1/5TH   BATTALION
Alexandra,  Princess   of   Wales's   Own
YORKSHIRE   REGIMENT
THE 5TH YORKS BATTALION WAR DIARY - Page 4.
Armentieres - back to Ypres - Railway Dugouts.

On the 12th November the Bn marched to near Bailleul. On the 19th December travelled by train to Poperinghe, then marched to huts at Dickebusch.

NOVEMBER 1915.
1st - Battalion in trenches 69, 70 C.S 71a right. 5th DLI on right. 4th East Yorks on Left and stayed here until 5th.
5th - Relieved by 4th Yorks Bn and billeted in Armentieres and stayed 6th.
7th - Battalion relieved 5th DLI in trenches 67, 68 and Supports. 4th Yorks Bn on Left.
Stayed here until 11th during which 1 OR wounded.

1633 Pte Cooper Thomas. Born Driffield and enlisted at Beverley. Killed in action on 7th November 1915 Commemorated at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension Nord.
11th - Relieved by 12th West Yorks Battalion [21st Division] and went into billets for the night in Convent, Armentieres. 2 ORs wounded.
12th - Battalion marched from Armentieres into billets near Outtersteene. [about 2 and a half miles West of Bailleul.] Stayed here resting until the 19th December.
24th - Inspection of Brigade by General Sir H Plumer, Commanding 2nd Army.

DECEMBER.
19th - Battalion entrained at Bailleul and detrained at Poperinghe [West of Ypres]. Marched to Dickebusch Huts.
20th - Battalion [less D Company] proceeded to Railway Dugouts. D Company remained Dickebusch Huts. 7 ORs wounded.
21st to 22nd - Battalion in Railway Dugouts.
23rd - Battalion to trenches 48, 49 50, A.1, A.2. relieving 4th East Yorks Bn. 149th Bde on Right flank and DLI 5th Bn on Left. 2 OR wounded.
24th - Capt JAR Thomson and 2nd Lt CH Dell wounded. 2 ORs killed, 1 OR died of wounds and 2 ORs wounded.

2278 Pte Reed Harry. Home at Nafferton, Yorks. Born and enlisted at Bridlington. Died of wounds on the 24th December 1915 aged 20. Commemorated at Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery.

Pte F Hodgson.


2293 Pte Armstrong Charles Stamper. Born and enlisted at Scarborough, Yorks. Killed in action on the 24th December 1915 aged 23. Commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial Ypres.
1409 Pte Radford Shelton. Home at 28 Gibson St, Driffield. Born Holyhead Anglesey. Driffield. Killed in action on the 24th December 1915 aged 20. Commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial Ypres.

3277 Pte Hodgson Frederick. Son of William Hodgson of Manor House Middleton Pickering, N Yorks. Killed on the 24th December 1915, aged 23. Enlisted at Malton and resided Pickering. Commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial.
[Photograph by kind permission of Roger Dowson and Edward Nicholl, Yorkshire Regiment Remembrance. Click here.]

Capt G. J. Scott.

25th - Capt GJ Scott and 2 OR killed.
Capt Scott George Jefferson. Home at Market Weighton, Yorks, where he was born in 1873.
He worked in a local Bank there. He was a pre-War Territorial and was at the 5th Battn HQ in Scarborough when they were mobilized at 6 p.m. on August 4th, 1914.
Killed in action on the 25th December 1915 aged 41. Commemorated at Poperinghe New Military Cemetery.
After his death the Green Howards Gazette wrote of him:-
“Our loss is great. Several of us have lost a personal and sterling friend and the battalion one of its most popular and experienced officers. All he has done for the Volunteer Force in general and the battalion in particular will never be known for he invariably did things and said little”
1917 Cpl Rennard Frank. Born Bridlington, Third son of Elizabeth Rennard and the late Alerman J Rennard, Station Rd, Bridlington. Killed in action on 25th December 1915, aged 25. Commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.
Annals of Bridlington - News has been received by Mrs Rennard, son. We regret to state there does not seem any ground to doubt the accuracy of the report, a letter having been received by the bereaved mother, from Lieut. Pearson, Malton, and confirmatory messages have arrived from comrades of the deceased young soldier. The young corporal was at the beginning of the war engaged with Mr Reginald Harmon, King Street. He was a popular young fellow, well beloved by all who knew him, happy, active, highly esteemed, who lost no time in answering the call of his country. He has paid the price, but his fellow townspeople can but express their deep sympathy with his mother and his brothers and sisters, and the young lady to whom he is engaged. Their loss is great, yet perhaps it may on occasion soothe their grief to know that him they mourn, young as he was, had won a place in the respect of all who knew him. The young soldier was killed on duty. A shell, it is said, exploded in the trench, and death came with merciful swiftness. It happened on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day his mortal remains were laid to rest behind the firing line. The burial service was read by Major Pearce, and the officers at the graveside included Lieut. Cranswick and Lieut. Robinson.

The Battalion were defending the line at Railway Dugouts, which were shelters dug into the side of the railway embankment.

The deceased spent a few days on leave at home early in the month. The following letter has been received by Mrs Rennard, from 2nd Lieut J. Stanley Robson, acquainting her with her son’s death:
5th Yorkshire Regt., B.E.F. December 26, 1915: Dear Mrs Rennard.
"It is my painful duty to tell you that your son died as the result of the explosion of a German shell on December 24. You have no doubt been officially informed by this time, but I must write to express my sincere sympathy for you in your great loss. He was an excellent non-commissioned officer, and did his duty thoroughly in every way. The whole platoon, and myself especially, will feel his loss deeply. Your son lived only a few seconds, so that I can assure you that he suffered very little, if at all. - With my sincere sympathy, I remain, yours sincerely, J. Stanley Robson, 2nd Lieut, Commanding No. 7 Platoon."

26th - 1 OR wounded.
27th - Relieved by 4th East Yorks and went into Dickebusch Huts, where stayed until 31st. 1 OR wounded.
1789 Pte Fox Charles James. Born Leicester. Enlisted Scarborough. Killed in action on the 29th December 1915 aged 40. Commemorated at Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery.
1611 Pte Quaid James. Home at 98 Keldgate Beverley. Born and enlisted at Beverley. Died of wounds on the 30th December 1915 aged 18. Commemorated at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
31st - Battalion [less C Company] relieved 4th East Yorks in same trenches as last tour. C Company went to Scottish Lines Camp.
Diary signed off by Lt Col J Mortimer, CO 5th Yorks Battalion.

JANUARY 1916.
1st - In same trenches. 7th Northumberland Fusiliers on Right and 5th DLI on Left. 2 ORs wounded.
Lt Col Mortimer awarded the C.M.G. and D.C.M awarded to 1065 Sgt T Little and 537 Pte D Scott.

SATURDAY, 1ST JANUARY 1916.

War Office,
1st January, 1916.
The following despatch has been received by the Secretary of State for War from the Field- Marshal Commanding-in-Chief the British Army in France: —
General Headquarters,
30th November, 1915.
In accordance with the last paragraph of my Despatch of the 15th October, 1915, I have the honour to bring to notice the names of those whom I recommend for gallant and distinguished service in the field.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
J. D. P. FRENCH,
Field-Marshal, Commanding-in-Chief
The British Army in France
YORKSHIRE REGIMENT (TERRITORIAL FORCE).

Mortimer, Major (temporary Lieutenant-Colonel) J.
Scott, Captain G. J.
Brown, Lieutenant (temporary Captain) H.,D.S.O.
Woodcock, Lieutenant F.
Thompson, Second Lieutenant E. M.
Thompson, Second Lieutenant G.
Radley, No. 4004 Regimental Serjeant-Major W.
Brammall, No. 1714 Company Serjeant-Major J.
Forster, No. 1898 Serjeant R.
Potter, No. 549 Serjeant H. E.


3034 Pte Pollard Thomas William. Accidentally shot himself while in training at Strensall Camp, York with the 3/5th Yorks Battalion. Age 16, although local newspapers gave his age as 19. Home at 58 Florence Street, Middlesbrough, place of enlistment. Born in Sunderland. Buried at Dean Road, Cemetery, Scarborough.
3rd - 1 OR wounded.
4th - Battalion relieved by 4th East Yorks and moved to Railway Dugouts where stayed till the 8th. 1 OR died of wounds and 2 wounded.

2700 Pte Meek James William. Home at 40 Yeoman St, Redcar, N Yorks. Born and enlisted Beverley. Died of wounds on the 5th January 1916 aged 27. Commemorated at Maple Copse Cemetery.

8th - Battalion relieved the 4th East Yorks Bn in trenches 48, 49, 50, A1, A2. The 7th Northumberland Fus on the Right and 5th DLI on the Left. Stayed in this position until the 12th.
11th - 4 OR wounded and 1 died of wounds.

2nd Lt Lambert Henry Stuart. Home at Bridlington, where he was born in 1897. He had joined the 5th Battn at Armentieres in the summer of 1915. Killed in action on the 11th January 1916 aged 19, Commemorated at Poperinghe New Military Cemetery.
The Annals of Bridlington recorded that he was commissioned on the 3rd October 1914 and despite the suggestion to take further promotion and remain in England to help train troops, he volunteered for overseas service. He was educated at Bridlington Grammar School where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps and held the school high jump record. He had worked for a year at Bridlington Town Hall where he was articled to the Borough Surveyor.
"At 10 p.m. he was leading a wiring Party from A Company in front of the British lines, when an un-aimed burst of enemy fire caught him in the leg, severing his femoral artery. Though his men got him back to the Trenches & his wound was dressed within 3 minutes it was to no avail & he died through blood loss at 4am at a dressing station.
12th - Battalion relieved by 4th East Yorks and moved back to Dickebusch Huts, where stayed until the 16th.
1435 L/Cpl Rennison Henry. Home at Stamford Bridge, place of birth. Enlisted Sand Hutton. Died of wounds on the 12th January 1916 aged 25. Commemorated at Stamford Bridge, St John the Baptist Churchyard.

Pte Charles Godfrey Beane.

1706 Pte Beane Charles Godfrey. Home at Winspers Farm, Northrepps, Norwich. Although from a family of agricultural workers in Norfolk, Charles became a gentleman's Valet and enlisted at Hull, Yorks. Died on the 14th January 1916 aged 23. Commemorated at Northrepps St Mary Churchyard, near Cromer, Norfolk.
16th - Battalion relieved 4th East Yorks in same position as last tour and remained there till 20th. 1 OR killed on 16th.
2492 Pte Dixon John David. Home at 14 North St, Driffield. Enlisted at Driffield. Killed in action on the 16th January 1916 aged 18. Commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial Ypres.
20th - Battalion relieved by 4th East Yorks and moved to Railway Dugouts. 5 OR wounded.
21st to 24th- In Railway Dugouts during which time 2 OR wounded.
24th - Battalion relieved 4th East Yorks in same trenches as last tours, where stayed until the 28th.
25th - Capt DH Walker wounded and 1 OR killed.

1988 Pte Johnson Ralph. Home at Nawton. Born Welburn, Kirbymoorside, place of enlistment. Killed in action on the 25th January 1915. Commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial Ypres.
26th - Capt D H Walker died of wounds and 1 OR killed.

Photographs kindly contributed by his Great Nephew Adrian Beane.

Capt Walker Denis Henry. Home at Milesden, Newland Park Hull. He was born in Middlesex in 1889.
A pre-War Territorial he was with the Battn when they were first mobilized. He was hit on the 26th January 1916 aged 26, whilst supervising a working Party who were repairing the parapet of a Trench and later died of his wounds.
Commemorated at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery to the South West of Ypres. He was the son of Captain W S Walker who had also served in the Yorkshire Regiment.
27th - 1 OR died of wounds.
1218 Sgt Kendall Percy Fewster. Born and enlisted at Malton. Died of wounds on the 27th January 1916. Commemorated at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
28th - Battalion relieved by 4th East Yorks and moved to Dickebusch Huts.
30th - 1 OR died in hospital of pneumonia.
3298 Pte Foster William. Enlisted Scarborough. Died on the 30 January 1916. Commemorated at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
2866 Pte Lowther Arthur. Enlisted Whitby. Killed in action on the 26th January 1916. Commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial Ypres.
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