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19th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
The 19th (2nd County) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry was raised in Durham on the 13th of January 1915 by the Durham Parliamentary Recruiting Committee as a Bantam Battalion, with troops who were under the normal regulation minimum height of 5 feet 3 inches.
After initial training close to home they moved to Cocken Hall in May 1915, where they joined 106th Brigade, 35th Division at Masham, North Yorkshire in June 1915 and moved to Perham Down, Salisbury Plain for final training in August.
They were ordered to Egypt in late 1915, but the order was soon cancelled and they proceeded to France landing at Le Havre on the 1st of February 1916, the division concentrated east of St Omer.
They were in action during the Battles of the Somme at Bazentin Ridge, Arrow Head Copse, Maltz Horn Farm and Falfemont Farm.
The division received new drafts of men to replace losses suffered on the Somme, but the CO. soon discovered that these new recruits were not of the same physical standard as the original Bantams, being men of small stature from the towns, rather than the miners and farm workers who had joined up in 1915.
A medical inspection was carried out and 1439 men were transferred to the Labour Corps. Their places being taken by men transferred from the disbanded yeomanry regiments, who underwent a quick training course in infantry methods at a Divisional depot set up specifically for that purpose.
In 1917 they were in action during The pursuit to the Hindenburg Line, at Houthulst Forest and The Second Battle of Passchendaele. On the 8th of February 1918 they transferred to 104th Brigade, still with 35th Division.
In 1918 they fought in the First Battle of Bapaume, and the Final Advance in Flanders including The Battle of Courtrai and The action of Tieghem. Hey crossed the River Scheldt near Berchem on the 9th of November and by the Armistice they had entered Grammont.
They moved back to Eperlecques and many of the miners were demobilised in December. In January 1919, units of the Division were sent to Calais to quell rioting in the transit camps. The last of the Division were demobilised in April 1919.
May 1915 19th DLI arrive at Cocken Hall 19th (Bantam) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry arrive at Cocken Hall for training
10th Apr 1917 Relief 
5th Mar 1918 Trench Raid
23rd Mar 1918 On the Move
25th Mar 1918 Hard Fighting
26th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
27th Mar 1918 In Defence
28th Mar 1918 In Defence
29th Mar 1918 In Defence
19th Aug 1918 MORBECQUE Baths & musketry. New draft inspected by Brigade. 18th DLI war diary WO95/2361/1
14th of October 1918 A Busy Day
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 with19th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry during the Great War 1914-1918. - Airson Paul. Sjt.
- Anderson Alexander. Pte. (d.13th Sep 1916)
- Atkinson Edward. Pte.
- Bicker Henry Hill. Pte. (d.31st Oct 1918)
- Bilclough John. Pte
- Bilclough Joseph. Pte. (d.25th Aug 1917)
- Blake MC. Francis William. 2nd Lt. (d.31st Oct 1918)
- Calvert John Thomas. Pte. (d.18th Jul 1916)
- Cameron Angus. Pte. (d.20th Jul 1917)
- Chambers Thomas. Pte. (d.24th Aug 1916)
- Charlton Philip Charles. Pte. (d.26th Nov 1916)
- Charlton William C.. (d.29th Nov 1916)
- Cork Joseph. Pte. (d.17th Oct 1917)
- Curtis John James. Pte.
- Ford Peter. Pte.
- Foster George. Pte. (d.22nd Aug 1917)
- Goggins Peter. L/Cpl. (d.18th Jan 1917)
- Grayson John Stanislaus. Pte. (d.23rd Apr 1918)
- Hebb Nathan John William. Pte. (d.27th May 1918)
- Henderson John William. Pte. (d.31st Aug 1916)
- Hutchinson John. L/Cpl. (d.25th Jul 1916)
- Jackson William. Pte. (d.25th March 1918)
- Jane Elijah. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1917)
- Jones MM. George. Pte.
- Kendall Robert. Cpl.
- Lydon Peter. Pte. (d.23rd Apr 1918)
- Macdonald John. L/Cpl. (d.18th Jan 1917)
- Milne Frank Gillender. Cpl.
- Powell MM. William. Sgt. (d.5th Oct 1918)
- Prest Frank. L\Sgt.
- Renton William. Pte.
- Richadson George. Pte. (d.1st Jun 1918)
- Richards Cecil Vyner Gerald. Pte. (d.19th Apr 1918)
- Robson Robert Ramsey. Cpl. (d.22nd Apr 1918)
- Sawyer Thomas. L/Sgt. (d.23rd April 1917)
- Simpson Joseph. Pte. (d.2nd Apr 1916)
- Smith G.. Sjt.
- Smith MM John Henry. L/Cpl. (d.19th Oct 1918)
- Stones Joseph William. Pte. (d.18th Jan 1917)
- Stout George. Pte. (d.9th November 1917)
- Stout George. Pte. (d.9th August 1917)
- Welsh William. Sgt.
- Whitney John. Pte. (d.28th Sept 1918)
- Wormald Frederick George. L/Sgt. (d.18th Jul 1916)
- Wright Lawrence. Pte. (d.18th Jul 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 19th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry from other sources.
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Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Pte. Edward Atkinson 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry My great great grandad, Edward Atkinson, served in WW1 and made it home. I only found out whilst researching my family tree.
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Pte. George Jones MM. 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry George Jones from Stockton on Tees served originally in 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry but was convicted of desertion on 23rd of December 1915.
He was transferred to 19th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry where he subsequently won a Military Medal for gallantry.
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Sgt. William Welsh 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry William Welsh was my great-grandfather. He did not have the best reputation with his immediate family after the war and I wondered how much of this could be blamed on his experiences during his service. It is proving to be difficult to get any detailed information.
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Pte. John James Curtis 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry Jack Curtis suffered shrapnel and bullet wounds.
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L\Sgt. Frank Prest 10th & 19th Btn Durham Light Infantry My Grandfather Frank Prest served with the 10th & 19th Battalions of the Durham Light Infantry.
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Pte. Nathan John William Hebb 19th Btn. D Coy. Durham Light Infantry (d.27th May 1918) In researching my family history, I discovered that this gentleman is my great uncle. I know nothing about Nathan Hebb except I have discovered that he was killed in action on 27 May 1918 age 24. His is remembered with honour at Hedauville Communal Cemetery Extension.
A long shot but it would be lovely to find out more both about him and the battle in which he took part on that day. I have looked on but I couldn't work out where the 19th Btn. were on the day of Nathan's death.
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Pte. Elijah Jane 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.20th Aug 1917) Elijah Jane died on the 20th of Aug 1917 aged 37, he was a private with 19 Battalion DLI, he was buried in Villers Faucon Communal Cemetery
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Pte. Joseph Cork 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.17th Oct 1917) Joseph Cork died aged 20 of gunshot wounds to the chest, abdomen, legs and arms inflicted at Guillemont Farm on 21st August 1917. He was picked up by 107th Field Ambulance and delivered to 55th Field Hospital where they amputated his badly shot right leg.
On October 6th 1917 he sailed to England on the O.C. Ship M.S. and was taken to Huddersfield War Hospital where he was admitted to Ward 22 on 10th October 1917. He died on 17th October at 6 am.
His personal belongings were sent home to Hannah and Joseph Cork. These were his cap badge, "The Holy War" pamphlet, belt, "Travellers Book", prayer book, spectacles in case, Pay Book A.B. 64, two identification discs, two French coins, an oil can and a knife. He was buried in West View Cemetary, Hartlepool.
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Cpl. Robert Ramsey Robson 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.22nd Apr 1918) My Great Uncle attended Durham University, St.Cuthberts's College, he was a teacher at Barnard Castle. My family found some of his letters home. My Father visited Martinsart Cemetary a few years ago, to pay respects to his Uncle.
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L/Cpl. John Macdonald 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.18th Jan 1917) Cpl. J Macdonald served with the 19th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. He was executed for quitting his post on18th January 1917 aged 28 and is buried in St. Pol Communal Cemetery Extension, St. Pol-sur-Ternoise, France.
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L/Cpl. Peter Goggins 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.18th Jan 1917) Peter Goggind served with the Durham Light Infantry 19th Battalion He was executed for quitting his post on18th January1917 and is buried in St. Pol Communal Cemetery Extension, St. Pol-sur-Ternoise, France.
Despite following the orders to retreat of an NCO who shouted, "Run for your lives, the Huns are on top of you!", Sgt Peter Goggins was shot for deserting his post.
The 22-year-old soldier, who had married six months before his death in January 1917, was commanding a unit of six soldiers in the front line, when a sergeant came running back from a reconnaissance mission yelling at them to withdraw.
Sgt Goggins scrambled out of his dugout and fell back to a reserve trench 20 yards away - but it turned out to be a false alarm.
Even though the sergeant confirmed that he had given the orders to retreat, Goggins was court martialled on Christmas Eve and executed a week later.
His 19-year-old wife Margaret disappeared when she heard the news and his mother had a nervous breakdown.
Peter was one of seven soldiers guarding their positions in the early hours of 26th of November 1916.
Most of his fellow soldiers from 19th Durham Light Infantry had been taken off the frontline after rumours the Germans were about to launch a gas attack.
As the guns fell silent, a sergeant and captain ventured into No Man's Land for a reccee -- but they were ambushed.
It was shortly after 2.30am when the sergeant managed to stagger back, shouting: "Run for your lives, the Huns are on top of you!"
Peter, himself a young sergeant, scrambled out of the dugout, withdrawing to a reserve trench 20 yards away - but it turned out to be a false alarm.
With the six others, he faced charges of deserting his post, and was court-martialled on Christmas Eve. Even though the sergeant confirmed he had given the orders to retreat, Peter was executed a week later along with two others. Another soldier wrote a moving account of the execution: "A piercingly cold dawn' a crowd of brass hats, the medical officer and three firing parties.
A motor ambulance arrives carrying the doomed men. Manacled and blindfolded, they are tied up to the stakes. Over each man's heart is placed an envelope. At the sign, the firing parties, 12 for each, align rifles on the envelopes.
The officer holds his stick aloft and, as it falls, 36 bullets usher the souls of Kitchener's men to the great unknown."
Peter's niece Marina Brewis, 74, of Stanley, Co Durham, said: "I read the reports of my uncle's court martial and it is obvious that he was shot simply as an example to others. An apology from the Government isn't enough, I want a piece of paper pardoning my uncle. I won't rest until I get it."
Dedicated to Peter Goggins, by Katie Hopley (16)
- How can you kill someone
- For being afraid?
- That is disgusting!
- You should be ashamed
- As members are shot
- Families back home are torn apart
- They’re all branded
- Where’s the heart?
- not killed by the enemy
- They now lose their name
- Branded as cowards
- Their families the same!
- Over 300 men
- They all need to die?
- A thirst for blood
- That’s why!
- So end this injustice!
- Give them all back their name
- Only then will you end
- Our country's 84 year shame
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Pte. Peter Lydon 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.23rd Apr 1918) Peter Lydon was born in Galway and enlisted in Newcastle whilst living at 31 Princess Street, Jarrow. He died aged 23 and is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial.
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Pte. Joseph Simpson 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.2nd Apr 1916) Joseph Simpson, son of Joseph and Ellen Simpson (nee O'Neil) was born in Jarrow, County Durham. In the 1911 Census Joseph was described as aged 15, working as a Catcher for Riveters, and living with his family at 21 Milton Street, Jarrow. He enlisted in South Shields, and died on 2nd April 1916 aged 20, a few months after arriving in France. He is buried at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. He is also commemorated on the Palmer Cenotaph in Jarrow.
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L/Cpl. John Hutchinson 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.25th Jul 1916) John Hutchinson served with the 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and was aged 20 when he died on 25th July 1916. He was born in 1896 in Jarrow,
lived in West Hartlepool and enlisted at Cocken Hall Durham. He was the son of Edward and Mary Jane Hutchinson (natives of Jarrow)
John is remembered at the Thiepval Memorial and is commemorated on the Hartlepool War Memorial.
John Hutchinson age 14 at School is with his parents Edward and Mary Jane Hutchinson and family at 18 Conyers Street, West Hartlepool on the 1911 census.
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Pte. John William Henderson 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.31st Aug 1916) John William Henderson who died aged 24 was born in Jarrow to William and Florence Smith Henderson (nee Roberts) of Jarrow. John William Henderson age 19 Apprentice Ships Plater in Shipyard is with his parents William and Florence Smith Henderson and family at 7 Cumberland Street, Wallsend on the 1911 census.
John is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery.
He is commemorated on the Palmer Cenotaph (west face) Jarrow and on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow.
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Pte. George Richadson 19th Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.1st Jun 1918) George Richardson enlisted at Jarrow and served in the 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He died on the 1st June 1918 and is remembered at St Paul's Church and lies in Hedauville Communal Cemetery Extension. His medal card records the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals also that he has died.
A search of Ancestry for family details reveals the following Jarrow addresses in the 1911 census all of which have a George Richardson resident:
64 Hibernian Road, 7 Salem Street, 49 Walter Street, 3 Sheldon Street, and 21 Harold Street, Jarrow. Further research would be need to see if this list contains the correct person.
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L/Sgt. Frederick George Wormald 19th Btn Durham Light Infantry (d.18th Jul 1916)  On 16th December 1914, the 'Hartlepools' (i.e. West Hartlepool and Hartlepool) were subjected to the first World War 1 shell attacks on British soil and in those attacks, Private Theophilus Jones was the first soldier to die on British soil.
Less than three months later, on 3rd March 1915 at West Hartlepool, my uncle, Frederick George Wormald enlisted in the 19th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry.
Frederick was the middle child of seven children born to John and Frances Elizabeth Wormald of 76 Westmorland Street, West Hartlepool.
He was born in 1898 which made him 17 years and 3 months old when he enlisted however, he lied about his age and told the recruiting staff that he was two years older, 19 years and 3 months.
He was a small lad, about 5ft 2inches and weighed around 10½ stones. Before enlisting, he had worked as a drapers assistant.
On 11th August 1915 he was promoted to Corporal and later, on 28th October, further promoted to Lance Sergeant.
In July 1916, Frederick was engaged in the fierce fighting in Delville Wood, north east of the town of Longueval, The Somme, France.
The fighting in Delville Wood was one of the bloodiest confrontations of the Somme. On 18th July 1916, in an area less than one square mile, 20,000 shells fell.
On that day, Frederick was killed in action. He was only 18 years of age.
After the war ended, Frederick's body was buried in Delville Wood Cemetery, France. Frederick's parents were never able to travel to France to see his grave.
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William C. Charlton 19th Btn Durham Light Infantry (d.29th Nov 1916) William Charlton served with the 19th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry and died age 27 on the 29th November 1916. He is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow and is buried at Faubourg d'Amiens Cemetery Arras. He was the son of William and S Charlton and husband of Emily Charlton of 24 Bladen Street, Jarrow.
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Pte. Philip Charles Charlton 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (d.26th Nov 1916) Philip Charles Charlton died aged 27, on 26th November 1916 whilst serving with the 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. Philip Charles Charlton age 21 General Labourer at Steelworks is recorded as living with his widowed father William Charlton and family at 3 Lord Street, Jarrow on the 1911 census.
Born in Felling, Durham, he lived and enlisted in Jarrow, son of William F. and Sarah A. Charlton. He was the husband of Emily Charlton of 24 Bladen Street Jarrow.
Philip is buried in Faubourg D'Amiens Cemetery. Arras.
He is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow.
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Pte. Thomas Chambers 19th Btn Durham Light Infantry (d.24th Aug 1916) Thomas Chambers was aged 30 when he died on 24th August 1916 whilst serving with the 19th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. Son of William and Mary Chambers, he was born and enlisted in Jarrow.
Thomas is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial. He is commemorated on the Palmer Cenotaph (plaque on west face) Jarrow and on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church, Jarrow.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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Durham Pals: 18th, 19th, 20th and 22nd Battalions of the Durham Light Infantry in the Great War John Sheen
The Durham Pals were the volunteer Geordie battalions of the Durham Light Infantry raised in the north-east in the Great War. The 18th Durhams had the proud distinction of being the first unit of Kitchener's New Armies to come under enemy fire before even leaving Blighty when German ships shelled Hartlepool in December 1914. The 19th were raised as Bantams ( men blow the minimum height requirement) ; the 20th (Wearside) hailed from Sunderland; while the 22nd was the last raised - and fought through the hard battles of 1918. After their baptism of fire while training in Hartlepool, the 18th were seriously blooded on July 1st 1916 as the battle of the Somme opened, when they fought in support of the Leeds and Bradford Pals. After fighting in the successful Messines offensive in June 1917 the 20th were sent to the Italian front; while the 19th distinguished themselves in Flanders during the final Allied advance of 1918. This book pay tribute to them all.
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