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3rd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry were based at Fenham Barracks, Newcastle upon Tyne.
3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry was a regular unit of the British Army, when war broke out in August 1914 they were based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
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Capt. Arthur Moore Lascelles VC, MC. 3rd Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.7th Nov 1918)  Arthur Lascelles was killed in action on the 7th of November 1918 aged 38 years and is buried in Dourlers Communal Cemetery Extension in France. He was the son of John Lascelles, of Milford Hall, Newtown, Mont. and husband of Sophia Lascelles.
An extract from The London Gazette, No. 30471, dated 8th Jan., 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery, initiative and devotion to duty when in command of his company in a very exposed position. After a very heavy bombardment during which Capt. Lascelles was wounded, the enemy attacked in strong force but was driven off, success being due in a great degree to the fine example set by this officer, who, refusing to allow his wound to be dressed, continued to encourage his men and organise the defence. Shortly afterwards the enemy again attacked and captured the trench, taking several of his men prisoners. Capt. Lascelles at once jumped on to the parapet and followed by the remainder of his company, 12 men only, rushed across under very heavy machine-gun fire and drove over 60 of the enemy back, thereby saving a most critical situation. He was untiring in reorganising the position, but shortly afterwards the enemy again attacked and captured the trench and Capt. Lascelles, who escaped later. The remarkable determination and gallantry of this officer in the course of operations, during which he received two further wounds, afforded an inspiring example to all." 
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Pte. George Maurice Featherstone 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry George Featherstone, was born in West Hartlepool in 1898. He enlisted on 27th August 1914 aged 16 in the 18th Battalion DLI (Durham Pals). He later transferred 3rd Battalion DLI (Tyneside Garrison). He was posted to France in Dec 1915 with the 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He saw action at Delville Wood, the battle of Flers-Courcelette, Battle of Arras, Battle of Ypres & Menin Road.
George suffered gunshot wounds to his left thigh in August 1917. He returned to France in Jan 1918 & joined the 18th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He was wounded again late in March 1918 with gunshot wounds to the buttocks. He returned home 30th March.
He was transferred to the Machine Gun Corp in 1918 and was discharged on the 26th August 1920, He served a full 6 years. In 1933 he rejoined the army, the Royal Engineers and went to France with the BEF on the 9th of September 1939. He was evacuated and returned home on the 2nd June 1940, two days before Dunkirk fell.
In 1941 he was posted to Iceland for 5 months. In October 1942 he was posted to North Africa with the 1st Army for Operation Torch and served in Tunisia & Algeria.
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Pte. Otto Gerrard Rus Durham Light Infantry My great grandfather Otto Rus served in the Great War.
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Pte. William Burridge 3rd Btn. Durham Light Infantry William Burridge is my great Uncle Bill who joined 3rd DLI with a short service in 1915. He served in France.
He was a great character, in July 1918 in South Shields he was put on a charge for being hours late from leave. He was given a forfeit of pay
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Private James O'Neill 2nd Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.9th Aug 1915)  3/8215 Private James O'Neill enlisted at Barnard Castle and joined the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
The prefix 3/ in front of his number refers to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry which was based in August 1914 at Newcastle-on-Tyne. A depot/training unit, it moved on mobilisation to South Shields where it then remained as part of the Tyne Garrison. He would have joined this unit for basic training and preparation to join a Service Battalion on active service. He was allocated to the 2nd Battalion and retained his current number (soldiers often changed numbers on allocation to different units). He lived at 7 Straker Street, East Jarrow with his wife Emily O'Neill nee Spencer. A search of 1911 census reveals the family were living at 97 Campbell Street, South Shields with James age 31 working as a Colliery Labourer (shipster)above ground for Harton Coal Company. His wife Emily is 22 years old with son James 1 year old and daughter Emily 3 years old.
James died on the 9th August 1915 aged 35 and is commemorated at the Jarrow Library and at the Menin Gate Memorial Ypres.
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Pte. Thomas Franklin 3rd Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.26th April 1916) Thomas Franklin, enlisted at Jarrow and served with the 3rd Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He died age 39 on the 26th April 1916. He is remembered on the Triptych in St. Paul’s Church Jarrow and is buried in Jarrow Cemetery.
Thomas was born in Newcastle 1877. He was married to Eleanor Nicholson (formerly Franklin nee Mullen) of 16 Spencer Street Jarrow.
In the 1911 census, Thomas Franklin age 36 widower, Shipyard Labourer, is living with his 2 children at 6 Commercial Road.
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Pte Thomas Arthur Newby 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry I have only just started to research my grandfather Thomas Arthur Newby, (Pte 248039) who was born in Morley, North Yorkshire in 1893. I know that he served with the DLI in WW1 and WW2. I have found some very interesting records on Ancestry.com but sadly a lot of them are so badly decayed or badly copied that much information is lost. He joined the Territorials, 5th Battalion DLI, in Stockton on Tees and was part of the expeditionary force to France from 9/10/15 to 10/5/15. On his return from France he transferred to 3rd Btn. DLI, returning to France again from 24/9/17 to 21/4/18. He died when I was very young and I have only one vague memory of him. I hope to find out more about him. I was in the TA for 13 years, based initially in Stockton on Tees and never knew his history, I have also been on battlefield tours covering the areas that he was posted to in France, I didn't have a clue that he had served there, hopefully I can fill the gaps and get a better picture of who he was.
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Pte. Arthur Foster 3rd Btn. Durham Light Infantry Arthur Foster was my grandfather, whom I never met and now I'm trying to get as much info on him as possible, and even a picture if possible.
I've received his medal cards which I don't understand as they have lots of different numbers on, so he must have got about a bit, if someone could tell me the best place to go for my research and perhaps explain the medal card to me I would be grateful.
Editor's Note: Arthur's Medal Card shows that he had enlisted on the 7th of September 1914, and went to France on the 23rd of August 1915, qualifying for the 1915 star. There are two medal cards available for Arthur, the second shows him applying for the Silver War Badge, indicating that he had served his country, when he is discharged from the Army in February 1918. At that time he was serving with the Labour Corps, having previously served with the 3rd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. This would suggest that he had been injured, or suffered an illness which rendered him unfit for front line service with the DLI. After receiving treatment he would have then joined the Labour Corps, before being discharged, most likely for medical reasons, although at this time in the war, men with certain skills were discharged from the army to work in vital industries at home to support the war effort.
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