Captain George B Purvis.
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JUNE 1917.
Captain Purvis George Bell. Younger son of Major John Bowlt Purvis and Charlotte Annie Purvis, 41 Promenade, and later
6 Princess Terrace, Bridlington. Born in Bridlington Sept 1st, 1892 and educated at Bridlington Grammar School, where he was
Senior Cadet in the Officer Training Corps and won the old boys Shooting Cup in 1909 and 1910. He was the brother of 2nd Lt John
Stanley Purvis who was wounded on the 15th September 1916. John wrote the poem "At Humbercamps" about an imagined conversation with his
dead brother. Captain George Purvis was
commissioned in June 1914 and served with the Battn from their first arrival in France.
Killed in action on the 8th June 1917, aged 24, while reconnoitring for new gun positions. Mentioned in despatches.
Buried in Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery.
[He was promoted to Captain in the summer of 1916 and transferred to 56 Company of the Machine Gun Corps. They were part of 19th
Division which took part in the Battle of Messines, about 4 miles South of Ypres.
This started on the 7th June and was the beginning of the Third Battle of
Ypres [Passchendaele] that went on for the rest of the year, General Haig's plan for a big advance in the Ypres sector.]
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He had received orders to return to England as a Machine Gun Instructor.
The Brigadier General wrote to his parents:-
“His death means a real loss not only to the company he commanded so well but
also to the whole brigade. It will I know be a relief to you to know how highly we
esteemed and admired your son. His high moral character and strength of will made
one admire and respect him as a man. I personally would have followed him
anywhere and I know this was the feeling of the other officers and the men of his
company”.
Annals of Bridlington - We hear with very sincere regret of the death in action of Capt. George B. Purvis. This brave young
Officer had been at the front more than two years. He was in summer camp with the Bridlington Territorials in August 1914, when
the war broke out;
and when Major Purvis and the entire Company responded to the call of the country and straightaway went into training
for active service abroad. Major and Mrs Purvis will assuredly have the very deepest sympathy of all those - and they number a great
many - who knew their son George as a promising student at the Bridlington Grammar School, who watched with interest his successive
promotions in the Yorkshire Regiment.
Patriotism was no mere idle phrase with Major Purvis and his family; and one might say a great
deal about the work done by the Major and his two sons - Lieut J. S. Purvis and the late Capt. George B. Purvis - before there was
any intimation of war; in the days when the ‘Burlington Rifles’ had become part of the Territorial Army, when a great many people
stood aloof from the movement and when others could afford to indulge in cheap sneers at the expense of the handful of men who stood
by the old flag. In the early days of the Territorial movement Major Purvis and his two sons worked hard to keep the Bridlington
Company together, and when the call of duty came there was no faltering or holding back on their part. The patriotism and loyalty
they had advocated in times of peace was shown in the ready response they made; and when it is commemorated that for more than two
years Major Purvis and his brave sons have taken a real and active part in the fiercest fighting the world has ever known, there is
surely a very great reason why Bridlington should honour the memory of the one who has fallen and should feel proud of the father
and son who are still in the fighting line. They are there at the call of duty; and they are there because at home Mrs Purvis and her
daughter were prepared to do their part. Capt George B. Purvis was 26 years of age; he had a promising career before him, and his
rapid promotion from 2nd Lieut to Captain of a Machine Gun Company speaks well for his military success. He went to the front with
his regiment in April 1915, was with them through all the fierce fighting which followed at Ypres, and in which many of his own friends
and comrades fell. Many a message of sympathy and comfort he had sent to the relatives of soldiers who had fallen; and many times he
had looked death in the face. A few weeks ago, he was mentioned in despatches by Sir Douglas Haig; and a few days before his death he
had taken part in the battles which will stand out in history as a brilliant achievement of the British arms. At the time of his death,
he was going the round of his guns, a duty often attended with danger; and it would appear that he was killed by shell explosion and
died instantly. The following is an extract from the letter sent by an officer of his company to Mrs Purvis: ‘The loss is a personal
one for me and a very great loss for the Regiment. He was one of the finest soldiers of all the good fellows whom we came out with.
He always has done splendidly, and has deserved decoration. He was such a good chap, so truly religious, that we know he will be all
right, he will have died just as bravely as has lived. I have never seen him afraid or flustered, and have often envied him of his
coolness’.”
Entry on Army Form by Capt Purvis when a Lieutenant and OC 150 Bde Machine Gun Company.
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On the 17th June the Btn moved back to the Front into trenches in the area marked by
the blue line.
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1st - At Chestnut Camp, Coigneux training until15th.
15th - March to Camp at S.17.e in Divisional Reserve.
17th - Moved into Trenches [Front Line, Right sub sector] West of Fontaine le Croisilles. In this position until 26th.
201714 L/Cpl Cowling Frank. Home at South Parade, Northallerton.Enlisted at Northallerton.
Died of wounds on the 21st June 1917 aged 20. Commemorated at Achiet Le Grand Communal Cemetery Extension.
26th - At 12.30 am in conjunction with 5th DLI on the Left the Battalion attacked the German position NW of Fontaine.
Objectives were Rotten Row and the crossroads at V.l.d.7.9.
Attack was carried out by A Coy [under 2nd Lt EGS Corry] with D Coy in support. C Coy was in reserve in Shaft Trench.
The objective was gained at once and several dugouts in Rotten Rown were successfully bombed.
Casualties were slight, but included 2nd Lt Corry who was missing after the first few minutes of the attack.
The Coy then proceeded to dig in, using an old German trench along the Western side of Rotten Row, but the attack had moved too much to the
Left and the Crossroads were not included in the objective gained.
When daylight came the Company was completely isolated from the Supports who had moved up to the Assembly trench, and at 5.00 pm the
Germans attempted to counter-attack from the direction of River Road.
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The counter-attack was dispersed by Machine Gun fire and bombs.
The Company maintained its position all day, being relieved at night by a Company of the 4th East Yorks.
Captures during the operation - 4 prisoners, 1 machine gun.
Casualties 4 killed, 11 wounded and 1 missing.
241341 Pte Barr Fred. Home at Wass House Farm. Hawnby, Helmsley, Enlisted at Malton.
Killed in action on the 26th June 1917 aged 27. Commemorated at Wancourt British Cemetery.
203192 Pte Constable Albert. Home at 25 Minster Moor Gate, Beverley. Born Barton, Hull. Enlisted at Beverley.
Killed in action on the 26th June 1917 aged 24. Commemorated at Arras Memorial.
Lt Corry Steward Eberhardt George. Home at Pavilion Square, Scarborough. Born at Rosedale, N Yorks on
12 August 1892, the son of a Doctor. He enlisted in the 5th Battn as an other rank and as a result of his actions at St Julien in April
1915 he was awarded a commission. He rejoined the Battn on 17 July 1916 and took part in all the Battn's actions up to this time.
"On June the 26th they were in the Front Line West of Fontaine Les Croisilles and in conjunction with the 5th DLI, Lt Corry led A
Company into the attack on the German position known as Rotten Row. The objective was taken but Lt Corry was killed, aged 25."
Commemorated on the Arras Memorial.
21302 Pte Harper Walter Edward. Home at 18 Marl St, Middlesbrough. Born and enlisted at Middlesbrough.
Killed in action on the 26th June 1917 aged 19. Commemorated at Wancourt British Cemetery.
241106 Sgt Milow Thomas Richard. Home at Lime Kiln Cottage, Seamer, Enlisted Scarborough.
Killed in action on the 26th June 1917 aged 21. Commemorated at Arras Memorial.
27th to 30th - In Support.
240223 Pte Gott John Thomas. Born Hull, Enlisted at Driffield.
Killed in action on the 27th June 1917. Commemorated at Arras Memorial.
JULY.
1st - In Support trenches W of Fontaine les Croisilles.
Capt Walker Leslie Bedford. Home at Milesden Newland Park Hull. Born in Middlesex in 1891.
His brother Denis was also a Captain in the 5th Battalion and was killed on 26 September 1916 in the fighting on the Somme.
Leslie was wounded in the attack on Rotten Row and died of his wounds a week later in Hospital.
Died of wounds on the 1st July 1917 aged 26. Commemorated at St Sever Cemetery Rouen. Hospital.
2nd - Relieved at 2.30 am by portions of 10th Yorks Bn and 12th Northumberland Fus [21st Div]. Moved to Camp at S.17.c, where
stayed until 4th.
4th - Moved to Camp near Neuville Vitasse, where stayed unitl 10th.
235139 Pte Furmidge James William. Born Middlesbrough. Enlisted Redcar, Yorks.
Died of wounds on the 9th July 1917. CWGC gives 4th Battn. SDGW gives 5th. Commemorated at Redcar Cemetery, N Yorks.
10th - Brigade relieved 149 Brigade in a new Right Sector. Battalion relieved 6th Northumberland Fus in Front Line, Left Sub-
Sector West of Cherisy. HQ at the Quarry. Relief complete by 12 noon.
Lt Col CH Pearce wounded. Major JAR Thomson assumed Command. 4 ORs wounded.
12th - 1 OR killed and 2 wounded.
240419 Pte Fussey Edgar. Born Swanland, Hull. Enlisted Bridlington.
Killed in action on the 12th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
202279 Pte Fall Albert. Home at 46 Melbourne St, Wellingborough Rd Northampton.
Killed in action on the 13th July 1917 aged 29. Ex 4833 Northants Regt. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
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2nd Lt A W Wilkinson.
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[2nd Lt Wilkinson Arthur William.
(attached to the 13th Yorks Battalion)
Arthur first enlisted as a Private in the 4th Yorks with Battalion number 5348. He and his Nottingham University friends,
Robert Wilford and George Drucker [later a Captain who survived] all joined on the same day.
Arthur was commissioned on the 22nd November 1916 and transferred to the 5th Yorks Battalion.
He never served abroad with
the 4th Battalion.
He was out with a party of the 13th Yorks putting up wire when he was struck by a shell during fighting in the Villers
Guislain sector and died just minutes later aged 23 on the 12th July 1917.
He was the son of Hannah H Wilkinson of North View Eston Yorks and the late John Wilkinson a former Ironstone mine
platelayer. At the 1911 census he was residing with his parents and siblings at 89 California, Eston, N Yorks and was employed
by the North Riding Education Committee as a Teacher.
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An old boy of Middlesbrough High School, he is commemorated on the school memorial plaque which can now be found displayed
in Middlesbrough College. He is buried at Fins New British Cemetery, Sorel-le-Grand.
The story of his enlisting as a Private with 2 University pals can be read
by clicking here.
]
14th - 1.00 am. A Party of 5 Germans seen from Ottosap and fired on. 2 escaped but 3 were taken prisoners.
2 of them were wounded, one of these two died shortly after capture. Prisoners belonged to 451 Infantry Regiment.
Own casualties were 3 ORs killed. 2nd Lt CM Monks and 4 ORs wounded.
241778 Pte Weston Harold. Enlisted Longton Staffs.
Killed in action on the 14th July 1917. Ex 14365 Royal Field Artillery. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
15th to 17th - New Front Line dug by Pioneers joining heads of Byker and Dead Boch saps. This line wired by 4th East Yorks and
5th Yorks.
Casualties 1 OR killed on the 15th. 1 OR wounded on 16th. 3 OR wounded on 17th.
241645 Pte Campbell Thomas Reginald. Home at Nunnington, Yorks. Enlisted Malton.
Killed in action on the 15th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
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Pte William Underwood.
[Photo kindly contributed by John Sheen.]
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18115 Pte Underwood William. Home at Kimblesworth. Born Annfield Plain. Enlisted Durham.
Killed in action on the 15th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
241132 Pte Boyes Benjamin Bry. Home at Weaverthorpe, Enlisted at Sherburn.
Killed in action on the 17th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
13938 Pte Dobson Alexander. Born Barneston, Co Durham. Enlisted at Washington.
Killed in action on the 17th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
19th - 4.15 am. The enemy put down a heavy barrage on front and support lines along whole Brigade sector and attacked at
three points, the most Northerly of which was at Dead Boche Sap on the extreme Right of the Bn subsector.
A party of 3 or 4 succeeded in entering our front lines at this point, but were driven out by the garrison of one of the posts in the new
trench, leaving one NCO dead in our trench, besides several sacks of bombs, abandoned in their flight.
Our casualties from the bombardment -
15 other ranks killed and 18 wounded.
240873 Cpl Andrews John. Enlisted at Pocklington, Yorks.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
240491 L/Cpl Cockerill William. Home at Bridge Cottages, West Ayton, Yorks. Born York and enlisted at Castleford
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917 aged 22. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
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201660 Pte Cottle George. Enlisted at Guisborough, N Yorks.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
240417 Cpl Devlin John Henry. Home at 13 Bedford St, Scarborough. Born and enlisted at Scarborough.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917 aged 20. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
260059 Pte Dumbleton William Ernest. Home at 80 Honey Hill Rd, Bedford. Born Banbury Oxfordshire. Enlisted Bedford.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917 aged 37. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
241219 Pte Hansom Alfred. Home at 64 Stoney Rock Lane, Leeds. Enlisted at Scarborough.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917 aged 24. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
241513 Pte Harrod Arthur. Enlisted at Beverley.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
241336 Pte Lazenby Frank. Enlisted Beverley.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
243288 Pte Moxon Herbert Ernest. Home at March. Enlisted Cambridge.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917. Ex 2572 Suffolk Regt. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
241246 Pte Pape Simon. Born and enlisted Middlesbrough.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
242488 Pte Reynolds Ernest Robert. Home at 20 St Peters St, Castle End, Cambridge. Born and enlisted Cambridge.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917 aged 24. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
38200 Pte Smith Louis. Born and enlisted at Halifax.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917 aged 19. Headstone gives 38210 Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
240637 Pte Wood William. Born and enlisted Beverley.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
240268 L/Cpl Yaxley Isaac. Born and enlisted Scarborough.
Killed in action on the 19th July 1917. Awarded the Military Medal. Commemorated at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
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242470 Pte Maltby Frank. Of Norfolk St, Cambridge where enlisted. Ex Cambridgeshire Regiment. Killed in action on 19th
July 1917. Buried at Heninel Communal Cemetery Extension.
[The photograph is kindly contributed by his Great Nephew, Christopher Weekes of Horley, Surrey.
Chris has researched in depth the War experiences of Frank Maltby and his cousin, Samuel, who also served in the 5th Yorks Battalion and
survived.
His work includes new images and observations about the 5th Yorks Battalion in the First World War.
It is a good read and can be found by clicking - Here.
]
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20th - Changes made in dispositions of Bde to meet possible repetition of yesterday's unsuccessful enemy attack. Dead Boche
Sap taken over by 4th East Yorks Bn and Battalion frontage thereby shortened.
21st - 5.00 pm relieved by 5th DLI. Became Battalion in Bde Support. HQ at The Nest. 2 Coys in Egret Trench. 1 Coy in Egret Loop.
1 Coy in the Nest. 2 ORs wounded. In this position until 27th.
25th - 2 Coys held in reserve for 4th Yorks Bn, who raided the German lines. 2nd Lt JHE Winstone wounded, but remained with Bn.
241653 Pte McNeil Chapman. Home at Grosmont SO. Born Goathland and enlisted at Whitby.
Died of wounds on the 25th July 1917. Commemorated at Achiet Le Grand Communal Cemetery Extension.
26th - 2 Coys held in reserve for 5th DLI, who raided the German lines.
27th - 8.00 pm Relieved by 6th DLI.
28th to 31st - In Camp at M.24.B. Brigade in Divisional Reserve.
243318 Pte Wood Arthur. Home at Thornaby. Born Harrogate and enlisted Stockton on Tees.
Died of wounds on the 28th July 1917. Commemorated at Achiet Le Grand Communal Cemetery Extension.
AUGUST.
1st to 3rd - Brigade in Reserve. Training. Some working parties in back area.
4th to 10th - Brigade relieved the 149th Inf Bde. Battalion in Bde Reserve. HQ and 2 Coys at Neuville Vitasse and 2 Coys at
Marliere. Supplying working parties for Line. 1 OR killed on 10th.
240964 Pte Whitehead Harry. Home at 14 Piggotts Yard. Enlisted Thirsk.
Died on the 5th August 1917. Commemorated at Aveluy Communal Cemetery Extension.
240902 Cpl Hill Charles. Enlisted Scarborough.
Killed in action on the 10th August 1917 aged 43. Commemorated at Guemappe British Cemetery, Wancourt.
11th - Relieved 4th Yorks Bn in Left fron Section. C and D Coys in Front Line. B Coy in Support and A Coy in Reserve.
In these trenches until 19th working on them. Casualties Nil. On 15th inter Company relief.
19th - Relieved by 5th Border Bn of 151st Brigade. Battalion proceeded into Camp near Neuville Vitasse, where stayed until
23rd.
23rd - Battalion ordered to proceed to Hindenberg Line to supply working parties for 174th and 181st Tunnelling Coys and
7th Field Coy Re. This continued until 28th.
28th to 31st - Relieved 7th Northumberland Fus Bn in Support to Left of Bde Sector. Supplying working parties for
Royal Engineers. Casualties nil.
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