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- 1st Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

1st Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry



   1st Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry proceeded to France with the British Expeditionary Force in 1939 and was sent to Norway in April 1940. They went on to serve in India, the Middle East, Sicily, Italy and North Western Europe in March.

   location map

3rd Apr 1940 Visit

4th Apr 1940 Visit

5th Apr 1940 Visit  location map

9th Apr 1940 Reorganisation  location map

10th Apr 1940 Orders  location map

11th Apr 1940 Stand Fast

13th Apr 1940 Orders  location map

15th Apr 1940 Orders  location map

18th Apr 1940 Troops  location map

21st Apr 1940 On the Move  location map

22nd Apr 1940 On the Move  location map

30th Apr 1940 Evacuation  location map

21st May 1942 On the Move

5th August 1943 Advance  location map

6th August 1943 Advance Stalled  location map

2nd Sep 1943 Planning


If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.



Those known to have served with

1st Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Cammidge Harold. Sgt. (d.1st May 1945)
  • Crossland Alfred. Pte. (d.10th of May 1944)
  • Gledhill William Henry. Pte.
  • Hill George Walter . Pte.
  • Jessop John Cunliffe.
  • Leary Robert Matthew.
  • Levick George Frederick. Pte.
  • Schofield Richard Arthur. Pte. (d.26th Apr 1940)
  • Turner Jack. Cpl (d.9th May 1944)
  • Walstow Alfred. Pte. (d.6th May 1940)

The 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 1st Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry from other sources.



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Want to know more about 1st Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry?


There are:1334 items tagged 1st 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 Second World War.


Robert Matthew Leary 1st Battalion, C Company Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

Bob Leary

My father, Bob Leary and two brothers enlisted before the war and when war broke out my father was transferred to Strensall Queen Elizabeth Barracks to help make up 1st Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. My uncle told me that he lost track of my father but met up with him some time later and was told that my father had been in London for some high up reason and had been to Holland. My father had told me that he'd been part of a group to evacuate the Dutch royal family as German paratroopers were after them.

He embarked on the Viceroy of India on 30th (or possibly 20th) August 1942 and arrived in Bombay on his birthday which was 24th October 1942. While in Poona the regiment changed to 149 RAC squadron which was made up of A B C & D squadrons and that led to him fighting in Burma. My aunt told me that a ship my father was on was hit and he was in the water for some time and suffered shell shock but only had two weeks leave and then had to go back to his regiment. I don't know any more details of that. After Burma he came back to the UK on the Empress of Burma.




Pte. George Walter "Jud" Hill 1st Batallion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

My father, Jud Hill, died in 2012. He was definitely in India during the war, he bought a gold ring there but when he was swimming in the sea he lost it. He always claimed that it was because the gold was not going to leave India In Italy (I think) on 13th of June 1943, almost all of his battalion was lost due to friendly fire. Shortly after this he was posted missing. In fact he was in a wine cellar and drowning his sorrows.




Pte. Richard Arthur Schofield 1st Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.26th Apr 1940)

Richard Schofield was my mums cousin. He was named after his uncle, Richard Markham M.M. who died in France in 1918. Richard died, aged 19, in the Norwegian Campaign and is commemorated in the Kvam Cemetery, Norway.

Janice Hepworth



Pte. Alfred Crossland 1st Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.10th of May 1944)

Alfred Crossland served with the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Light Infantry in WW2. He died 10th of May 1944 aged 20 years and is buried Beach Head War Cemetery at Anzio in Italy. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Henry Crossland of Wyke, Bradford, Yorkshire.

Lee Jeffery



Pte. Alfred Walstow 1st Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.6th May 1940)

Alfred Walstow is buried in the Lesjaskog Churchyard in Norway.

S Flynn



Sgt. Harold Cammidge 1st Btn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (d.1st May 1945)

Harold Cammidge served throughout the war. He was wounded in action in Sicily and, sadly, killed in action on 1st May 1945 in the town of Potrau near Hamburg.

Mark Greenwood



Pte. William Henry Gledhill 1st Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

My grandfather William Henry Gledhill joined the 4th Battalion King's own Yorkshire Light Infantry Territorial Army in April 1936. He joined the regulars, 1st Battalion KOYLI in July 1936. William served in Gibraltar, Burma and in France as part of the British Expeditionary Force in September 1939 to defend the Belgian-French border. On 10th May 1940 German forces invaded France driving the British forces through Belgium and north-western France, and forcing their eventual evacuation from several ports along the French northern coastline in Operation Dynamo. The most notable evacuation was from Dunkirk. During this time William was captured by German forces and spent the rest of the war in a German prisoner of war camp Stalag VIII-B344 in Lambinowice, Poland. His POW number was 5077. William was forced to work in German coal mines until January 1945. As the Soviet armies resumed their offensive and advanced into Germany William, like most prisoners, was marched westward in groups of 200 to 300 in the so-called Death March until he was liberated by Allied forces.

In November 1945 William was medically discharged from military service with chronic bronchitis, arthritis and rheumatism of the knees and ankles. William Henry Gledhill received the 1939–45 Star and War Medal 1939–1945.

Jonathan Gledhill



Pte. George Frederick Levick 1st Batt Kings Own Yorkshire Light Inf

My uncle George Levick was captured in Italy on 22/01/1944 whilst serving with the 1st Battalion of the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (K.O.Y.L.I) with the 15th Infantry brigade he was sent to Stalag IVB then on 29/02/1944 was transferred to Stalag IVD his P.O.W number was 270602

Philip Levick



John Cunliffe Jessop 1st Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry

My uncle, John Cunliffe Jessop, according to notes my grandfather made, was moved to Oflag VIIB before 2 May 1941. He was in the 1st KOYLI and was captured in Norway.

Before Oflag VIIB he had been in a "reprisal camp" in Poland. He was one of those moved to Moosburg (Stalag VIIa) starting on 14 April 1945. Except that he produced a number of embroidered pictures while he was there, I don't think that I have any other information. I have been told that many of these were embroidered with sock wool because someone (I think the Red Cross) was able to supply wool for darning socks. These were therefore browns and greys or whatever colours were used for men's socks. At some stage he did have a range of bright colours.

John Jessop









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