Ambulance Train to the 1st General Hospital in Etretat arriving on the 14th. Sadly James died from his wounds at 7.20am on 21st April 1916. He is buried in the local churchyard in Etretat.Roy Warren
Sgt. Godfrey Julian Morton MM. No. 11 Squadron Royal Flying Corps
Godfrey Morton was awarded the Military Medal. He enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps on the 14th of November 1914 as a rigger. He went over seas with 11 Squadron on the 23rd of July 1915. He qualified as an Observer on 31st of January 1916 and was listed as missing on 17th of September 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal on 20th of October 1916. He had been taken as a Prisoner of War and a message reached Britain from an unofficial but reliable source on the 24th. On 17th of October it was reported that he was at Kunberg in Bavaria and had been wounded in left foot and right thigh. He had been admitted to the POW Hospital for treatment by the 4th of October 1916. By 14th of September 1917 he was at Lietfield POW Camp. He was repatriated to Ripon Camp on the 17th of December 1918 and was discharged in February 1919 with a Silver War Badge due to the wound to his foot. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals.
Able Sea. Ernest Slack 6th (Howe) Btn. Royal Naval Division
Ernest Slack was born on 21st July 1896, he enlisted on the 29th of May 1915 and was drafted to Howe Battalion M.E.F. Later, he was detached from Howe Battalion to Stavros whilst serving. On 9th of April 1918, he sustained a gunshot wound to his left wrist and was sent to 20th General Hospital in Dannes, Camiers He was demobilised 22nd of January 1919 at North Camp, Ripon.Andrew Turner
Gnr. David Benjamin Smith 15th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (d.15th May 1918)
Fortunately, whilst sixty percent of World War 1 service records were destroyed in the WWII blitz, David Smith's army service record was one of the so called Burnt Records that survived. It shows that he enlisted at Hammersmith as an Army Reservist on the 10th of December 1915. His declared age was 25 with his given birth date of 8th October 1890 scribbled across the top of the attestation form. At the time it was recorded that David's address was 9 Overstone Road, Hammersmith and that his next of kin was his wife, Hilda Clara Smith, living at the same address. David's occupation was given as Brewer's Labourer. Other family information included in the records were David's marriage to Hilda Clara Tull, spinster, on 12th of April 1914 in Hammersmith and particulars of children, Ivy May born 18th of May 1915 in Hammersmith and later, Eileen born 1st of November 1918 in Plaistow.David was mobilised over 4 months after enlistment, on 25th of April 1916, to serve in the rank of gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was initially posted to the battalion depot. This appears to have been at Dover as there is a record of his arrival at Dover dated 27th of April 1916. On 18th May 1916 David was then posted to 29th Company. This must have been at Portsmouth as the one minor blemish on his Conduct Sheet was with this unit on 16th of June 1916. He was absent from the 7am parade, presumably overslept!
Then on the 11th of July 1916 David was posted to 179th Siege Battery. This battery was subsequently attached to the British Expeditionary Force on the 8th October 1916. A month later David disembarked in France on 9th November 1916 and was then attached to the Artillery School at Telque, in the field a week later on 18th November. He returned to his unit three weeks later on 5th December.
Continuing as a gunner in the 179th Siege Battery, six months later David was wounded in action on 1st June 1917. As a result of this he was invalided back to England, per St. Patrick a hospital ship, arriving in England on the 4th June. David's wounds were recorded as shrapnel wound right arm and right thigh. He spent a total of 126 days recovering in King George Hospital London from 4th June to 8th October 1917. This was in Stamford Street, London off Blackfriars Road, near Blackfriars Bridge. It was built as Cornwall House for H.M. Stationary Office but, being completed in the middle of WW1, was used for several years as an army hospital, known as King George's Hospital, until 1920 when occupied as government offices. On leaving hospital David then received 10 days furlough when he would have been able to go home to his wife Hilda and 2 year old daughter Ivy.
David's army medical history shows that he was fairly tall at 5ft 11 ins but slim, weighing 140 lbs at enlistment and with a chest girth of 34 inches (37 inches fully expanded). His physical development was described as good.
After his 10 days furlough, following leaving hospital, David appears to have then been posted to Ripon on the 19th October 1917, presumably in North Yorkshire, but it is not clear which unit he was then in. However, at Ripon, was the No.4 Depot (Heavy & Siege) of the Royal Garrison Artillery.
He was subsequently posted back to the B.E.F. in France on the 29th of March 1918, though again it is not clear with which unit within the R.G.A. That reference reads "1s Arty Posted to B.E.F." which may or may not mean 1st Siege Battery.
On the 13th of April 1918 David then joined the 15th Siege Battery in the field. This battery fired howitzers. It appears to have been attached 70th Brigade of the 6th Corps, but this is very much just a guess!
Sadly, only a month after joining the 15th Siege Battery, David then died on the 15th of May 1918 from wounds received in action. This was at No.6 Casualty Clearing Station, one of two then located at Pernes in northern France. This was very close to where David was subsequently buried at Pernes British Cemetery, stated as seven and a quarter miles N.N.E of St.Pol. David's service record does not give any further details on the circumstances of his death but it is likely to have been as a result of German shellfire as artillery batteries were usually sited well behind the trenches out of range of enemy machine gun and rifle fire.
David's daughter Eileen sadly never knew her father as his wife Hilda was only just over 3 months pregnant with Eileen at the time of his death. David's personal effects were dispatched to Hilda in late September 1918 to her address, then at 28 Selby Road, Plaistow. The list of those personal effects is extremely faded but included letters, a card and religious book. Hilda and her two children were awarded a widow's pension to live on of 25 shillings and five pence a week from the 25th of November 1918 by the Ministry of Pensions.
In June 1919 David's widow, Hilda, had to complete a Statement of the Names and Addresses of all the Living Relatives of the Deceased. Hilda and her two children Ivy and Eileen were then living at 28 Selby Road, Plaistow. David's father was deceased but his mother, Elizabeth Travatt, was recorded as living at 52 Cathnor Road, Goldhawk Road, Shepherd's Bush together with David's only sibling, his sister Mary Ridout (nee Smith) aged 27. (If, as has been tentatively suggested by Mary's granddaughter Hazel McPhail (nee Ridout), that Mary may have been adopted, the form did not allow for this, giving only options of "full blood" or "half blood", so Hilda put Mary in the box for "full blood". Even if Mary was adopted, Hilda may not have been aware anyway.)
Later, in September 1921, Hilda received British War and Victory Medals granted to David for his war service. Of course, her husband had paid the ultimate sacrifice for his king and country as so many did in the Great War.
David Pugh
Pte. Joseph Russell 7th Btn. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
In 1965 my grandfather Joseph Russell wrote a set of memoirs (hand-written in ink) and sent copies off to my father and my uncle. These memoirs record his experiences during the war. There is a section on his memories of the camp at Ripon in 1916."... My brothers and cousins came with me to St. Enoch station, Glasgow to bid me good-bye, Alec (his brother), had already been severely wounded in the Battle of Loos, so much so that the Army authorities had to discharge him from all further service. The journey to Leeds and then to Ripon was uneventful so I arrived on time in order to prepare for the great adventure to France where life seemed to be much cheaper than muddy water.
The march of four hundred 51st Division of Highland soldiers armed to the teeth down from North Camp to Ripon station a distance of a mile and a half and led by Pipe bands was certainly no silent affair. The scenes were indescribable, the animal natures of men seemed to be predominant, even the writer seemed to have gone hay-wire yet I was brought up in the fear of God. Army training in war time either creates a recoiling product in the mind or a moulded product into its image, if a recoiling product then heavy measures are engineered whereby the stereotyped condition becomes plastic through a high fahrenheit of tears. Fear of death is not so much a means of escape from the toiling, unmitigated and unending burden of viewing slaughter and blood rather than the cancelling of the telegram which brings continuity of despair and grief to those whom you love. We board the train at Ripon station, it is crowded with people, civilians and soldiers, the excitement of war in action has now generated into a passionate flame, the last is without description, I'm sure that not even a bugle can have been heard above its noise.
I had a hundred and two rounds of ammunition in my equipment so I put a clip of five rounds in my magazine. On the station platform stood Major X he was our official conductor from the Camp to the station and I had a score to settle with him, then immediately across the road on the near side of the platform was encamped a battalion of Yorkshires and I didn't like them. The reason was this, the Major was a bullying brute, he had two golden chevrons on his left sleeve, signifying that he was wounded twice in action yet his reputation was incorporated in his nick-name "more sandbags", the soldiers who knew him in action said that if a sniper's bullet hit the top of his deep dug-out then the parapet must be reinforced to make it doubly secure.
Again, while I was under a slight narcotic of alcohol one Saturday night in the town of Ripon I wandered aimlessly or maybe not into the Yorkshire Camp and my mind as I write is as clear as if it happened yesterday. No doubt I was aggressive but I don't think their action was justifiable or warrantable by the extent of my crime. I got into their physical instructors hut for N.C.O.s, my outstanding portrait is of a man about half a head taller than myself, he had a small gingerly moustache and was wearing a white jersey. I don't remember seeing trousers for all I could see of him was from his elbows upwards. What followed is in the darkness of oblivion and all I know is that I came to on the Sunday morning lying on the floor of a wash-house belonging to the Yorkshires. A gift I got from my sister a wrist watch with a spring bracelet was ruined with blood and water and my face resembled a butcher's shop, for this I got three days detention but I swore revenge on the Yorkshires. The moment had now arrived, the Major and the Yorkshires, the guard's whistle sounded, I have five rounds in my magazine, I extended my mark VII rifle out of the open window, I saw the Major about forty yards down the platform towering above everyone under the station canopy. I took aim and fired two shots; not to hit him but in a line between the top of his head and the glass roof of the canopy, when I looked up he was taking a nose dive down the stairs to get out of sight and no doubt shouting "more sand bags".
The Yorkshire Camp was now in full view, there could have been about a hundred tents and men were walking to and fro, raising my rifle I fired three quick shots into the Camp then withdrawing it I turned to the soldiers in compartment, they looked speechless as if they were afraid to speak in case I would have turned my rifle on them. I aimed not at any man with the intent to kill although it could have happened in the Yorkshire Camp, momentarily I had gone hay-wire with recrimination. I half anticipated that the train would be stopped for investigation but luck seemed to be on my side as well as the Yorkshires in the Camp...."
Paul Russell
Sgt. Ernest Hugh Hatfield 47th Battalion
Ernest Hatfield was born at Charters Towers and Enlisted in Townsville whilst living in Eton, Mackay, Queensland . He joined the 47th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement. He was taken as a POW by the Germans, captured on the 5th of April 1918 and interned at Giessen. He was repatriated to England and arrived at Ripon camp on the 15th of December 1918. His Next of Kin is listed as his Mother, Mrs Jane Hatfield, of Eton, Mackay, Queensland.
Cpl. Walter Street 13th (Barnsley Pals) Btn. York and Lancaster Regiment
My grandfather was Walter Street of Hope Street, Mapplewell, Barnsley. He was born in 1895 and was a miner. He enlisted with the Barnsley Pals on 7th of October 1914. His Commanding Officer was J Hewitt. He trained at Ripon and Cannock Chase Camps in Staffordhire. Below are the dates from his service records:
- 28/1/15 Embarked for M.E.F. to Eygpt from Devonport
- 11/3/16 Embarked for B.E.F. to France
- 28/12/16 Married Sarah A Wright in Pontefract
- 31/5/17 From O.C. Gold add pay @ 1/- (Tailor)
- 23/9/17 From O.C. Unpaid acting Lance Corporal in the field
- 30/9/17 From O.C. Appointed paid Lance Corporal
- 13/12/18 Depot Posted Corporal - Medical sent home from France
- 19/12/18 Furlough (unpaid) issued from Ripon Camp.
Walter served four years and 102 days. He remarried in 1937 to Florence Preston who died 1951. He remarried in 1952 to Marion Isles. He was never divorced from my grandmother Sarah Ann Wright with whom he had two children.
Mary Baker
Pte. Brandon Platt 21st (Pioneer) Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.8th July 1916)
Brandon Platt walked with his best friend Thomas Hilditch from his home village of Denshaw, Saddleworth, this being in Yorkshire they went to Triangle and rode the tram to Halifax to join a Yorkshire Regiment, were inspected and joined the army at the former tram depot at Highroad Well in Halifax then were sent home until called for. (Pioneers had an extra 2d per day pay over the normal 1/-shilling.)Training was at Skipton and also Ripon, certainly North Yorkshire as both Hilditch and Platt took a long weekend and were late on parade, this was 'glossed over'. They were then to be sent to Egypt but the 'big push' changed all that and they were sent to France.
During the 4th Division attack the next wave to go over was 21st WYR when the attack was called off, so he was in the front trench it was necessary for the 21st West Yorks to hold the line for quite a few days until they were able to be relieved, certainly they were still in the area as of 9th July
Thomas Hilditch and Brandon Platt served together and on the evening of 8th July 1916 Hilditch was selected as part of a work party and Platt volunteered to go too, as they waited in the rear area to go into the trench system to work on the trench walls a shell fell to the right of Hilditch and Brandon Platt on his left fell dead, a passing RMC Captain was on scene and he immediately examined Pte Platt but found no wound however it transpired that a piece of shrapnel had penetrated the neck and heart causing his immediate death.
Brandon is buried at Colincamps (Sucerie) Cemetry near Mailley Maillet on the Somme.
Christopher Hilditch
Pte. John James 15th Btn. Notts and Derby Regiment (d.17th July 1916)
John James was born in Nottingham on 22nd December 1895. He was the eldest and only son of Alfred and Annie James. John had two younger sisters - Ada and my grandmother Annie.When war broke out John was working as a foreman at a box making factory keen to join up but at 5'2" he was too short and turned away. He was determined to join and tried again but once again was unsuccessful. Sadly, John was presented with white feathers by the girls at his box making factory. This deeply upset John and on his third attempt he pleaded with the recruiting sergeant who finally relented stating that 'the army will pull the last inch out of you'.
So in September 1915 John went into infantry training at Ripon training camp. He had joined the 15th (Service) Btn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbys).
The battalion arrived in France in February 1916. In July it saw action on the Somme. John's battalion was positioned on the night of 17/18th near to Trones wood opposite Guillemont village. During this night the trenches were shelled terribly and John disappeared into oblivion never to be recovered. It was told by a survivor who had seen John that night, that as he left John in his part of the trench the German guns opened fire and there was a terrific bombardment after which the trenches where John was no longer existed. John is now remembered along with over 300,000 other on the Thiepval Memorial.
As a child, my grandmother would often tell me the story of her brother and my great uncle and I will always remember him. My childhood hero. God bless you John.
Steven Charlesworth
Cpl. George Cooper Evison 5th Btn. Lincolnshire Regiment
George Evison enlisted in the Scots Guards on 24th February 1899, just short of his 17th birthday. In the 1901 census he is stationed at Wellington Barracks, Westminster, London. I do not know much about his service in the Guards, but I do know that he served in South Africa during the Boer war as he qualified for the Queens South Africa medal which was confirmed in his later military records. George left the Guards on 23rd February 1906 and returned home. He remained on the reserve list for the Scots Guards for 5 years until February 1911. In March 1911, he signed up, for 5 years, to the Territorial Army, the 5th Battalion of the Lincolnshire regiment, which was based at Grimsby. He attended a fortnights training camp in 1911, 1912 and 1913.On the 5th August 1914, at the onset of the First World War, the 4th (based at Lincoln) and the 5th Territorial Battalions of the Lincolnshire regiment were mobilised and started preparing for war. The 5th Battalion arrived in France on the 1st March 1915. George was promoted to Corporal on 22nd March 1915 (this was despite being arrested twice for Drunk and Disorderly in November and December 1914, for which he was reprimanded). According to The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918, by Major-General C.R.Simpson, the 4th and 5th Battalions spent some training on trench duties before going to the front line on 9th April.
George was injured in action and hospitalised sometime on or just prior to 2nd July 1915. His injury was described as a scalded foot and he was transported home on the 8th July. According to Major-General Simpson’s book. the battalion at that time was in a position close to Sanctuary Wood and the Germans were attacking with ‘liquid fire’. Whether or not this was the cause of his injury would be pure conjecture.
George returned to France on 20th December 1915, having recovered from his injuries. He remained with the regiment until 1st April 1916, when he returned home for discharge, as his 5-year enlistment was complete. You might think that was enough for a 34-year-old man but no, George decided to re-enlist, joining the Royal Artillery on 7th June 1916. Once again his military record is intact. He joined the 59th Division Training Battery at Ripon where he remained for the remainder of the war.
At the completion of the war, he requested to remain in the army, which was granted. His reward for such loyalty was involvement in the Afghanistan war of 1919. The Afghans, sensing British war weariness, had attacked British garrisons and a short war followed. So, in addition to his Great War medals he was awarded the General Service medal and clasp Afghanistan N.W.F.1919.
He was eventually discharged from the Royal Artillery with the rank of Bombardier on 31st March 1920. However, he did rejoin the Territorial Army for 5 years on 24th June 1920.
Mel Ogden
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.
Martin Lonsdale
Pte. Arthur Leolin Bellenie 13th Btn. East Yorkshire Regiment
My grandfather was named Arthur Leolin Bellenie. He enlisted at Hull on 18th November 1914 into 13th East Yorkshire Regiment. He went to Ripon and left there Oct 29th 1915.His diary records: Left Hurdcott Camp 8am Dec 14th for Salisbury then left Salisbury at 1.15pm arriving at Devonport at 9.15pm. The troopship Simla set sail at 5.30 am March 1st from Port Said to sail to Marseilles. Passed the Med Fleet at 2am Mar 4th. Passed Malta at 11.30pm. Passed Island of Pantellaria at 2pm Mar 5th an Italian convict settlement.Mar 8th arrived Marseilles 7pm. The place is full of ships. Mar 9th disembarking from S.S. Simla at 2pm.'
I have not had any luck in finding his name in any ancestry records. I believe he was taken prisoner on 14th November 1916 as that is the last date in his diary. When he returned, at the end of the war, he was amongst the ex-prisoners met by Queen Mary and we have a photograph of him in the background with the Queen. It is a photograph in the Royal Collection
Vivienne Mabbott
Pte. Alexander Norman McEwan 9th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
Alexander McEwan served with the Seaforth Highlanders I've been trying to locate my father's service record for some time without success. However, I found his Medal Roll Index Card. He was 16 years old in 1915 when he enlisted. My older sister thought he was in the 9th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. However, he played football in the war and his football medal is engraved "Ripon Garrison Association Cup Competition".He also had a "On War Service Badge" dated 1915 which was usually given to a civilian, unless it wasn't his. I have checked the roll call of names of ALL Seaforth Highlander Battalions but his name is not there. The number on the "On War Service Badge" is 92635. His father was Scottish - hence his enlistment in a Scottish Regiment.
Patricia McDermott
Pte. John Benjamin Wall 46th Remount Squadron Army Service Corps
John Wall enlisted 14th May 1915 aged 38 yrs 11 mths at Romsey, Hampshire, after operations for a hernia and varicose veins. After basic training heembarked the 'Caledonia' at Avonmouth, 19th January 1916 and disembarked Alexandria 7th February 1916. He embarked Alexandria 20th June 1919 for homeward journey and demobilisation and was demobbed at North Ripon, Yorkshire, 5th August 1919.Howard Ralley
Pte. Thomas Cooper 2nd Btn. B Coy. Yorks and Lancs Regiment
My grandfather, Thomas Cooper, was a butcher (part of a family of butchers) in High Spen, County Durham. He joined the army on 11th December 1915 leaving my grandmother, Jane Ann, to care for their six children including my father.Grandfather is recorded as being mobilized to France in January 1917 and transferred to the 2nd Battalion Yorks and Lancs in May 1917 part of the Y and L North Command. His service record says he was wounded in September 1917 but the exact date is unclear from the record. There is then a gap until the regimental record says he was posted on 6th November (presumably to UK) after treatment in field hospital and admitted the same day to Bangour War Hospital, Edinburgh. His wound was the result of a gun shot to the left thigh. On discharge from Bangour he returned to the Yorks and Lancs depot. He was in Bangour for more than 2 and a half months. He was demobilized from North Camp, Ripon on 30th January, 1919 and awarded an army pension from 13th March 1919. His wound resulted in a 20% disability. He died in 1926, by then father to eight children.
Geoff Cooper
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