The 1/4th and the 1/5th Battalions of the Yorkshire Regiment were both in the 150th Brigade of the 50th [Northumbrian] Division and
their activities in the First World War were very similar.
Both Battalions went to same areas at the same time and fought in the same Battles - in the same trenches, but often on different days
etc.
The 1/5th Yorks Diary, therefore, sees the experiences of the 1/4th Battalion through different eyes and obviously includes information on
events that the 1/4th Diary omits.
Both were Territorial Force Battalions and whereas the 1/4th Yorks was comprised of men from the North part of the North Riding of
Yorkshire, the 1/5th Yorks was formed of men from the South part.
They were known as the Scarborough or Beverley "Terriers" and originally these two towns, along with neighbouring Driffield, Malton,
Pickering, Bridlington, Filey etc provided the Volunteers.
Such were the losses during the War, that the personnel of both Battalions changed several times. National conscription was introduced
at the beginning of 1916. Bulk transfers were sometimes made from one Battalion to another.
The Bn that was decimated on the Aisne in May 1918 was, therefore, unrecognisable from the one that had embarked for France in April 1915
and had by then lost the biggest part of its purely local attachment.
A Battalion at full strength was about 1,000 men and most Infantry Battalions in the First World War each had around 1,000 killed and
something like 4 or 5 times that number wounded or taken prisoner.
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Page 1
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1915.
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April.
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Embarkation - Ypres Salient - Battle of St Julien.
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Page 2
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May, June.
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Ypres - Sanctuary Wood - Battle of Bellewaarde.
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Page 3
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July, Aug, Sep, Oct.
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Ypres - Holding the Line at Armentieres.
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Page 4
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Nov, Dec, Jan 1916.
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Armentieres - back to Ypres - Railway Dugouts.
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Page 5
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1916
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Feb, March, April.
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Ypres - Sanctuary Wood - Railway Dugouts - to Kemmel area.
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Page 6
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May, June, July.
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Holding the Line at Kemmel.
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Page 7
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July.
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Report on Raid carried out on Enemy Trenches.
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Page 8
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July.
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Report on Raid carried out on Enemy Trenches.
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Page 9
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Aug, Sep, Oct.
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To the Somme - Battle of Flers-Courcelettes - many Casualties.
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Page 10
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Nov, Dec, Jan 1917, Feb.
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Bazentin - Hexham Rd - Flers Line - more losses. - move to French Sector..
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Page 11
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1917
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March, April, May.
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French Sector - 9 marches to Arras - heavy losses.
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Page 12
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June, July, August.
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Fighting East of Arras.
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Page 13
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Sep, Oct, Nov.
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Arras - back to Ypres - last days of Passchendaele..
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Page 14
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November.
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Programme of Battalion Training.
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Page 15
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1918
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Dec, Jan 1918, Feb.
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Defending the Ypres Salient.
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Page 16
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March.
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Back to the Somme - German offensive - Battle of St Quentin.
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Page 17
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March.
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German offensive - Battle of St Quentin..
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Page 18
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March.
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German advance towards Amiens - terrible Casualties.
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Page 19
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April.
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Somme - to River Lys - Second German offensive - Battle of Estaires.
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Page 20
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May.
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To the Aisne - Craonne - Third German Offensive - Battalion decimated.
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Page 21
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June to November.
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Aisne - Battalion reduced to 41, cadre at coast - demobilised 6th Nov.
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Page 22
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Prisoners of War in Date of Death Order.
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ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF 927 MEN OF THE 5TH YORKS BATTN WHO DIED IN THE WAR.
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