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2nd Battalion, West Riding Regiment (Duke of Wellingtons)
2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment was raised as 76th Foot in 1787. At the outbreak of the Great War the battalion was stationed in Dublin with the 13th Brigade, 5th Division. They arrived in France on the 16th of August 1914 and within a short time it was in action at Le Cateau and the Retreat from Mons, suffering 360 casualties. They saw action on the Marne, the Aisne and at Ypres. On the 11th of November 1914, the Germans launched a desparate attack to on Ypres and in the fighting the 2nd Battalion almost eliminated the Fusilier battalion of the 2nd (Prussian) Guard Grenadier Regiment (4th Guard Brigade) whose casualties numbered 15 officers and 500 men. The 2nd Duke of Wellingtons lost 400 officers and men. On the 18th of April 1915, in a successful assault on the high ground at Hill 60, the battalion suffered 421 casualties, 15 of them officers. On 5th May the Germans attacked using chlorine gas and recaptured the lost ground, inflicting a further 350 casualties on the Battalion. In January 1916 the battalion was transferred to the 4th Division in which it served for the rest of the war. Seeing action in 1916 in the Battles of the Somme, in 1917 in the Battles of Arras and the Third Battle of Ypres. In 1918 they took part in The First Battle of Arras 1918, The Battles of the Lys, The Advance in Flanders, the Second Battles of Arras 1918, The Battle of the Canal du Nord on the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy.
21st of August 1913 Lecture
9th of August 1914 At Southampton
13th of August 1914 Landing in France
13th of August 1914 Landing in France
14th of August 1914 Advance Party Leave
15th of August 1914 Arriving Busigny
16th of August 1914 Billets Organised
17th of August 1914 Brigades Pass Through
18th of August 1914 15th Bde Arrives
20th of August 1914 Preparing to March
22nd of August 1914 On the March
23rd Aug 1914 Under Fire
23rd of August 1914 Holding the Line
24th Aug 1914 The Battle of Mons At 2 a.m. on 24 August, II Corps was ordered to retreat into France to defensible a position along the Valenciennes to Maubeuge road, requiring a number of sharp rearguard actions against the pursuing Germans. 5th Brigade were ordered to to act as rearguard and fought a holding action at Paturages and Frameries, with Brigade artillery in particular, inflicting heavy casualties on the Germans.
At Wasmes, units of the 5th Division faced a heavy assault from German artillery which began bombarding the village at daybreak, followed at 10 a.m. by an infantry assault by German III Corps who advanced in columns and were "mown down like grass" by British Rifle and Machine Gun fire. Soldiers of the 1st West Kents, 2nd King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 2nd Duke of Wellington's Regiment, and 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment held off repeated German assaults on the village, despite taking heavy casualties, and then retreated in good order to St. Vaast at mid day.
26th of August 1914 Holding Position
27th of August 1914 Retirement in the Dark
28th of August 1914 An Exhausting March
29th of August 1914 Sleeping in the Streets
31st of August 1914 Pursued by Germans
1st of September 1914 A Delayed March
2nd of September 1914 An Early March
3rd of September 1914 Across the Marne
5th of September 1914 March Finished
6th of September 1914 Army Advances
7th of September 1914 Another March
8th of September 1914 An Early March
9th of September 1914 On the Move
10th of September 1914 Marching
11th of September 1914 Marching
12th of September 1914 A Wet March
13th of September 1914 A Showery March
14th of September 1914 Broken Bridges
15th of September 1914 An Attack Falters
16th Sep 1914 Shelling
16th of September 1914 Bad Roads
17th of September 1914 Artillery Reinforced
18th of September 1914 Some Enemy Firing
19th of September 1914 Trenches Fired Constantly
20th Sep 1914 Hard Times
20th of September 1914 Sappers Make a Bridge
21st of September 1914 Missy on Fire
22nd of September 1914 Enemy Retiring?
23rd Sep 1914 No Danger
23rd Sep 1914 Plucky
23rd of September 1914 Heavy Shelling
25th of September 1914 Very Quiet
26th of September 1914 Moves Successful
27th of September 1914 A False Alarm
28th of September 1914 Shelling
29th of September 1914 Quiet
30th of September 1914 Astride the Aisne
1st of October 1914 A Withdrawal
2nd of October 1914 Moonlit Relief
3rd of October 1914 On the March
4th of October 1914 On the March
5th of October 1914 A New HQ
6th of October 1914 Orders to Move
7th of October 1914 A Train Ride
8th of October 1914 Entraining Finished
11th of October 1914 New Billets 
12th of October 1914 Orders to Advance
13th of October 1914 Advance Resumed
14th of October 1914 Supporting the French
15th of October 1914 Advance Ordered to Continue
16th of October 1914 Empty German Trenches
17th Oct 1914 Guns in Action
18th of October 1914 Advance Resumed
19th of October 1914 Slow Progress
20th of October 1914 A Fluid Front
22nd of October 1914 Our Line Attacked
24th of October 1914 Germans Attack
25th of October 1914 More Attacks
26th of October 1914 Germans Repulsed
27th of October 1914 A Counter Attack
28th of October 1914 Counter Attack Falters
29th of October 1914 Determined German Attack
30th of October 1914 German Attack Fades
31st of October 1914 A Counter Attack
2nd of November 1914 Three Groups Organised
3rd of November 1914 Situation Report
4th of November 1914 French Attack
5th of November 1914 French Attack Falters
8th of November 1914 Half-hearted Attacks
13th of November 1914 Reliefs Completed
15th of November 1914 2nd Corps Reorganise
18th of November 1914 Shell Fire
28th of November 1914 On the Move
29th of November 1914 Infantry Distribution
30th Nov 1914 Admitted to Hospital
1st of December 1914 Quiet Time
2nd of December 1914 A Moonlit Night
3rd of December 1914 Instructions
4th of December 1914 Reliefs
4th of December 1914 Relief
6th of December 1914 Frosty Night
10th of December 1914 Naval Victory Cheered
13th of December 1914 Wire Cut
14th of December 1914 French on the Offensive
15th of December 1914 Operations Resumed
16th of December 1914 Instruction
18th of December 1914 No Progress
19th of December 1914 Demonstration
21st of December 1914 Howitzers Silenced
22nd of December 1914 Four Germans Shot
26th of December 1914 Messines Square Targetted
29th Dec 1914 Reliefs
31st of December 1914 Message
3rd of January 1915 Patrols Active
4th of January 1915 Trench Work
7th of January 1915 Very Wet Weather
8th of January 1915 Trenches Damaged
10th of January 1915 Flooding and Baling
15th of January 1915 Germans Fire Slowly
16th of January 1915 Squally Weather
19th of January 1915 Thaw Sets In
20th of January 1915 HQ Shelled
21st of January 1915 Wulverghem Shelled
22nd of January 1915 Aeroplane-Aided Shelling
23rd of January 1915 Quiet Day
3rd of February 1915 Snipers Silenced
5th of February 1915 Firing for Effect
7th of February 1915 Sectors Rearranged
13th of February 1915 Trenches Maintained
14th of February 1915 Germans Plan an Attack?
15th of February 1915 Heavy Rain
16th of February 1915 Baling All Night
18th of February 1915 Grenades Cause Confusion
21st of February 1915 8th Howitzers Leave
22nd of February 1915 Cheering and Rockets
23rd Feb 1915 Reorganisation
16th March 1915 Information
18th of March 1915 Trench Mortars
21st of March 1915 Intelligence
31st Mar 1915 Reliefs
7th of April 1915 Mostly Quiet
7th Apr 1915 Reorganisation
15th of April 1915 Orders
16th of April 1915 Quiet Night
17th of April 1915 Mines Exploded
20th of April 1915 Quiet
20th of April 1915
28th of April 1915 Report
1st of May 1915 Gas Casualties
5th May 1915 Gas on Hill 60
5th Jun 1915 Poisonous Gases
30th of July 1915 Detrainment
10th of August 1915 Relief of French
15th of August 1915 3 Salvos Fired
20th of August 1915 Quiet Night
10th of September 1915 Enemy Hit Dummy Battery
11th of September 1915 Changes of Command
28th of December 1915 Retaliatory Firing
1st of January 1916 Night-time Shelling
2nd of January 1916 Direct Hits
6th of January 1916 Moving Around
8th of January 1916 Moves
15th of January 1916 Divisional Transfers
26th Apr 1916 Trench Work
1st Jul 1916
1st July 1916 Bombardment
4th of September 1914 An Easier March
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with2nd Battalion, West Riding Regiment (Duke of Wellingtons) during the Great War 1914-1918. - Ackroyd Arthur. Pte. (d.5th May 1915)
- Bell Henry. Pte. (d.1918)
- Booth George. Pte. (d.18th Apr 1915 )
- Burns Davidson Ross. Pte. (d.15th April 1917)
- Chadwick Percy. Pte. (d.11th Nov 1914)
- Cordwell Herbert. Pte. (d.11th Nov 1914)
- Cryer James Albert Greenwood. Pte. (d.20th Mar 1915)
- Damms Horace. Pte. (d.28th Sep 1917)
- Day Jonas. Pte.
- Ford Benjamin. Pte. (d.24th August 1914)
- Goodwill Dennis. Pte. (d.14th March 1918)
- Greenwood James Edward. Pte.
- Hawkins Cecil Stephen. Pte (d.2nd Dec 1917)
- Humble Charles Richard. Pte. (d.7th May 1917)
- Jenkins William John. Pte. (d.5th May 1915)
- McMillan Gordon. Sgt.
- Moorhouse Wilfred Roberts. Pte. (d.20th December 1917)
- Peckover Herbert. Pte (d.5th of May 1915)
- Sams Phillip. (d.5th May 1915)
- Searle Frank. Pte. (d.11th November 1914 )
- Shepherd DCM, MM, MID. Charles Cornelius. Lt.
- Stead Frederick. Pte. (d.12th Feb 1917)
- Stephenson Sam. Pte. (d.24th August 1914)
- Storey Albert. Pte. (d.18th July 1918)
- Storey MM. George. Sgt.
- Stripling George Charles. Pte. (d.19th February 1917)
- Sykes Arthur.
- Thackerey MC. Frederick Rennell . Lt. (d.18th April 1915)
- Traynor James Albert. Pte. (d.10th Oct 1917)
- Venning Benjamin J.. Pte. (d.20th April 1915)
- Wild Thomas William. Pte. (d.16th 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 2nd Battalion, West Riding Regiment (Duke of Wellingtons) from other sources.
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Lt. Charles Cornelius Shepherd DCM, MM, MID. 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellingtons Regiment Born 18th June 1880 in Hampstead, London, England: Captain Charles Cornelius Shepherd, (known as Neil) was a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), Medaille Militaire, and was Mentioned in Dispatches.
As a young boy he was in a Home for Waifs and Strays. As part of the Orphaned Children's Program, he, with 14 others was sent to Canada, departing Liverpool and arriving in either Quebec or Montreal, via SS Sardinian on 13th Aug 1892.
Cornelius was sent to Sherbrooke, QC where he lodged and worked for a local French Canadian farming family. He stayed there approx 2 years, after which, at the age of 15, he apparently returned to England, possibly due to his father locating him and bringing him back to England. At some point in the 1890's (possibly in 1899?) he joined the Second Battalion, The Duke of Wellingtons (West Riding) Regiment, serving in India and elsewhere. He was, for a short period, seconded to the Royal Corps of Signals, apparently in India. In 1907, while a Corporal in the 2nd Btn West Riding Regt (Duke of Wellingtons), living at Whittington Barracks, Lichfield, he married Ellen Elizabeth Grinnell, then residing at Wickhamford Lodge, Evesham. They had two children, Eva May Shepherd, and Neil Paul Shepherd, he subsequently divorced, likely due to his wife apparently becoming mentally ill. In 1928 he married Rosa James (known as Rose). My mother, Veronica Rose James Shepherd, was born, also in 1928.
Neil Shepherd enrolled in the Army likely in 1899, served in 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Wellingtons (West Riding) Regiment. The 1911 Census indicates rank of Colour Sergeant, he was living in Kandahar Barracks, South Tidworth, Hants, Hampshire, England, his wife, Ellen Elizabeth Grinnell (32) and two children, Neil Paul (2) and Eva May (5ths) were living in the adjoining wives' and childrens' quarters. He was promoted to Warrant Officer on the 8th of August 1914.
His home address in 1915 was 23 Boat Lane, Evesham, England.
Neil was promoted to Sergeant-Major shortly after the outbreak of war. As a Sergeant Major, Neil was Mentioned in a Dispatch by Field Marshall French, on 31od of May 1915.
As Regimental Sergeant Major, he was awarded the DCM for bravery as a result of his actions at Puisieux Ridge on 1st of July 1916.
Neil was awarded the French Medaille Militaire for bravery as a result of his actions at Les Boeufs during which he was wounded but refused to leave the line.
He was Commissioned for Bravery on the Field of Battle in 1916 and was inducted as a Member of the Order of the British Empire on 1st of January 1919.
Neil was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1st of April 1927 and retired from the Army in 1928.
Charles Cornelius Shepherd was a past member of the Bootle Fellowship Lodge 4401, a member of The Old Contemptibles and a life member of the The Duke of Wellingtons Regiment Association.
He was a devoted gardener at their home at Roseverne 130 Liverpool Rd, Chester, and, together with my Grandmother, Rose Shepherd, was recognized after the Second World War for his efforts supporting the soldiers of the Royal Corps of Signals, both serving and POWs.
At the time of his death he lived at 130 Liverpool Road, Chester, and he died in the Military Hospital in Chester.
His medals are: Member of the Order of the British Empire; Distinguished Conduct Medal; General Service Medal (1854-1895) for service in India; The 1914 (Mons) Star with Aug 22nd – Nov 1914 Bar; The 1914 – 1918 War Medal; The 1914-1919 Victory Medal with Mentioned in Despatches Oak Leaf; and The French, Medaille Militaire.
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Pte Herbert Peckover 2nd Btn Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment (d.5th of May 1915) I have found that my Great Great Grandfather, Herbert Peckover, served with the 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington's Regiment in WW1. He died on the 5th of May 1915 fighting on Hill 60. His Battalion had won the high ground at Hill 60 but the Germans attacked using gas on the 5th of May 1915 and recaptured Hill 60.
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Pte. Percy Chadwick 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment (d.11th Nov 1914) Percy Chadwick is my 3x cousin x2 removed. He was presumed missing on the 11th of November 1914.
He is commemorated at Ypres on the Menin Gate Memoria.
He had lots of tattoos and liked to have a drink. Bless him. I will be visiting his memorial early next year, 2019. I want to pay my respects and immortalise him and all his fellow comrades.
Lest we forget.
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Pte. Benjamin J. Venning 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment (Duke of Wellingtons) (d.20th April 1915) My great grandad, Benjamin Venning, was the son of another Benjamin Venning, originally from Devon. They settled in the Leeds area.
Benjamin was wounded on 18th of April 1915, shot in the chest, in a German counter offence on Hill 60, Ypres. He sadly died from his wounds on 20th of May 1915.
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Pte. Charles Richard Humble 2nd Btn. West Riding Regiment (Duke of Wellingtons) (d.7th May 1917) I received an email from familysearch.org, it told me of a distant cousin Charles Humble, who had that had served in World War 1.
As I am from the United States I was surprised to find that this distant cousin was related to me through my grandmother's family and that he had died during the Battle of Arras in 1917.
I am proud of his courage and want to get his story out there to others that we might never forget these courageous men.
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Pte. George Charles Stripling 2nd Btn. West Riding Regiment (Duke of Wellingtons) (d.19th February 1917) George Stripling was my grandfather's brother. They were both career soldiers in the same regiment, having joined the same day in 1908 and had consecutive service numbers.
All I know is that he was killed in action and buried first at Fargny French Military Cemetery. His grave was destroyed by enemy action and there is a memorial grave at Maricourt, Peronne Cemetery.
On the Army Registers of soldiers effects the death is correctly recorded as 19th of February 1917. However, on the list for Medals and Awards it is given as 19th of August 1917.
He was unmarried and 35 when he died. I have visited the grave twice.
My grandfather was wounded in 1914 at the Polygon Wood Battle in the first Battle of the Somme. He never went back to the front but was posted to Dublin.
I have the bullet that wounded him, attached to an elephant collar dog, the whole gilded.
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Sgt. George Storey MM. 2nd Btn Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment George Storey was born in 1888.
He joined up on the 28th of August 1903 aged 15 years and 6 months. In teh Great War he was awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal and the Military Medal.
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Pte. James Albert Greenwood Cryer 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment (d.20th Mar 1915) I recently purchased a death plaque to James Cryer, from the little research I have carried out I discovered that he died on the 20th of March 1915 and is remembered at the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium.
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Pte. Jonas Day 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment Jonas Day enlisted 9th April 1908 and was discharged 22nd November 1917 due to wounds. He was with D company, 2nd Battalion, West Riding Regiment. On 7th of May 1915 he was subject to gas poisoning at 2nd Battle of Ypres and admitted to Base Hospital in Rouen. I believe this was one of the 1st German gas attacks of the war. He had been in the field for 9 months. On 10th May he returned to the field. On 10th of June 1915 he was again admitted, to the No3 CCS with a gun shot wound to his left foot, but then was transferred to No8 CSS Bailluel. I have no further details on service but he was discharged on 22nd November 1917 due to wounds. I have what I believe to be his private purchased cutlery set, with his name inscribed, this was found in Ypres and spurred my interest to research this gentleman.
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Pte. Arthur Ackroyd 2nd Btn. West Riding Regiment (Duke of Wellingtons) (d.5th May 1915) Arthur Ackroyd was born on 21st December 1893 at his grandmother's house in Waile Street, Manningham but was orphaned by 1908 so went to live with his half-sister, her husband and their son and daughter in Bateman Street, Manningham (since demolished and the site now appears to be part of Bradford City football ground or very close thereto). He became very much part of their family and the children regarded him as their big brother. The 1911 census states he was a mill hand bobbin take off in a worsted spinning mill. He enlisted on 21st of August 1914 but died from gas poisoning on 5th of May 1915 at 84th Field Ambulance, almost certainly received on Hill 60 about 2 miles south of Ypres, where his battalion were in action. He is buried in Poperinge Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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Pte Cecil Stephen Hawkins 2nd/7th Btn Duke of Wellington Regiment (d.2nd Dec 1917) Cecil Stephen Hawkins worked as a clerk prior to joining up. His family worshipped at Stranton All Saints Church where he is remembered on the Roll of Honour.
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Pte. Thomas William Wild 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellington's Regiment (d.16th July 1916) Thomas Wild was the only son of Charles Frederick and Mary Wild and the brother of my great grandmother Clara Emma Lovack nee Wild.
He was a casualty of the Battle of the Somme and is remembered in Doullens Communal Cemetery, France.
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Pte. James Albert Traynor 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment (d.10th Oct 1917) James Traynor volunteered in August 1914 at the tender age of 16 years old. He embarked for France in July 1915 and was involved in heavy fighting in Armentieres and ultimately in the third battle of Ypres in 1917, where he died as a consequence of a bomb from an enemy aeroplane. His memory, along with all those who fought so courageously, is truly cherished with pride.
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Pte. Wilfred Roberts Moorhouse 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment (d.20th December 1917) My Grandfather, Wilfred Moorhouse served as a private in the West Riding Regiment, number 13016 from 19th April 1903 until 30th May 1905.
He was a member of the Reserve Force until he was recalled to colours on 4th August 1914. He served in France with the 2nd Battalion until 9th October 1914 when he was returned home classified unfit through illness. He died on 20th of December 1917.
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Pte. James Edward Greenwood 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment Jimmy Greenwood was shot in the back during the Battle of Lys in the French town of Armentieres on 10th of April 1918. He survived the injury and the rest of the war.
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Pte. Horace Damms 2/4th Btn. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment (d.28th Sep 1917) Horace Damms served with the 2/4th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment. On 27th September 1917 he died of wounds and was buried in Grevillers British Cemetery, France. He was 26 years old.
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Pte. Herbert Cordwell 2nd Btn. A Coy. Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt.) (d.11th Nov 1914) Herbert Cordwell was the son of Henry and Isabella Cordwell, of the Foresters Arms, High Ongar, Ongar, Essex, formerly of 12 Colworth Rd., Leytonstone. He was born in West Ham, 17th of February 1892. Herbert died on 11th of November 1914 in Ypres, at 22 years of age, he was in the Duke of Wellingtons Regiment. He fell in action defeating the Berlin Brigade of the Prussian Guards at Ypres. His Army number was 9563 and he was a Private. Herbert had enlisted in the army at Stratford.
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Lt. Frederick Rennell Thackerey MC. 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regt. (d.18th April 1915) Frederick Thackerey served as a Lt in 2nd Battalion Duke Of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment. He died during the Second Battle of Ypres aged 23, on the 18th of April 1915. He had won the Military Cross at some point prior.
His father, also named Frederick Rennell Thackeray, was a Colonel in Royal Field Artillery, died aged 59 on 15th October 1915.
The family have a long military family connection, going back two more generations Major Gen Frederick Rennell Thackeray of the Royal Engineers, fought in Napoleonic wars. Col Edward Talbot Thackeray (Royal Engineers) won the VC in India.
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Pte. Frederick Stead 2nd Btn. Duke of Wellington's Regiment (d.12th Feb 1917) Frederick Stead was executed for desertion 12/02/1917 age 30 and buried in Suzanne Military Cemetery No. 3, Suzanne, France.
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Pte. George Booth 2nd Btn. West Riding Regiment (d.18th Apr 1915 ) My Great Grandfather George Booth enlisted in 1909. He went to France in 1914 as a Private in the second battalion of the west riding regiment formaly the Duke Of Wellingtons regiment. He took Part in the second battle at ypres in Belgium where on 18th april 1915 he was killed in action.
My Great Grandmother did not remarry. She had two daughters and one son, the boy my grandfather went to live with a Fanily Called Cocking hence this is now my name. I am Gareth Cocking the great grandson and i live in Huddersfield In the Dalton area of the town where i have lived most of my life.
My father's uncle a George Bedford also served in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. He had served in the pre war era and on the outbreak of Hostilities had re enlisted and being given the rank of Sergeant he served throughout World War Two and attained the rank of warrant officer as the conflict came to an end.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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History of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, 1st and 2nd Battalions 1881-1923 C.D. Bruce
The first two chapters in the book provide an historical outline of the raising of the 1st Battalion in 1702 and take its story through to 1923. The book recounts story of the 2nd Battalion on the Western Front, mainly by use of quotations from eyewitness accounts, letters, diaries and official documents supported by good maps. A good feature of this history is the recording by name of officers joining the battalion or leaving or becoming casualties, and the arrival of drafts with strengths.
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