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

7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment



   7th Battalion, (Leeds Rifles) West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own), a territorial battalion was at Carlton Barracks, Leeds 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, the Third Battle of Ypres, the Battle of the Lys and the final advance in Picardy.

4th Aug 1914 West Yorkshire Territorials march into Scarborough  The Territorials of the West Riding Brigade, 5th, 7th and 8th Battalions West Yorkshire Regiment broke camp near Scarborough and marched to Scarborough railway station to entrain for the journey home.

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.

27th Apr 1915 Instruction

2nd May 1915 On the March  location map

8th May 1915 Orders  location map

9th May 1915 Attack Made  location map

17th May 1915 Orders

19th Dec 1915 Gas Attack

30th Dec 1915 Late Christmas Dinner

28th Jan 1916 A Sad Day at Rest Camp

1st Jul 1916 In Action

1st July 1916 Terrible Losses  location map

22nd July 1916 Reliefs

27th of September 1916  On the Move

29th of September 1916 Consolidation  location map

25th Mar 1917 Enemy Attack

4th June 1917 Entertainment

7th June 1917 Working Parties  location map

13th June 1917 Horse Show

14th June 1917 Horse Show

15th June 1917 Reconnaissance

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

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

2nd Apr 1918 Intermittent Shelling  location map

3rd Apr 1918 Reliefs  location map

4th Apr 1918 Quiet

5th Apr 1918 Reliefs  location map

6th Apr 1918 Reliefs

7th Apr 1918 Raid  location map

8th Apr 1918 Prisoners  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 7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment?


There are:5313 items tagged 7th (Leeds Rifles) 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

7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Atkinson John Henry. L Cpl
  • Binns Ernest. Rfm. (d.15th Aug 1915)
  • Binns Walter. Pte. (d.13th November 1917)
  • Brannigan Ernest Edward. 2nd Lt. (d.3rd Sep 1916)
  • Brannigan Ernest Edward. 2nd Lt. (d.3rd Sep 1916)
  • Clayton Alfred.
  • Eaglen James. Pte.
  • Knight Thomas. Rflmn (d.12th Oct 1917)
  • Learmonth Charles Allen. 2nd Lt. (d.9th Oct 1917)
  • Lofthouse John Arthur. Pte.
  • Oliver Edward. Rflmn (d.2nd July 1916)
  • Senior Joseph Fearns. Lance Corpral (d.17  Nov 1917)
  • Smith Norman. Pte. (d.26th May 1915)
  • Smith Norman. Pte. (d.26th May 1915 )
  • Upton Alfred James. Pte. (d.13 October 1918)
  • Walters DCM. Leonard.

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 7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment from other sources.


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  Rfm. Ernest Binns 1/7th Btn. B Coy West Yorkshire Regiment (d.15th Aug 1915)

I have recently returned from a trip to the Ypres salient. Whilst I was there I photographed a number of West Yorks Regiment gravestones. I visited the grave of Ernest Binns in particular (at New Irish Farm cemetery) as he was killed next to my wife's grandfather whilst rescuing other members of the regiment, (they were both stretcher bearers I believe but this may not have been the case). My wife's Grandfather Leonard Waters won the DCM for this and other actions.

Lance Keeley






   Leonard Walters DCM. 1/7th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment

My wife's Grandfather Leonard Waters won the DCM for his actions as a stretcher barer near Irish Farm in the Ypres Salient.

Lance Keeley






  L Cpl John Henry "Jack" Atkinson 7th Btn 9th Platoon West Yorkshire Regiment

Jack Atkinson

My grandfather John Atkinson was born in 1892, he survived the war and became an engineer. He married Hester Holroyd and lived in Seacroft Leeds for many years before moving south to live near their daughter. He died in Ottery St Mary, Devon in 1985.

Gillian Bromilow






  Pte. John Arthur Lofthouse 7th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment

John Arthur Lofthouse is my maternal grandfather who served in both World Wars. He enlisted in 1916(?) and saw action at Ypres but never spoke of his time in the Great War.

He was under age, as were many others, but joined up with his friends, having worked in the coal mines from the age of 12.

Jayne Eyre






  Pte. Norman Smith 1/7th Btn. West Yorkshire (d.26th May 1915 )

Norman Smith is the son of my great great aunt, Mary Elizabeth Crabtree, her husband was Lawrence Arthur Smith. He was born in Batley. Mary was born in Warwickshire. They had Lucy and Norman.

I am desperate to find a photograph of Norman Smith. It is important that this young man and all those who fought are never forgotten by us.

Nadine Crabtree






  Pte. Norman Smith 1st/7th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.26th May 1915)

Sadly, I know very little about Norman Smith. His mother was Mary Elizabeth Crabtree, who was born in Atherstone, Warwickshire in 1869. His father was Arthur Lawrence Smith, who was born in Batley, Yorkshire in 1867. His parents met and married while his mother was a nurse at Menston, Yorkshire. His father worked as a porter. He had a sister, Lucy, who was born in 1893. In the 1911 Census his father was church caretaker at Trinity Church House, Hillary Place, Leeds, Yorkshire. (This is now a nightclub, apparently.)

On the date of Norman's death, his parents had moved to Albion Street, Leeds. Norman Smith joined up in 1914 at Leeds. I do not have any photographs of him, I wish I had, but do have one of his mother Mary Elizabeth Crabtree - her father William Henry Crabtree was my great great grandfather. Mary Elizabeth Crabtree was born to William Henry and Annie Watts. She had a sister, Ellen Crabtree, who married Thomas Bowcott. No one seems to know about Norman Smith, one of the sadly forgotten, but as his great great niece I wish him to be remembered. Norman was 19 when he was killed - he is buried in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

Nadine Crabtree






  2nd Lt. Charles Allen Learmonth (d.9th Oct 1917)

2nd Lieut. Charles Learmonth, of the 1st/7th West Yorkshire Regt. (Leeds Rifles) fell in action at Paschendaele on the 9th of October 1917. He also served as a Volunteer in the Transvaal Scottish in the South West African campaign. He was of a lovable disposition and deeply regretted by his colonel and Brother officers.

s flynn






  2nd Lt. Ernest Edward Brannigan 1/7th (Leeds Rifles) Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment (d.3rd Sep 1916)

2nd Lieut. Ernest Edward Brannigan, a native of Dublin, was the only son of Major J. H. Brannigan late RAMC. He fell in action on the Somme on the 3rd September 1916. The CO of the 49 division considered it was a great loss to the division and his colonel and brother officers deeply regretted him. He had also served as a volunteer in the South African War 1899-1902 receiving The Queen’s Medal and 6 clasps, the King Edward VII Medal with 2 clasps. In 1914 he served as a volunteer in the Transvaal Scottish he served under General Botha in the South West African campaign.

s flynn






   Alfred Clayton 7th (Leeds Rifles) Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment

Alfred Clayton was born in Leeds on the 24th of April 1887, the son of John Clayton and Rosa Lavina Moore. He served with the 7th Btn, West Yorkshire Regiment, the Leeds Rifles, in France and after the war was a district supervisior of a hardware chain store. He moved to Canada in 1930.

Randy Clayton






  Rflmn Thomas Knight 1/8th Btn. West Yorks Regiment (d.12th Oct 1917)

Thomas Knight died of wounds received at the Battle of Poelcappelle, aged 38. He is buried at Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinghe, Belgium.

Keith Smith






  Pte. James Eaglen 7th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment

James Eaglen was invalided home and after several months of treatment was discharged unfit for further action in February 1917.

Pauline Briggs






  2nd Lt. Ernest Edward Brannigan 7th Battalion (Leeds Rifles) West Yorkshire Regiment (d.3rd Sep 1916)

Ernest Brannigan was born in Dublin, the only son of Major J.H. Brannigan, late R.A.M.C. He served as a volunteer in the South African War 1899-1902. In 1914 he served in the South West African Campaign as a volunteer in the Transvaal Scottish. While serving with the West Yorkshire Regiment 7th Battalion (Leeds Rifles) (Territorial) he was killed in action in France in September 1916. He is commemorated on a private memorial in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.

s flynn






  Lance Corpral Joseph Fearns Senior 1st / 7th Bn West Yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales Own) (d.17  Nov 1917)

Would like to find out my relations military history

Graham Senior






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