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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment



   6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own), a territorial battalion was based in Bradford in August 1914 when war broke out, on the 10th of August they moved to Selby, and end of the month to Strenshall, in late October they moved to York. In March 1915 they moved to Gainsborough before proceeding to France, sailing from Folkestone on the 15th of April 1915, landing at Boulogne with the 146th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division.

They served on the Western Front throughout the conflict, seeing action at Aubers Ridge, on the Somme, the Flanders Coast, in the Third Battle of Ypres, the Battle of the Lys and the final advance in Picardy.

4th Aug 1914 Orders Received

5th Aug 1914 Mobilisation

8th Aug 1914 Mobilisation

10th Aug 1914 West Yorks Territorials concentrate at Selby  The territorials of the West Yorkshire Regiment arrive at Selby on the 10th of August, the 5th Battalion arriving from York, the 6th Battalion from Bradford, the 7th and 8th Battalions from their base at Carlton Barracks.

11th Aug 1914 Mobilisation

30th Aug 1914 6th West Yorks leave Selby  6th Battalion West Yorks left Selby at the end of August, moving to Strenshall.

late Oct 1914 1/6th West Yorks leave Strenshall  6th Battalion West Yorks left Strenshall in late October, moving to York.

March 1915 1/6th West Yorks leave Strenshall  6th Battalion West Yorks left York for Gainsborough in March 1915.

15th Apr 1915 1/6th West Yorks proceed to France  6th Battalion West Yorks proceed to France on the 15th April 1915, sailing from Folkestone and landing at Boulogne with 146th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division.

1st May 1915 Clothing  location map

2nd May 1915 On the March  location map

3rd May 1915 In Billets  location map

4th May 1915 In Billets  location map

5th May 1915 Reliefs  location map

6th May 1915 Quiet  location map

7th May 1915 Quiet  location map

8th May 1915 Reliefs  location map

8th May 1915 Orders  location map

9th May 1915 Attack Made  location map

9th May 1915 Bombardment  location map

10th May 1915 Bombardment  location map

11th May 1915 Rumour  location map

12th May 1915 Some Shelling  location map

13th May 1915 Mining Suspected  location map

14th May 1915 Artillery in Action  location map

15th May 1915 Reliefs  location map

16th May 1915 In Billets

17th May 1915 Orders

18th May 1915 Orders Received

19th May 1915 Report

20th May 1915 Working Party

1st Sep 1915 In the Trenches

2nd Sep 1915 Enemy Machine Gun

3rd Sep 1915 Quiet

4th Sep 1915 Sniper

5th Sep 1915 Lights Dropped

6th Sep 1915 Holding the Line

7th Sep 1915 Quiet

1st Jul 1916 In Action

26th September 1916 Diary  location map

27th September 1916 Diary  location map

25th Mar 1917 Enemy Attack

1st June 1917 Dinner

2nd June 1917 Training

3rd June 1917 Church Parade

4th June 1917 Entertainment

5th June 1917 Reliefs  location map

6th June 1917 Working Parties  location map

7th June 1917 Working Parties  location map

8th June 1917 Fighting Patrol  location map

9th June 1917 Fighting Patrol  location map

10th June 1917 Reliefs  location map

11th June 1917 Recce  location map

12th June 1917 Fighting Patrol  location map

13th June 1917 Reliefs  location map

13th June 1917 Horse Show

14th June 1917 Horse Show

15th June 1917 Reconnaissance

16th June 1917 Working Parties

17th June 1917 Reliefs  location map

18th June 1917 Patrol  location map

19th June 1917 Patrol  location map

20th June 1917 Barrage  location map

21st June 1917 Observation  location map

22nd June 1917 Observation  location map

23rd June 1917 Reliefs  location map

24th June 1917 Church Parade  location map

25th June 1917 Training  location map

26th June 1917 Training  location map

27th June 1917 Training  location map

28th June 1917 Football  location map

29th June 1917 Reliefs  location map

30th June 1917 Patrols  location map

1st Nov 1917 Inspection

2nd Nov 1917 Training

3rd Nov 1917 Orders

4th Nov 1917 Orders  location map

5th Nov 1917 Demonstration

6th Nov 1917 Orders

7th Nov 1917 Orders

8th Nov 1917 On the Move

9th Nov 1917 Reliefs

11th Nov 1917 Reliefs  location map

12th Nov 1917 Reliefs  location map

13th Nov 1917 Some Shelling  location map

14th Nov 1917 Shelling  location map

15th Nov 1917 Reliefs  location map

16th Nov 1917 Shelling  location map

17th Nov 1917 Prisoners  location map

18th Nov 1917 Shelling  location map

19th Nov 1917 Prisoners  location map

24th Nov 1917 Shelling  location map

25th Nov 1917 Shelling  location map

28th Nov 1917 Reliefs  location map

29th Nov 1917 Reliefs  location map

1st Mar 1918 Raid

6th Mar 1918 Shelling  location map

7th Mar 1918 Information  location map

8th Mar 1918 Artillery Active  location map

9th Mar 1918 Counter Attack  location map

10th Mar 1918 Quiet  location map

12th Mar 1918 Balloon  location map

13th Mar 1918 Trench Raid  location map

14th Mar 1918 Shellfire  location map

15th Mar 1918 Artillery Active  location map

16th Mar 1918 Artillery Active  location map

17th Mar 1918 Raid  location map

18th Mar 1918 Shelling  location map

19th Mar 1918 Quieter  location map

20th Mar 1918 Shelling  location map

21st Mar 1918 Gas  location map

22nd Mar 1918 Enemy Quieter  location map

23rd Mar 1918 Enemy Quieter  location map

24th Mar 1918 Prisoners  location map

24th Mar 1918 Reliefs

25th Mar 1918 Raids  location map

26th Mar 1918 Orders  location map

27th Mar 1918 Reliefs  location map

28th Mar 1918 Quiet  location map

29th Mar 1918 Quiet  location map

30th Mar 1918 Reliefs  location map

31st Mar 1918 Quiet  location map

1st Apr 1918 Reliefs  location map

1st Apr 1918 Reliefs  location map

2nd Apr 1918 Intermittent Shelling  location map

2nd Apr 1918 Shelling  location map

3rd Apr 1918 Reliefs  location map

3rd Apr 1918 Patrols  location map

4th Apr 1918 Quiet

4th Apr 1918 Patrols  location map

5th Apr 1918 Reliefs  location map

5th Apr 1918 Reliefs  location map

6th Apr 1918 Reliefs

6th Apr 1918 Quiet  location map

7th Apr 1918 Raid  location map

7th Apr 1918 Trench Raid  location map

8th Apr 1918 Prisoners  location map

8th Apr 1918 Trench Raids  location map

9th Apr 1918 Orders

10th Apr 1918 Attack Made  location map

11th Apr 1918 Rearguard Action  location map

12th Apr 1918 Line Holding  location map

13th Apr 1918 Line Holding  location map

19th Apr 1918 Reliefs  location map

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment?


There are:5374 items tagged 6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Allen Thomas Freeth. Pte. (d.6th Jan 1917)
  • Angus John Crosby. Pte. (d.1st Nov 1918)
  • Bisatt George Noel. A/Capt.
  • Bonner George William. Pte. (d.26th Apr 1918)
  • Broadbent John Thomas. Pte. (d.25th April 1918)
  • Firth Joel. Pte. (d.23rd March 1916)
  • Franklin William. Pte. (d.25th April 1918)
  • Fretwell John. Pte (d.9th October 1917)
  • Iveson John Henry. Pte.
  • Keelty James. Pte. (d.25th April 1918)
  • Lambert W. R.. Pte.
  • Lancaster William. L/Cpl. (d.20th April 1918)
  • Lawrence Henry. Sgt. (d.29th April 1918)
  • Luscombe Fred. Pte. (d.9th Oct 1917)
  • Midgley John Thomas. Pte. (d.3rd May 1918)
  • Mooney Michael. Pte
  • Parkinson Albert. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
  • Parratt Edwin. Pte. (d.3rd Sep 1916)
  • Roper Joseph Arthur. Dmr.
  • Shuttlewood Henry. Cpl. (d.9th October 1917)
  • Southeran James Joseph. Pte.
  • Spencer Wilson. Pte. (d.14th July 1916)
  • Spinks Alfred. Pte (d.11th October 1918)
  • Turpin Noah. L/Cpl. (d.1st Jul 1916)
  • Widdowson Arthur. Pte. (d.1st Nov 1918)
  • Wignall George. Pte. (d.3rd July 1916)

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment from other sources.


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  A/Capt. George Noel Bisatt 6th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment

My great uncle George Bisatt, from Fishlake in Yorkshire was a railway clerk living in Sheffield when war broke out. He joined the 12th Yorks and Lancaster Regiment, The Sheffield Pals and served on The Somme. He was commissioned into the 6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, in June 1917 and saw action in the Third Battle of Ypres. He was the battalion Adjutant in 1918. Does anyone have any information or a photo of of him?

At the end of the war he led the party who returned to Bradford to collect the colours, does anyone have a clear copy of the photo of the handing over ceremony, as printed in the History of the 6th Battalion?

Angela






  Cpl. Henry Shuttlewood 1/6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (d.9th October 1917)

Harry Shuttlewood was awarded a number of medals, but I don't know what they are. He served with 1/6th Battalion, Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) and was killed in action on 9th of October 1917, aged 25. He was born in Roydon, Essex, and enlisted in Selby. Son of Harry and Emily Shuttlewood of High St., Roydon, Ware, and husband of Nellie Shuttlewood of Main St., Bubwith, Selby, Yorks. Harry is Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial near Zonnebeke in Belgium.







  Pte. W. R. Lambert 1/6th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment

Private W.R. Lambert served with the Bradford Territorials, 1/6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment until 1915 when he was wounded in the shoulder and invalided back to the UK. Here he worked repairing airplanes outside Bristol until the end of the War.

Mark Lambert






  Pte. Joel Firth 6th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.23rd March 1916)

Joel Firth served with the 6th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment.

Richard Jackson






  Pte. Thomas Freeth Allen 6th Btn. Prince of Wales Own (West Yorks) Regiment (d.6th Jan 1917)

Thomas Allen served with the 8th Btn York and Lancaster Regiment, transferring later to 6th Btn Prince of Wales' Own (West Yorks) Regiment. He died of wounds on 6th January 1917. He is buried at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery.







  Pte. William Franklin 6th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.25th April 1918)

Little is know about William Franklin other than that he served with the West Yorkshire Regiment in the Ypres area and was reported as being killed in action on 25th April 1918, aged 31 years. His body was never found and he is remembered with honour at the Tyne Cot Memorial. His widow Maud Franklin and two year old daughter continued to reside at 136 Harehills Lane Leeds until 1968. I am his grandaughter.

K.A. Harland






  Pte. James Joseph Southeran 1/6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment

Other than the fact of his service I have little to tell of James Southeran. He left with the battalion on 16th of April. He was promoted to Sergeant in the field and his photograph appears in the book produced after the war on the history of the 1/6th West Yorks Regiment. He was married at Bradford Cathedral whilst on leave in 1916. He died in 1964.

Peter Southeran






  L/Cpl. William Lancaster 6th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.20th April 1918)

William John Lancaster and his brother, Herbert John Lancaster, were born in Scarborough. Both served in the West Yorkshire Regiment, William in the 6th Battalion Herbert John in the 21st Battalion. Both were killed in action in 1918. Herbert John on 28th March and William on 20th April. I can't begin to imagine what it was like for my Great Grandparents receiving the dreaded telegrams just weeks apart. The two brothers are buried 40km apart in Pas de Calais. I'm going to the Euros in June and plan to visit the graves.

William's wife Annie Isabella was pregnant at the time of her husbands death, she named her son Harry after my grandfather (William's brother), my middle name is also Harry. Young Harry served in WW2 and the story (unconfirmed) is that he was killed in action whilst his wife was expecting their first child - a sad case of history repeating itself.

Tony Lancaster






  Pte. Fred Luscombe 1/6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (d.9th Oct 1917)

Fred Luscombe went missing at the Battle of Poelcapelle and has never been seen again. He is recorded on the list of the missing in the Tyne Cot Cemetery.

Peter Luscombe






  Pte. George "Wiggy" Wignall 1/6th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.3rd July 1916)

Having served in the 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and felt the desire to revisit my family's military service history. Knowing my brothers, father and both grandfathers had served before me, I decided to check further records. I found my great uncle George, who none of my family had previously spoken about, due to his death on the 3rd day of the Battle of the Somme. This had induced my great aunt Mercy not to talk about his death. I visited the memorials for all the West Yorkshire soldiers and found uncle George on the Thiepval memorial. This was 98 years after his death.

Having checked the 1/6th history I believed I had the answers to how and where my uncle had died. However, the battalion's diary and proceeding book do not hold true to one another. Uncle George was recorded as being killed on 3rd July 1916 but the 1/6th Battalion West Yorks were at that time in divisional reserve after fighting on the Somme on the days of 1st and 2nd July 1916. There are no records of any deaths for the 1/6th Battalion on the 3rd July 1916 in the battalion's diary, but uncle George is recorded as dying in action on that day. This is a very confusing issue that I hope to resolve before July 2016. Nec Aspera Terrent (Eternity of rest to each and every military casualty or death).

Phillip George Wignall.






  Pte. James Keelty 1/6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (d.25th April 1918)

James Keelty went missing in action and was presumed to have died on the 24th of April 1918, he was 20 years old.

Sam Walker






  Pte. Arthur Widdowson 1st/6th Battalion Duke of Wellington (West Riding) Regiment (d.1st Nov 1918)

Arthur Widdowson was my late father's uncle and he was named after him.

Michele Clark






  Pte. John Thomas Broadbent 6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (d.25th April 1918)

John Thomas Broadbent was killed in action, just one of 35,000 men whose graves are not known. His name appears at the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. There was never any mention of him, I only discovered him in 2014.

Nora Clyde






  Pte. John Crosby Angus 6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (d.1st Nov 1918)

My great uncle John Angus was killed 10 days before the war ended, I have very little information about him, other than his unit the 1/6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment.

Graeme






  Pte. George William Bonner 1st/6th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) (d.26th Apr 1918)

George William Bonner, Private 42710, enlisted in Jarrow and served with the 1st/6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own). He died age 31 on the 26th April 1918. He is commemorated on the Palmer Cenotaph (west face) Jarrow and on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

George was born in Jarrow son of Elizabeth Bonner and the the late Robert Bonner. George William Bonner age 25 Labourer in Tube Works is living with his widowed mother Elizabeth Bonner at 78 Monkton Road back, Jarrow on the 1911 census.

Vin Mullen






  Pte. John Henry Iveson 1/6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment

My grandfather, John Iveson (Private 242750), was 22 years old when he enlisted on 9th Nov 1915. Sometime during his service in France he was shot through the knee and his pay book (which we still have) and was taken prisoner by the Germans (trying to locate where). He returned home after the war.

Stephen Iveson






  Pte Michael Mooney 8 Bn Yorks. Regt

Enlisted Sept 1914 from Smith's Dock as part of 'Pals Battalion'. Wounded and awarded Silver Wound Badge. Transfered to Labour Corps (change of number) (1917?). Holder of 'Pip. Squeak and Wilfred'. Bn trained near Tring Herts. Served on Western front (France/Belgium 1915 to 1918). Discharged to Y List 1919.

Ken Mooney






  Dmr. Joseph Arthur Roper 6th Btn. D Coy. West Yorkshire Regiment

Joe Roper was my paternal grandfather. He was wounded and discharged from the army in January 1918. It is therefore likely he was wounded either in the last phases of the Somme or maybe in the Battle of Poelcapelle (Ypres). He was with D Company of the 6th Battalion.

He spoke little of this time but did tell me he remembered being hit and falling into a shell hole. He said it was a long time before he was found. He also recalled being put into an ambulance and the blood from the bloke above dripping down on him. He said following his treatment he was put into a ward where recovery was not expected. In his eighties, Joe showed me the scar which ran from his breastbone around the lower left ribs almost to his spine.

Joe lived a long and honourable life, he served as a sergeant in the Home Guard in WW2 at DeHavillands airfield in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. His first wife died during the late 1930's leaving him with two teenage boys. During the depression he whitewashed people's outdoor lavatories to supplement his income.

I live in Australia and am trying to establish which battle downed Joe. I wish I had spent more time with him.

Pam O'Neill






  Pte. John Thomas Midgley 1st/6th Battalion West Yorkshire (d.3rd May 1918)

John Thomas Midgley was 34 when he died. "Son of the late John and Elizabeth Anwell Midgley, of 24, Woodbine Place, Hebden Bridge; husband of Florence Midgley, of 9, Cliffe St., Hebden Bridge, Yorks." as it says on the War Graves record. He is listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

He was the uncle of Harry Mortimer OBE, the brass band conductor and radio personality. In his autobiography "On Brass" Harry wrote: "Two of my uncles on my mother's side and aunt Eliza, [my father] Fred's sister who had joined the Women's Service, somehow managed amongst all that chaos to meet up for a brief reunion [in Belgium]. It was the last time the two uncles had any family contact, as they were soon to be yet another two digits in the lists of the fallen." The other uncle was Edward Raynor Midgley.

Deirdre Linton






  L/Cpl. Noah Turpin 1st/6th battalion Prince of Wales West Yorkshire Regiment (d.1st Jul 1916)

Noah worked as a warehouseman in Bradford before the war and was part of the local territorial army. The unit landed in Boulogne on the 15th of April 1915 and was part of the original expeditionary force taking part in the trenches at Neuve Chapelle, Laventie, Fleurbaix, Ypres, Bouzincourt and Thiepval.

Sadly Noah was killed going over the top on the 1st day of the Somme at Thiepval Wood when the unit was supporting the 36th Ulster Division, his body was never recovered, but on the letter sent home from the army informing the family of the loss, a positive id was made by a surviving officer who saw Noah caught in the wire in no man's land and unfortunately he was already dead.

Noah was 27 when he died and is remembered on the Thiepval memorial, what a privilege it is to be related to a truly gallant and noble person who laid his life down for his country.

James Stevenson






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