1/5TH   BATTALION
Alexandra,  Princess   of   Wales's   Own
YORKSHIRE   REGIMENT
THE 5TH YORKS BATTALION WAR DIARY - Page 10.
Bazentin - Hexham Rd - Flers Line - more losses. - move to French Sector.

British Troops in Trench in the Somme area.

NOVEMBER 1916.
1st - Bazentin Le Grand. Moved to trenches in M17 and relieved 5th DLI. Relief complete by 3.30 am. 3 ORs wounded.
2nd - Holding Front line. 2 ORs wounded.

1926 Pte Gutherless Ernest. Home at 29 St Johns Walk Bridlington.Born and enlisted at Bridlington in August 1914. Died of wounds on the 2nd of November 1916 aged 20 as result of Trenches being shelled. He had been with the Battn since its overseas service started in April 1915. in Commemorated at Bazentin Le Petit Military Cemetery.
3rd to 5th - Relieved by 9th DLI. Relief complete 9.00 pm. Moved to North East corner of Mametz Wood. 1 OR killed.
1 OR killed and 2 wounded.

3832 Pte O'Neill Edward Enlisted Middlesbrough. Killed in action on the 5th of November 1916. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.
6th to 8th - Moved into Support Trenches. Relieved 6th Northumberland Fus and 9th DLI.
1856 Pte Calver Harold. Home at Norton, Yorks. Enlisted at Malton. Died of wounds on the 7th of November 1916 aged 19. Commemorated at Norton Cemetery, Malton, N Yorks.
2135 Pte Harker Sydney Home at 71 Mill St, Langton, Malton, place of birth. Enlisted Scarborough. Killed in action on the 8th of November 1916. SDWG gives Harker. Commemorated at Warlencourt British Cemetery.
2135 Pte Harper Sydney Joseph. Home at 71 Mill St, Northon Malton, place of birth. Enlisted Scarborough. Killed in action on the 8th of November 1916. Commemorated at Warlencourt British Cemetery.
9th to 10th - Relieved 5th DLI in Front Line. Relief complete 3.4 am on 10th.
3 ORs killed 21 wounded and 1 missing

3715 Pte Rudd William. Home at 41 Essex St, Middlesbrough. Enlisted Middlesbrough. Died of wounds on the 9th of November 1916 aged 40. Commemorated at Warlencourt British Cemetery.
3622 Pte Sunley William. Home at Helmsley, Yorks. Enlisted Malton. Killed in action on the 10th of November 1916. Commemorated at Warlencourt British Cemetery.
11th - Relieved by 6th Northumberland Fus. Complete by 9.00 pm. Moved into Starfish and Prue Trenches.
4 ORs killed. 11 wounded and 1 missing.

5558 Pte Bateman Albert. Home at 7 East Parade, Sedgefield. Born and enlisted at Ferryhill. Killed in action on the 11th of November 1916 aged 19. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.
4093 Pte Cooke Arthur. Home at Skelton in Cleveland, Yorks. Enlisted at Saltburn. Killed in action on the 11th of November 1916 aged 32. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.
5565 Pte Cooper Joseph. Home at 6 The Promenade, Netherton Maryport Cumberland. Enlisted at Newcastle. Killed in action on the 11th of November 1916 aged 32. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.
3321 Pte Dunnington Alfred. Home at Amotherby, N Yorks. Enlisted Malton. Killed in action on the 11th of November 1916. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.
5611 Pte Hartley Herbert William Edward. Home at Darlington. Enlisted Richmond Yorks. Killed in action on the 11th of November 1916. Commemorated at Warlencourt British Cemetery.
12th - In same trenches. 1 OR killed and 4 wounded.
2504 Pte Ireland Matthew. Home at 27 William St, Scarborough. Enlisted at Scarborough. Killed in action on the 12th of November 1916 aged 21. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.
13th - Moved to Flers Switch. 2nd Lt D Norbury and 3 OR wounded.
5247 Pte Scott Charles William. Born Oakham Rutland. Enlisted Thorney. Died of wounds on the 13th of November 1916 aged 19. Ex 2413 Cambridge Regt Commemorated at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension.
14th - Moved to Hexham Road [2 Coys] and Flers Line [2 Coys]. In Support to 6th Northumberland Fus. 2 OR killed and 1 wounded.
5232 Pte Reading Frederick Leslie. Home at Tolworth. Enlisted Kingston on Thames. Killed in action on the 14th of November 1916. Ex 18556 East Surrey Regt. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.
5533 Pte Sanderson Ernest. Home at 55 Norwood St, Scarborough. Born and enlisted at Scarborough. Killed in action on the 14th of November 1916 aged 32. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.
15th - Relieved by 1st Brigade, 1st Div. Moved to High Wood Huts in M3.
16th - Moved to Becourt Camp.

5535 Pte Brown Harry. Home at Whinney Nab Saltersgate, Lockton, Pickering, Yorks. Born Duggleby and enlisted at Malton. Died of wounds on the 16th of November 1916 aged 35. Commemorated at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen. Hospital.
4090 Pte Earl Thomas. Enlisted at Redcar Died of wounds on the 16th of November 1916 aged 35. Commemorated at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension.
17th to 30th - Working on III Corps Roads.
2473 Pte Bray William. Home at Whenby, Terrington, Yorks. Enlisted at Malton, Yorks. Died on the 17th of November 1916 aged 24. Commemorated at St Sever Cemetery Rouen. Hospital.
5248 Pte Seekings Reginald. Home at Middle Fen. Born Burntfen. Enlisted Ely. Died of wounds on the 20th of November 1916. Ex 1031 Cambridge Regt. Commemorated at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension.
4474 Pte Brett Ernest George. Home at Griston, Thetford, Norfolk. Enlisted at Norwich. Died on the 21st of November 1916 aged 36. Commemorated at Griston. SS Peter and Paul Churchyard.
[2nd Lieutenant Wilford Robert. (B.A London University). He first served as a Private, no 5358 in the 5th Battn before being commissioned on the 22nd November 1916 and attached to the 13th Yorks Battn. Having received orders for the attack on Bourlon Wood, on the 23rd November 1917 the tanks rumbled up and at 10.00am the troops went forward following the tanks into action by noon the village of Bourlon had fallen. The enemy responded by shelling the village with heavy artillery and Robert was killed in this action aged 22.
He was the son of Robert Levi Wilford a hotel proprietor and Jane Eliza Wilford. Robert can be found on the 1911 census residing with his parents and siblings at The Black Bull, Yarm, N Yorks. a schoolboy aged 16 Robert an old boy of Middlesbrough High School is commemorated on the school memorial plaque which can now be found displayed in Middlesbrough College. Born at Yarm. Commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverlal]
5274 Pte Wilderspin Charles. Home at 23 London Rd, Chelmsford, Essex. Enlisted Cambridge. Died of wounds on the 29th of November 1916 aged 29. Ex 4292 Cambridgeshire Regt. Commemorated at St Sever Cemetery Extension Rouen. Hospital.

DECEMBER.
1st - Moved from Becourt Camp to Baizieux Camp. 1 OR accidentally wounded.
2nd to 29th - Baizieux Camp. Training. 1 OR died of disease 25/26th.

2810 Pte Dunn Harold Gordon. Home at Middleton on the Wolds, Driffield, Yorks, place of enlistment. Killed in action on the 19th December aged 20. Attached 50th Div Sanitary Section Commemorated at La Neuville Communal Cemetery Corbie.
8814 Pte Pattison Edward. Home at 25 Stockton St, Middlesbrough. Enlisted Middlesbrough. Died on the 26th December 1916 aged 39. Commemorated at Contay British Cemetery Contay.
30th 31st - Moved from Baizieux to Millencourt in relief of 7th Worcester Regt.

JANUARY 1917.
1st - Moved from Millencourt Camp to Mametz Hut Camp in relief of 1st Loyal North Lancs.
2nd to 6th - Training and work. 1 OR wounded.
7th - Relieved 4th Northumberland Fus in Front Line.
8th to 11th - 2 ORs killed and 5 wounded.

1696 L/Cpl Johnson William. Home at 64 William St, Scarborough. Born and enlisted at Scarborough. Killed in action on the 10th January 1917 aged 16. Commemorated at A.I.F. Burial Ground Flers.
5540 Pte Layburn Fred. Enlisted Middlesbrough. Killed in action on the 11th January 1917. Commemorated at A.I.F. Burial Ground Flers.
12th - Relieved by 4th East Yorks. Moved to Support Line. 1 OR killed and 1 wounded.
5512 Pte Anderson William Henry. Home at Scarborough, place of enlistment. Killed in action on the 12th January 1917. Commemorated at A.I.F. Burial Ground, Flers.
13th to 15th - Holding Supprt Line.
15th - Relieved by 4th Northumberland Fus. Moved to Mametz Hut Camp where stayed till 19th.
19th - Moved from Mametz Hut Camp to Mametz Huts where stayed for training and work to 23rd.

Between the end of January and the 10th February the 5th Battalion left the Flers sector and moved South to a position on the edge of the French Sector.
At the end of February the Germans surprised the Allies by starting a withdrawal some 40 miles back to the well prepared Hindenburg Line.
This gave them a shorter and more strongly defended Front.
Everything in the area they left was destroyed.

23rd - Relieved 4th Northumberland Fus in Front Line. 2 ORs wounded.
5502 Pte Wilson Herbert. Born and enlisted at Middlesbrough. Died of wounds on the 23rd January 1917. Commemorated at St Sever Cemetery Extension Rouen. Hospital.
24th to 27th - 2 ORs wounded.
6541 Pte Prince William. Home at 9 Ryley St Deane Rd Bolton. Died on the 26th January 1917 aged 34. 2/5th Reserve Battalion. Commemorated at Bolton Heaton Cemetery.
27th - Relieved by 1st Australian Battalion. Moved to Mametz Huts, where stayed Training until 30th.
30th - Moved to Buire Sur L'Ancre.

FEBRUARY.
1st to 8th - Billets at Buire Sur L'Ancre training.
9th - Moved to Morcourt.
10th - Moved to Bois St Martin training.
12th - Moved to Support Trenches at Berny en Santerre in relief of 18th and 34th Inf Regt [French]. Relief complete by 8.45 pm.
15th - Moved from Berny to Fresnes Wood area Front Line in relief of 4th East Yorks Bn. 1 OR wounded.
16th to 19th - Fresnes Wood. 6 ORs wounded.
20th - Relieved by 6th Bn DLI and moved to Bois St Martin.

241782 Pte Darwin Robert. Enlisted at Sheffield. Died on the 20th February 1917. Ex 145084 Royal Field Artillery. Commemorated at Thiepval Memorial.
21st to 27th - Training. 1 OR died of disease.
28th - Moved to Triangle Wood in relief of 6th Northumberland Fus In Brigade Reserve.
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