At the beginning of August 1915 the Battalion were moved to Armentieres.
The village of La Chapelle d'Armentieres was some 2 kilometres metres from the centre of the town.
The frontline trenches about 1 kilometre beyond this.
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8 AUGUST. A new British Army was formed, the Third, and the 50th Division were ordered to take over the Right
of the new II Corps line at Armentieres.
Diary records - In billets at Armentieres. NCOs and men were billeted in the Hospice Civil in Rue de Pastures.
Officers in Rue Nationale and Sadi Carnot.
All men were given the privilege of bathing in the Swimming bath in Ecole de Natation.
Quiet time except for a few odd shells which were pitched into the town on the evenings of the 11th and 12th.
Capt T M Peake joined unit from 3/8th Battallion. Middlesex. Lieut McManus took over duties of MO on the 9th.
15th AUGUST. NCO's and men billeted at 57 Rue de Lille, Armentieres.
16th AUGUST. 4th Yorks Bn relieved 5th Bn DLI in trenches 71, 72 and 73.
17th AUGUST.
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The 4th Yorks received many reinforcements on the 9th August 1915.
For names see here.
Some of them could well be the men shown here departing from the station at Saltburn by the Sea.
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Pte Alan Kendrew,
Killed in action, 17th August 1915.
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1730 Pte Kendrew Alan. Home at High End, Brompton N Yorks, place of birth. Enlisted at Northallerton,
N Yorks. Killed in action. Age 19. Buried at Chapelle D'Armentieres Old Military Cemetery.
Alan worked at one of the linen mills in Brompton and sailed with the Battalion when they first went to France.
He was working as a Medical Orderly and was shot by a German sniper as he stole a look over the parapet.
[The British Infantry wore cloth caps at the start of the War, whereas the Germans had steel helmets from the
outset.]
[Photo and information courtesy of - Northallerton Memorials Project.]
18th AUGUST. One man wounded.
20th AUGUST.
2269 Pte Jordan Lionel. Home at - 1 Prospect Place, Wing, Bucks. Enlisted at Northallerton,
N Yorks. Killed in action. "By enemy's "Sausage" whilst in dug out." Buried at 29 Chapelle D'Armentieres Old Military
Cemetery.
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The Trenches in front of La Chapelle d'Armentieries.
Showing Trench numbering system,
Communication trenches leading up to the front and Reserve trenches, similarly numbered, behind.
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[Over the course of the War a new language of slang terms developed for new places and things. A "Sausage" was one
of the types of Artillery shell fired by "Fritz", "the Hun", "the Boche" etc.]
21st AUGUST.
1975 Pte Alsop William. Home in Yarm, N Yorks, place of birth. Enlisted at Northallerton,
N Yorks. Killed in action whilst sniping. Buried at La Chapelle, Armentieres.
See local newspaper report here
The Bn Diary reports on an almost daily basis men going into and returning from Hospital.
25TH AUGUST. The 4th Yorks Bn were relieved in the trenches by the 7th Bn DLI.
Lt York, Sgt Paxton and Cpl Husband proceeded to Base on one month's rest duties.
Bn was billeted in Hospice Civic, Armentieres.
26TH AUGUST. 2Lts Hubbard, Daglish and Girling joined the unit from the 3rd Yorks Bn.
27th AUGUST. The Bn "Trench strength" is reported as 18 Officers and 411 other ranks.
"Transport" section had 2 Officers and 60 other ranks.
"Garrison" employed 3 Officers and 50 other ranks.
"Attached" were 1 Officer and 10 other ranks.
30th AUGUST. Lt De Klee and Back of the Life Guards were attached for 48 hours to give instruction.
The Battalion was relieved in the trenches by 5th and 7th Bns of the Northumberland Fusiliers.
During this time the Infantry were issued with Lewis guns, rifles with telescopic sights, rifle grenades, trench
mortars and improved gas masks. A number of steel helmets were issued for experimental purposes.
At the same time the Artillery's old guns were being replaced by new 18 pounders
and 4.5 in howitzers.
The Diary is signed off by the Commanding Officer at the time, Lt Col Maurice H. Bell.
2749 L/Cpl Alfred Richard Clarken died, aged 48, at home, 43 Dover Street, Cargo Fleet, Middlesbrough, N Yorkshire. Born in Woolwich, Kent. He is buried in N Ormesby Cemetery, Middlesbrough.
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Richard was a pre-war regular soldier having previously served 12 years with the 1st Bn Leicestershire Regiment (time expired).
He was an Army reservist and re-enlisted into the 4th Yorks Regiment on the 1st September 1914 giving his age as 47 and his occupation as a crane-driver.
He was too old for service abroad and was discharged from the Army on the 17th August 1915 as no longer fit for military service (valvular diseased heart) having served for 351 days and died just 13 days later.
He was the son of the late George and Francis Clarken and the husband of Annie Clarken (nee Dutton) later of 29 Church Street Marske by the Sea Yorkshire.
Alfred can be found on the 1911 census residing with his wife and married daughter Harriet and Grandchild Violet at 9 Pine Street Cargo Fleet employed as a blast furnace crane man.
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Believed to have been taken in France/Belgium. It must have been taken before 3rd January as Lt Col Bell, who was invalided out on that date is seated in the middle of the Front row.
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