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2nd Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry    2nd Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry were in Dublin with 13th Brigade, 5th Division when war broke out in August 1914. They proceeded to France with the BEF and landed at Le Havre on the 16th of August 1914. They were in action in The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of Le Cateau, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, The Battles of La Bassee and Messines and The First Battle of Ypres. In 1915 they were in action at The Second Battle of Ypres and the Capture of Hill 60. In autumn 1915, the Battalion was one of the units of 5th Division which were exchanged with units from the newly arrived volunteer 32nd Division, to stiffen the inexperienced Division with regular army troops, on the 28th of December 1915 they transferred to 97th Brigade in 32nd Division. In 1916 they were in action during the Battles of the Somme 1916, In 1917 they were involved in Operations on the Ancre and the pursuit of the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line. In 1918 they were in action on the Somme and in the Battles of 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 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 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 of September 1914 Sappers Make a Bridge 21st of September 1914  Missy on Fire 22nd of September 1914 Enemy Retiring? 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   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 22nd of November 1914 In the Line   28th of November 1914  On the Move 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 21st of December 1914 Howitzers Silenced   26th of December 1914 Messines Square Targetted    29th December 1914 Reliefs 31st of December 1914 Message   4th of January 1915 Trench Work   6th of January 1915 German Guns Silenced 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    25th of January 1915 Quiet Day   31st of January 1915 Trench Improvements Reported   3rd of February 1915  Snipers Silenced   5th of February 1915 Firing for Effect   6th of February 1915  Three Germans Shot   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 3rd Mar 1915 A Few Woodbines 16th March 1915  Information 18th of March 1915 Trench Mortars 21st of March 1915 Intelligence 7th Apr 1915 Reorganisation 16th of April 1915 Quiet Night    20th of April 1915 Quiet   20th of April 1915    28th of April 1915 Report   1st of May 1915 Gas Casualties   14th of May 1915 Quiet and Normal   30th of July 1915  Detrainment 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   20th of December 1915 Deserter Taken 22nd Dec 1915 Orders Issued   31st Dec 1915 Reliefs   7th Jan 1916 Reliefs 21st Jan 1916 Reliefs 5th Feb 1916 Reliefs 24th Apr 1916 16th Northumberland Fusilers relieve 2nd KOYLI at Black Horse Bridge  16th Battalion Northumberland Fusilers march from Senlis to Black Horse Bridge wehere they relieve the 2nd Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in support, with C Coy taking over garrsion at The Keeps. records of the 16th (service) battalion northumberland fusiliers captain ch cooke mc, newcastle upon tyne 1923 1st May 1916 In Reserve   2nd May 1916 In Reserve   3rd May 1916 In Reserve   4th May 1916 In Reserve   4th May 1916 Reliefs   26th Jun 1916 Artillery in Action   1st July 1916 In Action 1st July 1916 In Action   2nd July 1916 Reliefs   3rd July 1916 Moves   4th Jul 1916 On the March 4th July 1916 In Reserve 21st Aug 1916 On the March   26th Sep 1916 16th Northumberlands take over support line  The 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers leave Beuvry to occupy the support line in the Cuinchy sector, taking over from 2nd btn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Where they manned keeps and provided working parties for the Royal Engineers. 10th Oct 1916 16th Northumberland Fusiliers relieved at Cuinchy  The 16th Btn Northumberland Fusilers relieved by the 2nd Btn East Surrey Regiment and the 2nd King Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in the Cuinchy sub sector. The 16th Northumberlands move to Bethune for training. 17th Nov 1916 Shelling   18th Nov 1916 In Action   20th Nov 1916 16th Northumberland Fusiliers relieve 15th HLI and 1st Dorsets  16th Btn Northumberland Fusilers relieve 15th Btn Highland Light Infantry. B Coy under Capt W Lunn take over on the right and C coy under Capt W. Smith on the left. Communication with the 1st Dorsets on right and 2nd KOYLI on the left, is very difficult beacuse of the deplorable state of the trenches. A and D coys take over from 1st Dorsets. 23rd Nov 1916 14 Brigade ordered to advance  An order is received from GOC 14 Brigade to capture point 88 and point 17, but mud and absence of artillery preparation makes the advance near impossible. 16th Btn Northumberland Fusilers suffer several casualties, most caused by "shorts" from British artillery. 27th Jan 1917 Reliefs 2nd Feb 1917 16th Northumberland Fusiliers into line  16th Btn Northumberland Fusilers are attached to 97 Infantry Brigade. B and C coys and Ballation HQ march to the line in front of Beaumont Hamel and relieve 2nd Btn. KOYLI. HQ is set up in Walker Quarry, Wagon Road. C coy go into in dug-outs in Beaumont Hamel. B coy go into the front line on the ridge, in posts named Axle, Hell, Hub, Wheel and Peach. A and D coys remain in reserve at Mailly-Maillet but are brought up to Beaumont Hamel the next day. 10th Feb 1917 2nd Yorkshire Light Infantry at Ten Tree Alley  The 2nd Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry are at Ten Tree Alley. 10th Feb 1917 In Action   10th February 1917 Successful Attack 14th Apr 1917 Assault   15th April 1917 Reliefs   18th Apr 1917 Reliefs 10th Jul 1917 Bombardment   11th Jul 1917 Reliefs   10th Sep 1917 Reliefs 24th Nov 1917 Reliefs 6th Feb 1918 Enemy Active 7th Apr 1918 Shells   20th Apr 1918 Reliefs 4th of September 1914 An Easier March If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry? There are:5412 items tagged 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 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 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry during the Great War 1914-1918. Adamson Frederick Varley. Pte (d.4th Nov 1918) Addison James. Pte. (d.3rd Dec 1915) Beresford James Gilbert. Pte (d.30th Mar 1918) Bond DSO. Reginald Copleston. Lt.Col. Boyce MSM. Arthur Henry. Sgt. Briggs Ellis. Pte. (d.10th Feb 1917) Brown Frederick. Pte. Cockcroft Thomas. Pte. (d.7th Sep 1916) Cotton MM. Fred. Sgt. Coucom Henry H.. Pte. (d.30th October 1914) Degnan James. Pte. (d.4th Nov 1918) Dove Henry. Pte. (d.3rd April 1917) Gibbs Samuel. Pte. Gothard John Willie. Pte. (d.26 Aug 1914) Griffiths Samuel. Pte. (d.10th Jul 1917) Gunby Horace. Pte. (d.3rd April 1917) Gunby Horace. Pte. (d.3rd April 1917) Hainsworth Archie. Pte (d.1st July 1916 ) Hanson Harold Vickerman. CQMS. Harding Robert. L/Cpl. (d.18th Nov 1916) Henry George Carruthers. 2nd Lt. Hobson Albert. Pte (d.23rd August 1918) Hodgson John William. Pte. (d.14th Apr 1917) Holmes VC. Frederick. Sgt. Hughes Daniel. Pte. (d.22nd Oct 1914) Keal William Ernest. Cpl. (d.20th April 1918) Kitson Arthur. Pte. (d.3rd Apr 1917) Lake Thomas. L/Cpl. (d.2 December 1917) Letch John. Pte. (d.17th July 1915) Lewis Benjamin Alfred . 2Lt. (d.8th Nov 1918) Markham Charles Frederick. Pte. (d.3rd Mar 1915) Metcalfe Joe. L/Sgt. (d.6th July 1918) Nicholson Edward Pearson. Pte. (d.9th Oct 1918) Perkins John William. L/Cpl. (d.15th July 1917) Peters Cyril W.. Pte. (d.12th December 1915) Robinson Henry. Sgt. Roe George Ernest. Pte. (d.11th Jun 1916) Sewell Robert. Pte (d.5th May 1918) Smith Oliver. Pte. Smith Wilfred Alan. 2nd Lt. Steels Royce. Pte. Sullivan DCM. Francis H.. CSM. Swallow Haigh. Pte. Sykes Eli. Pte. (d.31st Oct 1914) Tompkinson MM. Henry. Pte. Turnbull Frederick. Pte (d.18th November 1916) Weaving Philip James. Pte. Webb Henry W.. Pte. (d.31st Oct 1917) Whitmore William. Pte. (d.18th April 1915) Williams Thomas Valentine. Pte. (d.18th Nov 1916) Williams Thomas Valentine. Pte. (d.18th Nov 1916) Yate VC. Charles Allix Lavington. Mjr. (d.20th Sep 1914) Yate VC Charles Allix Lavington. Major (d.20th Sep 1914) Yate VC. Charles Allix Lavington. Mjr. (d.19th Sep 1914) 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, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry from other sources. The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website. 1st of September 2023 marks 24 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. 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We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.   CSM. Francis H. Sullivan DCM. 2nd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Francis Sullivan won the DCM whilst C.S.M. for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an attack. His company commander and two other officers being casualties, he assisted to lead the company forward under heavy machine-gun fire. He got two Lewis guns into forward positions through enemy wire, this assisting and covering the advance of the remainder of the company, and protecting two tanks which had been put out of action. Brad Sullivan Add to this record.   Pte. Oliver Smith 2nd Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Oliver Smith was born 30th of June 1900 and loved until January 1959. Initially he was in the Northumberland Fusiliers. He is believed to have joined up underage. It was said he was a runner and also represented his battalion in boxing. We would like to know when he was remustered into the KOYLI. Andrew Smith Add to this record.   Pte James Gilbert Beresford 2nd Btn 1/5th Btn 2/4th Btn King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.30th Mar 1918) Died of wounds. He was in the 1/5th Yorks L.I, 2/4th Yorks L.I and 2nd Yorks L.I. Lynne Beresford Add to this record.   2Lt. Benjamin Alfred Lewis 2nd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.8th Nov 1918) Benjamin Lewis was killed on the 8th of November 1918. Jo Mullett Add to this record.   Pte. Henry Tompkinson MM. 2nd Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Harry Tompkinson born in Stockton, Durham, England to Joseph Tompkinson and Maria Healey. He was a gunner and won the Military Medal for his actions during the War. The story is that he was protecting a defense post and the man who was meant to be handing him ammunition did a runner, leaving him to fight off the enemy alone. Add to this record.   Pte. Samuel Gibbs 2nd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Samuel Gibbs born 1889 in Bethnal Green, joined the Kings Own Yorkshire light Infantry when he was just 14 yrs old in 1903/4 and he was put in the band. His family had spit up because of his fathers death. Samuel served through the great war. He was one of the "Old Contemptibles". He was awarded the Mons Medal. He was injured sometime during the Great War, but went back to fight with the Royal Engineers. Michael Gibbs Add to this record.   Sgt. Fred Cotton MM. 2nd Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Fred Cotton never spoke too much about his experiences and we haven't been able to find out exactly what he won his Military Medal for. We have his medals within the extended family and have his Medal Card showing 3 x GSMs and MM. We have an image of him in hospital We also have an image of him on horseback, which I understand was quite common. He was a farmer and as such was a very capable rider. We know he was promoted to Sjt and mentioned in the London Gazette for his MM, we believe both MM and promotion to Sjt happened on the same day. He was born in Little Heck in 1897 and lived on until 1972 but was a fiercely secretive man. He left us a cryptic comment in a letter written to the new wife of his youngest son, Eric Cotton, who emigrated to New Zealand as a 10 bob Pomme. The comment he left was that "we are related to royalty, sadly on the wrong side of the sheets" we have found only one illegitimate child, his grandfather born 1805 and he took his mother's name of Cotton. They lived very close to the house of a Viscount who died without children, but we can find no link as yet, but that's what we think the story may relate to. We are all fiercely proud of him, and being ex military myself, he is someone I admired, without ever meeting him. Craig Rutt Add to this record.   L/Sgt. Joe Metcalfe 2nd Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.6th July 1918) Having long had an interest in the First World War, when I came upon a wonderful, large, oak framed photograph of a WW1 soldier at a car boot sale, I decided to buy it and try to find out who he was. The photograph had the original backing on, and when I removed this, the name Medcalfe was written on the back. Through locating the identify of his cap badge, and his sergeant's stripes, I carried out some internet research and found that his name was Joe Metcalfe (sometimes spelled Medcalfe) and that he had belonged to the 2nd Battalion, KOYLI. He was on the Farsley war memorial as having died on 6th July 1918. After further research through, among other sources, the Commonwealth Graves Commission, I found out where he was buried, and visited his grave in Beauvoir-Wavans Cemetery in Northern France. It is a beautiful, rural location, and it was a very moving experience to place some flowers there. I also found out some of his history, including where he lived, who his family were, and what he had done before the war. Although not a relative, I have always felt a strong connection with this young man who gave his life before he had a chance to really begin it. His photograph still hangs on a wall in my house. Lynne Napier Add to this record.   Pte. Royce Steels 2nd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Red Cross Prisoner of War records show my greatgrandfather Royce Steels was present in Crefeld, Senna II [Sennelager], and Dulmen camps. Philippa Lindsay Add to this record.   L/Cpl. John William Perkins 2nd Btn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.15th July 1917) Willie Perkins was killed whilst serving with 2nd Btn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Graham Clarkson Add to this record.   Mjr. Charles Allix Lavington Yate VC. 2nd Btn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.19th Sep 1914) Charles Yate was born in Madeley, Shropshire on 14th March 1872, and graduated from the Royal Military College Sandhurst in 1892, thence posted to 2 KOYLI based in Bombay (Mumbai), India. At the outbreak of WW1 Major Yate was 42 years old, and a company commander in the 2nd Battalion KOYLI, and was amongst the first to land in France. During the retreat from Mons, 2 KOYLI deployed two companies to act as rearguard whilst the remainder of the battalion fell back in good order. They held the line against fierce attacks by the enemy throughout the day until their ammunition was exhausted. By this time, only Major Yate and 19 soldiers remained in action and, no ammunition remaining, he and his men fixed bayonets and charged the enemy. Major Yate V.C. was captured by the Germans and, because of repeated attempts to escape from his captors, was sent to Torgau prison in Lower Saxony. He broke out of Torgau but was found by factory hands on their way to work who saw through his disguise, and although fluent in German, he was unable to convince them of his identity. Dressed in civilian clothes, Major Yate knew that he would be probably executed as a spy, and before the workers could arrest and subdue him, he cut his own throat and committed suicide rather than be taken. He is buried in the CWG cemetary, Stahnsdorf, near Potsdam, and his death is marked on the war memorial situated on The Green, Madeley. He left a widow but no children. His V.C. is on display as part of the KOYLI exhibits at Doncaster Museum, South Yorkshire. Jeff Pearson Add to this record.   Pte. John William Hodgson 2nd Btn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.14th Apr 1917) John Hodgson enlisted in Mexborough, South Yorkshire. He was killed in action on 14th of April 1917. I believe near St Quentin, France. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Nr Albert, France. At the time of his death he was approximately 30 years of age. Pre-war he was an ironworks labourer. John Moss Add to this record.   Sgt. Arthur Henry Boyce MSM. 2nd Btn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Arthur Boyce, 2nd Btn KOYLI, was wounded at Le Cateau. He was with Major Yate and must have been one of the 19 survivors with him taken prisoner. He was repatriated in 1917. Arthur continued his service with the KOYLIs and was promoted to WOII. He was awarded the MSM in 1920 for services to the King. Tony Boyce Add to this record.   2nd Lt. Wilfred Alan Smith 3rd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry From: 2nd Lieut. W A Smith, No 10 Platoon, C Company,2nd K.O.Y.L.I. 2nd July 1916 To Adjutant 2nd K.O.Y.L.I. "I have the honour to bring before your notice the splendid and heroic work carried out by Corporal Dobson of my platoon in action on July 1 1916. Corporal Dobson organised attacking by bombing the German strong points on our left and if it had not been for the splendid and heroic work done by this gallant N.C.O. we should probably have been surrounded. He went forward in shirt sleeves and was throwing bombs from 8.30 a.m. until he was unfortunately hit in the back about 5.00 p.m. that evening by a German bomb. He died a few minutes after being hit. His loss will be felt keenly by all the platoon. He was a capable N.C.O. always cheerful and fearless and always had a cheery word of encouragement for the recruits. >This being my report, I have the honour to be, your obedient servant, W.A Smith 2/Lt. No 10 Platoon 2nd K.O.Y.L.I." Wilfred Alan Smith was my grandfather. He survived the war, at the cost of his sight - he was war blinded before its end - and died peacefully in 1960. Corporal Dobson was George Jones Dobson. He was twenty-eight years old when he died and is buried, on the Somme, at Blighty Valley Cemetery near where he fell. Richard Loweth Add to this record.   Pte. William Whitmore 2nd Btn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.18th April 1915) My grandfather, Pte William Whitmore served with the 2nd KOYLI. I found he is buried in Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery but I can't find any mention of action in 1915 for this battalion. I am trying to find information. Chris Add to this record.   Pte. Edward Pearson Nicholson 2nd/4th Btn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.9th Oct 1918) Edward Nicholson served with the 2nd/4th Btn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Donna McHenry Add to this record.   CQMS. Harold Vickerman Hanson 2nd Btn. Yorkshire Regiment The Great War cast its shadow over my grandfather's life even before it began, because in August 1914 Harold Hanson went on a Cook's Tour of the Rhineland. It might be thought that this was not the best time to visit Germany, but the holiday had been booked months beforehand when the European situation had appeared quite stable. Everywhere the British party travelled they became increasingly alarmed at the sight of large-scale movements of German troops, which their German guide tried to reassuringly describe as 'just manoeuvres'. However, it was quite evident that Germany was mobilising for war, and the tourists were relieved when they left for home a day or two before the outbreak of hostilities, otherwise they would have faced spending the war in a Civilian Internment Camp in Germany. My grandfather, being a Yorkshireman, volunteered to join the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and passed his army medical examination as A1 - i.e. fit for combat duty, in spite of the fact that his eyesight was so poor he had resigned from his school cricket team at the age of 13 because he could no longer see the ball! My grandfather was sent to a huge army camp on Salisbury Plain for his basic training where he vividly remembers bayonet practice on rope-hung sacks of sawdust, and the drill sergeant barking out the order 'And before you withdraw the bayonet - give it a twist!' One winter's morning in the 1970's, I was volunteered by my office manager to help him light the central heating boiler when the stoker, a local man, hadn't turned up. My task was to chop firewood for which I was handed a World War One bayonet, which was so razor sharp that with very little effort I soon had a large pile of firewood ready. Remembering my grandfather's training, I shuddered to imagine thrusting this lethal weapon into a human body! Not long after the commencement of my his training, a very unpleasant event occurred. Fresh rations suddenly and mysteriously disappeared, to be replaced by what the army called hard tack - large square biscuits, nicknamed dog biscuits by the men. The absence of fresh food was entirely owing to the incompetence and indifference of the military authorities - after all, the recruits were not stationed in a remote outpost of the British Empire, but in south-west England! After a few days of this treatment, rioting broke out in one of the barrack huts which were grouped around a large square quadrangle. The riot quickly spread to all the other huts. Furniture and windows were smashed and the dog biscuits used as projectiles, being hurled around indiscriminately. My grandfather, not wishing to participate in the riot or to be hit by one of the fearsome biscuits, dropped to his knees. He had no sooner done so than one of his comrades received one of the biscuits full on the forehead, causing a deep gash from which blood spurted. The man was knocked unconscious by the blow, and fell to the floor at the side of my grandfather, who crawled to one of the windows. Looking out he saw a group of officers standing huddled together in the middle of the quadrangle, heads together, discussing the deteriorating situation. Every now and again, one of the officers would turn and look apprehensively at the huts full of rioting men. Eventually the officers dispersed without attempting to approach any of the huts to remonstrate with the recruits - they were obviously afraid to do so, the men being in such an ugly mood. However, the riot had the desired effect because first thing next morning there was fresh food for breakfast - and plenty of it! No disciplinary action was taken against any of the rioters - the military authorities preferring to pretend that the riot had never happened. Doubtless they realised that the men had been pushed too far - and they wouldn't want the newspapers getting wind of the affair! It was during this time that my grandfather's deficient eyesight was finally discovered - on the firing range! Each recruit had been given a numbered target to aim at, and the accuracy was plotted by monitors. My grandfather had been firing away for a few minutes when the Captain in command of the firing range came up behind him and demanded 'Which target number are you aiming at?' My grandfather looked round in some surprise and replied 'I'm aiming at my designated target - No. 2.' The Captain then said 'Well my monitors tell me that your shots are hitting target No. 4. You had better get along to the M.O. (Medical Officer) and have your eyesight tested.' The M.O. was going to write out a medical discharge there and then, but it had to be countersigned by a second M.O. who, being a brusque, no-nonesense type said “Oh there’s no need to discharge this man, he's quite fit enough for non-combat duties.' Accordingly, my grandfather's civilian record was examined and he was awarded the rank of C.Q.M.S. (Company Quatermaster Sergeant) and then posted to Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment a.k.a. The Green Howards. This meant that my grandfather had to bid farewell to the other 29 comrades in his barrack hut, everyone of which, my grandfather subsequently learned after the war, had been either killed or wounded. Not one had come through the war unscathed. As C.Q.M.S. my grandfather's duties were varied. On one occasion for instance, he was ordered to oversee a group of Conscientious Objectors who had been set to work digging latrines (toilets). On another occasion he was required to dispose of a huge quantity of discarded uniforms which were dumped on his quadrangle in large rotting heaps. This didn't please his Colonel who demanded 'What's all this bloody mess, Quarters?' My grandfather's response was to ask the Colonel to look more closely at the heaps, upon which he exclaimed 'Good Heavens, they're moving!' The heaps of rotting uniforms were so heavily infested with lice that the constant wriggling of the creatures was making each pile slowly and rhythmically rise and fall, which gives some indication of the appalling conditions in the front-line trenches. From time to time my grandfather received inducements to sell army supplies on the black market, but being a man of scrupulous honesty he always firmly rebuffed such overtures. With the declaration of the Armistice, my grandfather looked forward to demobilisation, and to be re-united with my grandmother, whom he had married a year previously. However, his hopes were dashed when he was told he was to be posted to Dublin for several months as part of the British Forces garrisoned there, in order to counter the activities of the Irish Nationalists. My grandfather found the atmosphere in Dublin was poisonous with hatred towards the British to such an extent that off-duty soldiers were under strict orders not to walk through the city streets in groups of less than three. Accordingly, one day he was walking along with two other sergeants when, passing two Irishmen on the pavement, one of the Irishmen made a derogatory remark about the British. Unfortunately, one of the other two sergeants had a quick temper and spontaneously lashed out with his fist, knocking the offending Irishman flat on his back. This was the signal for every Irishman in the vicinity to pounce on the three sergeants, and things would have gone very badly for them had not providence been on their side in the form of a Public House on the corner of the street which just happened to be full of off-duty Seaforth Highlanders, who liked nothing better than a good scrap, and on hearing the rumpus in the street outside, they piled out of the pub, and very soon the entire street was full of men knocking the daylights out of each other. My grandfather took this welcome intervention as an opportunity to make his escape because, although he was a good amateur boxer, he boxed at Bantam Weight, so he was no match for a burly Irishman. However, he was left with the prospect of making his own way back to the barracks along streets where every British soldier was a marked man, and he couldn't afford to hurry or look nervous - fortunately the journey passed without incident. Although my grandfather did not enjoy his sojourn in Dublin, there was one bright note. The food in the sergeants' mess was prepared by local women, instead of the usual army cooks, and I remember my grandfather telling me that these ladies cooked some 'wonderfully tasty meals' - so at least he was well fed! Following eventual demobilisation, my grandfather expected to get his old job back without any trouble because the Government had made it very clear to employers from the very beginning of the War that jobs of men serving in the forces were to be kept open for them on their return. However, in spite of having given exemplary service, my grandfather found his employers strangely reluctant to re-employ him. As my grandmother and baby daughter (my mother) had been living with my great-grandparents during the war, my grandfather had to find both a home and an income, and jobs at the time were hard to come by. Therefore he had to swallow his pride and turn to a Veterans' Association who were successful in applying pressure on his employers. He later learned that his job had been taken by a man who had not served in the war but was a relative of one of the Company Directors. This episode graphically illustrates the difficulties soldiers faced when returning to civilian life. While clearing out my grandparents' bungalow after their deaths within a month of each other, I came across a momento from my grandfather's army days - the casing of a hand grenade that both my mother and myself had played with as children. When a scrap metal dealer came, I tossed the grenade on to the pile of metal objects, remarking with a smile, 'Here's an extra bit of metal for you.' I laughed at his evident alarm and reassured him, 'It's quite harmless, it's hollow inside.' He still looked very dubious, but he took it with the rest and drove away. That same evening my mother received a phone call from a police sergeant who asked her if there was any more live ammunition lying around the property. Apparently the scrap metal dealer had handed in the grenade at a local police station and the Bomb Squad had successfully detonated it. As a child I had, from time to time, considered removing the pin of the grenade in order to ascertain how the pieces of the casing fitted together. I had always been deterred from this course of action by reasoning that the pin fitted so tightly that I might not be able to restore it to its original position. Of course, if I had pulled out the pin I should not now be writing this account, and many years after the signing of the Armistice, the Great War would have claimed yet another casualty. Add to this record.   Sgt. Frederick Holmes VC. 2nd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Soon after arriving in France with the British Expeditionary Force, Frederick Holmes was involved in fighting at Le Cateau. When Norman Woodcock was badly wounded, Holmes carried his comrade on his back for two miles until he reached some stretcher bearers. Holmes returned to his battalion to find many of them killed or wounded. He placed a wounded man on one of the horses of a artillery gun team and attempted to take him to safety. Unfortunately the man fell off and was lost in the dark. Soon afterwards Holmes was so badly wounded that he came close to having his leg amputated. For the bravery he showed at Le Cateau, Holmes was awarded the Victoria Cross. It was presented to him by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 13th January 1915. Holmes was promoted to Sergeant when he returned to the Western Front in October 1915. In December he was transferred to India and in March 1917 became a Second Lieutenant and sent to Mesopotamia, where he fractured his skull. No longer fit enough for active service, he worked in the Military Record Office in London. s flynn Add to this record.   Sgt. Henry Robinson 2nd Btn. A Company Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Henry Robinson married my great great aunt, on his wedding certificate in 1918 he is shown as being a sergeant with A Company, 2nd Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. He was 13 years her junior. She already had a child and was a widow. I wonder whether he may have been injured during the war and needed looking after. I think that when his wife died he married her sister - my great grandma. Joanne Barnes Add to this record.   Pte. Eli Sykes 2nd Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light infantry (d.31st Oct 1914) Eli Sykes joined the army in 1902 aged 17 as part of the Cheshire Regiment. He was later transferred to the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. In 1914 when WW1 broke out he was stationed in barracks in Dublin. On 24th August 1914 he was sent to France. At the first Battle of Ypres he was last seen on 31st October 1914, having been dropped off by bus in a town called Messines in Belgium. His body was never found, and he was officially declared dead in 1916. He is commemorated at Le Touret Memorial on the French/Belgian border as well as at Willow Grove cemetary in Stockport. He left a wife and four small children, including my grandfather (also called Eli) who was two months old when his father died. Eli was only 29 years old. Lynsey Sykes Add to this record. Recomended Reading. Available at discounted prices.

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