Part 8

LIEUT. LESLIE BROOKS, 2nd Lincolnshire Regiment, the youngest son of Mr. J. B. Brooks, Finstall, Bromsgrove, who married, on November 14th, 1914, Blanche, elder daughter of Mr. A. J. Birley, J.P., of Throstle Nest, Thornton-in-Craven, was killed in action in France on September 25th, 1915. Lieut. Brooks was educated at Uppingham and Clare College, Cambridge. He joined the 4th West Yorkshire Regiment, Special Reserve, on the outbreak of war, was attached to the 2nd Lincolnshire Regiment in May, 1915, and then went to the front.

2ND LIEUT. J. C. MCINTYRE, 2nd Yorkshire Regiment, son of Mr. A. McIntyre, of Ings Avenue, Skipton, was reported wounded and missing on September 25th, 1915, and died a prisoner of war in Germany. Lieut. McIntyre was a former Captain of Ermysted’s Grammar School, Skipton, and St. John’s College, York. He enlisted as a private in the Gordon Highlanders shortly after the outbreak of hostilities, and was first stationed at Aberdeen. Subsequently he transferred to the Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders, with which he trained at Stirling and Salisbury Plain. He attained the rank of sergeant, and also held a gymnastic instructor’s certificate, having passed through the school at Aldershot. Early in April, 1915, he was gazetted to the 11th South Lancashire Regiment, but was later transferred to the 2nd Yorkshire Regiment, with which regiment he went to the front.

CAPTAIN P. C. PRESTON, 7th Norfolk Regiment, of Shrublands, Swaffham, Norfolk, second son of the late Captain John Norcliffe Preston, Flasby Hall, Gargrave, was killed between the 12th and 15th October, 1915. Captain Preston had seen previous service in Lumsden’s Horse in the South African War and possessed two medals. He joined the Forces soon after war broke out and proceeded to France. For several years he lived in Swaffham, being head of the firm of Chamberlayne & Co., merchants. He interested himself in many branches of sport, and was an enthusiastic cricket and tennis player.

2ND LIEUT. BASIL SPENCER JENNINGS, 14th West Yorkshire Regiment, son of Mrs. J. S. Jennings, of Cononley Hall, died from wounds received in action in Gallipoli, on the 7th November, 1915. Lieut. Jennings, who was 25 years of age, was in Morocco when the war broke out; he returned to England and enlisted in King Edward’s Horse, and was afterwards given a commission in the 14th West Yorkshire Regt. He went out to Suvla Bay in September, 1915, attached to the 6th Yorkshire Regiment. He gave his life in a noble deed. On the night of the 5th November, 1915, he went to the trenches to rescue a wounded soldier; he was sniped and died from his wounds two days later. Lieut. Jennings was for some years connected with the firm of P. W. Spencer, quarry owners, Lothersdale. He was educated at Sedbergh, and for a few seasons he played Rugby Union in the Skipton team. This officer and his cousin, Lieut. J. A. C. Spencer, of whom we give a portrait and biography in this book, were grandsons of the late Mr. Peter William Spencer, of Raygill, Lothersdale.

LIEUT. T. S. WHITAKER, ⅙th Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, only son of the late Mr. Thomas Whitaker, J.P., and Mrs. Whitaker, Walton House, Burley-in-Wharfedale, was killed in action in France, on 7th November, 1915. Lieut. Whitaker, who was an old Sedberghian, obtained his commission in the ⅙th Duke of Wellington’s Regt. from the O.T.C. in August, 1914, and went to France with the Batt. in April, 1915. Originally he was Machine Gun Officer, but latterly had charge of the bombers.

2ND LIEUT. T. W. CARSON, ⅙th Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, younger son of Mrs. Carson, Salisbury Street, Skipton, who was reported missing since December, 28th, 1915, was afterwards officially presumed killed. Lieut. Carson joined the 2/6th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in September, 1914, relinquishing an appointment with a firm of solicitors in North Wales. He went to France on November 1st, 1915, and for a time was attached to an Entrenching Battn. He had only joined the ⅙th Battn. about a fortnight prior to being reported missing. He was 31 years of age and educated at Lancaster Grammar School and the Merchant Tailors’ School, Liverpool. He was prominently identified with the Boy Scout movement.

CAPTAIN ARTHUR MORRIS SLINGSBY, M.C., 56th Punjaubi Rifles, second son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Slingsby, of Carla Beck, Carleton, fell in action on March 8th, 1916, in Mesopotamia. Captain Slingsby was with General Aylmer’s force proceeding to the relief of General Townshend and his beleaguered army at Kut. Educated at Aysgarth School and Wellington College, Sandhurst, Captain Slingsby, who was 30 years of age, chose the Army as his profession, and passed into the Indian Army in February, 1904. He was a noted climber and a member of the Alpine Club, and did much survey work, particularly of virgin peaks in India, under Government orders. He was in India when war broke out, and his first experience of fighting was in Egypt, where he took part in the battle of Ismaliu.

2ND LIEUT. HARRY THORNTON PICKLES, 3rd Bn. Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment (S.R.). second son of Mr. Stephen Pickles, J.P., C.C., of Raysgill, Barnoldswick, was killed in action on April 26th, 1916. He was 26 years of age. Lieut. Pickles joined the army in September, 1914, enlisting as a private in the 10th Duke of Wellington’s Regt. After a period of training at Frensham Camp, he was promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieut. and transferred to the 3rd Res. Bn. at North Shields. He was drafted out to France in January, 1916. Educated at Silcoates School, near Wakefield, where he spent five years, leaving at the age of 17, he went to Victoria University, Manchester, taking his B.A. degree with honours before the age of 20. The M.A. degree was conferred upon him the following year. He was married at Lewisham the week before leaving England, his bride being Miss Ada Heuf, of New Eltham, Kent.

LIEUT. CHRISTOPHER W. BROWN, Royal Scots Fusiliers, was killed in action in France on April 30th, 1916. Lieut. Brown was the youngest son of the Rev. C. V. and Mrs. Brown, of Embsay Vicarage, near Skipton, and grandson of the late Mr. J. R. Wilkinson, of Burnside, Skipton. He was born at Embsay on November 15th, 1892, and educated at Skipton and Pocklington Grammar Schools. At Pocklington, he gained a Dolman Exhibition tenable at St. John’s College, Cambridge. He entered St. John’s College in October, 1911, and three years later took honours in the Historical Tripos. On the outbreak of war, he at once volunteered for service and was given a commission as 2nd Lieut. in the Special Reserve of Officers, eventually being gazetted to the Royal Scots Fusiliers. He was wounded at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915, and again at Hooge in September, 1915. He was promoted Lieut. in the summer of 1915, and at the time of his death was in command of a company.

LIEUT. EDMUND BROWNSWORTH, Leicestershire Regiment, youngest son of the late Mr. David Brownsworth, artist, and Mrs. Brownsworth, of Skipton, died in the 10th Casualty Clearing Station at Abule, on May 29th, 1916. He received the first rudiments of education under Mr. Alfred Hartley at the Skipton National School and, later, after a period of training, was apprenticed to the Merchant Service. After many extended cruises, he left the sea on account of ill-health. Later, he joined the army and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the Leicestershire Regiment, and in that capacity went out to France in November, 1914. He so distinguished himself that the Brigadier-General recommended him for a commission. He was gazetted to his old regiment in April, 1915, as a 2nd Lieut., being advanced in November to a Temporary Lieutenancy.

LIEUT. STEPHEN SLINGSBY, H.M.S. “_Defence_,” fourth son of Mr. J. A. Slingsby and Mrs. Slingsby, Carla Beck, Carleton, was killed in action in the North Sea in June, 1916. The deceased officer was born on the 20th June, 1892, and was educated at St. Edmund’s School, Hindhead, and underwent training for his career in the Navy at the Royal Naval College at Osborne and Dartmouth, and on H.M.S. “_Cornwall_.” His ships included the “_Warrior_,” “_Cochrane_,” “_Comet_,” and the “_Defence_.” At the outbreak of war he was Sub-Lieut. on the “_Comet_,” a destroyer, and was posted to the “_Defence_” as Lieut. (E) in September, 1915. He was the holder of the Medal of the Royal Life Saving Society, which he won at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, in July, 1909.

LIEUT. WILLIAM ELLIS GOMERSALL, 22nd Manchester Regiment, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Gomersall, of 69, Queen’s Road, Urmston, Manchester, and nephew of the late Rev. W. J. Gomersall, was killed in action on July 1st, 1916. Lieut. Gomersall was born at Hellifield and was 21 years of age. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and passed his Classical Matriculation in 1911. He was a member of the Grammar School O.T.C. and Lieut. in the Urmston (Manchester) Company of the Church Lads’ Brigade. He also held the certificate of the Royal Life Saving Society and St. John Ambulance Society. Soon after outbreak of war, he enlisted as a private in the Public Schools Brigade, Manchester Bn. After several months’ training at Epsom, he was selected for a commission in the 23rd Bn. Manchester Regiment, but was afterwards transferred to the 22nd Bn. After being promoted to full Lieut. on May 11th, 1915, he entered a course at the Royal Staff College, Camberley, and eventually accompanied his regiment to France where he met his death.

MAJOR JOHN CHAYTER METCALFE, Cheshire Regiment, killed in action July 3rd, 1916. The deceased officer, who was 34 years of age, was the only son of the late Major John A. Metcalfe, of Ings House, Hawes, and resided at King Edward’s Place, Wanborough, Wilts. He served with the 3rd West Yorkshire Regiment during the South African War, where he was for some time temporary Aide-de-Camp to the late Lord Cloughton. He afterwards received a commission in the 13th Hussars. He left the army in 1906, took up racing, and was a successful amateur steeplechase rider and breeder of thoroughbred horses. When the war commenced, he enlisted in the Public Schools Corps, and in October, 1914, received a commission in the Cheshire Regiment, being gazetted Temporary Major in September, 1915. His grandfather, who resided at Hawes, was Chaplain to the Duke of Wellington, and his uncle, the late Dr. Parker, was for years the vicar of Hawes.

LIEUT. HENRY BRYAN FISHER, 5th Northumberland Fusiliers, the younger son of Dr. G. E. Fisher, of Skipton, died in hospital from severe wounds in both thighs, in July, 1916. The deceased officer, who was only 20 years of age, was educated at Colwall School and Winchester College, and afterwards went to Canada, where he was engaged in farming with his uncle, Mr. Arthur Fisher. After the outbreak of war, he returned to England to enlist, and receiving a commission was gazetted to the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers.

2ND LIEUT. ERNEST PARSONS, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment (attached 1st Welsh Regt.), died from fever in the Malaria Hospital, at Salonica, on July 24th, 1916. Lieut. Parsons left Chili in November, 1914, where he had an excellent railway appointment, with twenty-eight other Englishmen, who had come along with him 11,000 miles to offer their services to the country. They drilled daily on board ship, and on arrival in England enlisted early in 1915. Lieut. Parsons received his commission, and after being stationed at Woolwich, Aldershot and Basingstoke, he sailed for Egypt in November, 1915. In May, 1916, he was transferred to Salonica. Lieut. Parsons was the younger son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Parsons, School House, Rathmell, where he was born. He was 25 years of age.

2ND LIEUT. FRANK DINSDALE, York & Lancaster Regiment, son of Mr. & Mrs. Jas. Dinsdale, Show Cote, Askrigg, was reported wounded and missing on July 1st, 1916, and afterwards officially presumed killed in action. Lieut. Dinsdale received his commission from the Leeds University O.T.C. in Sept. 1915, and went to France in June 1916.

2ND LIEUT. JAMES W. FRYER, Northumberland Fusiliers, only son of the late Major J. W. Fryer and Mrs. Fryer, now of “Kingarth,” Fenham, Newcastle, and formerly of Hawes, killed in action on July 1st, 1916. He joined the Northumberland Fusiliers shortly after the outbreak of war. Prior to joining the forces he was articled clerk to Messrs. Dickinson, Millar & Turnbull, Solicitors, Newcastle, and had successfully passed his first examinations, and was hoping to qualify his final when he joined the Colours.

MAJOR S. BROADBENT MAUFE, West Yorkshire Regt., died of wounds on July 5th, 1916. The late Major Maufe was the eldest son of Frederick Broadbent and Helen Mann Maufe, of Warlbeck, Ilkley, and husband of Hilda Maufe, of Acomb, York. He was educated at Uppingham and Clare College, joined the army in 1910, and was mentioned in despatches.

CAPTAIN CEDRIC F. HORSFALL, ⅙th Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, eldest son of Sir John and Lady Horsfall, of Hayfield, Glusburn, was killed in action in France on September 18th, 1916. Captain Horsfall, who was a popular figure in Craven, joined the Army at the outbreak of hostilities. Prior to doing so, he was in partnership with his father at Hayfield Mills. When his regiment went to the front, he was a 2nd Lieut., and a few months’ service gained him his Captaincy, but not before he had been wounded twice. It was in May, 1916, that he returned to active service. Up to joining the forces he had taken a deep interest in politics. He was a member of the Sutton Baptist Church, and was 26 years of age.

2ND LIEUT. ARTHUR C. GOODALL, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards), nephew of Mr. and Mrs. J. Goodall, of “New Zealand,” Crosshills, killed in action in France, November 6th, 1916. Lieut. Goodall was a member of the Durham Light Infantry (T) when hostilities broke out. Shortly after the outbreak, he was promoted to non-commissioned rank and went to the Front in April, 1915. In December, 1915, he received a well-earned commission, but in March, 1916, he was invalided home. Lieut. Goodall was well-known in the Crosshills district, where he resided for some time.

LIEUT. G. C. H. CUTLIFFE HYNE, Irish Guards, only son of Mr. C. J. Cutliffe Hyne, of Kettlewell, the well-known Yorkshire novelist, died on November 21st, 1916, at the home of the Hon. Mrs. F. Guest, used as a Military Hospital, in Park Lane, London. The interment took place on November 25th, 1916, with military honours, at Kettlewell. Lieut. Hyne, who was in his 19th year, figured in a notable deed of gallantry, which resulted in the saving of all his guns, but seventeen men out of twenty-five in his gun company became casualties. He was wounded about the middle of September, 1916, and taken to the hospital named above.

LIEUT. JASPER WHITFIELD SNOWDEN, Worcestershire Regiment, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Snowden, of the Garth, Embsay, and grandson of the late Rev. John Snowden, Vicar of Ilkley, was born at Bradford, in 1896. The deceased officer commenced his education at the Bradford Grammar School, and in 1909 went to Rossall School. He took a keen interest in sport and the study of natural history, and gained several prizes from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. From the very first he was an enthusiastic and active member of the Officers’ Training Corps, and was in Camp at Tidworth when war broke out. He volunteered for service and was given a commission in the above regiment, was sent to France on February 17th, 1915, and was wounded at St. Eloi, in May. In September he was sent to the Dardanelles where, owing to an attack of dysentery, he went into hospital. He soon rejoined his Bn. in Egypt, and later was drafted to Mesopotamia where he was again wounded on April 5th, 1916. He was afterwards sent to India where he was for some months on sick leave. He returned to the Tigris Line at the end of January, and fell in action on February 25th, 1917.

LIEUT. ALEC. WILSON, 1st Herefordshire Regiment (T.F.), son of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Wilson, J.P., of Lothersdale. Lieut. Wilson, whose stay at Ermysted’s Grammar School, Skipton, extended from 1906 to 1913, and included the honoured position of Captain, was articled in the estate office of the Marquis of Abergavenny. When war broke out he at once joined the above regiment as 2nd Lieut. He went out to the Dardanelles in August, 1915, and went through that trying and devastating campaign. Following the evacuation, Lieut. Wilson was sent to Egypt, where he was killed on March 26th, 1917.

LIEUT. FRANK WHALEY, Yorkshire Regiment, the youngest son of the Rev. F. W. Whaley, Vicar of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, was killed in action on March 31st, 1917. He joined the Royal Fusiliers (Public Schools Battalion) as a private soon after the outbreak of war, and, after serving at the Front in France for six months in 1915-1916, was sent home to train for a commission, being gazetted 2nd Lieut. on 26th September, 1916. He joined his regiment in France early in November, 1916.

2ND LIEUT. THOMAS D. BROUGHTON, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, son of the late Mr. Thomas Broughton and Mrs. Broughton, of Park House, Highfield Terrace, Skipton, died in hospital in April, 1917, from wounds received in action. After leaving school, Lieut. Broughton attended the Technical College, Bradford, for several years, and subsequently joined the firm of Messrs. H. A. Gray & Co., Valley Mills, Bradford. He joined the Artists’ Rifles in November, 1915, and after the usual training at Camberley Staff College, was given a commission in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

2ND LIEUT. ERIC G. GOODMAN, Dorsetshire Regiment, who was killed in action in France on April 12th, 1917, was a son of Dr. and Mrs. T. H. Goodman, 39, High Street, Haverhill, Suffolk, and a relative of Nurse Beresford, of Skipton. Twenty-two years of age, Lieut. Goodman received his education at Epsom College and Skipton Grammar School, being at the latter School Captain of the Rugby and Cricket teams and sports champion in 1910. In 1913, he joined the Civil Service Rifles, and on August 4th, 1914, he volunteered for service. He went to France in March, 1915, and was twice wounded.

LIEUT. T. B. BELLAMY, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Bellamy, Chapel Hill, Skipton, died from wounds received in action in Mesopotamia on April 30th, 1917. Formerly a traveller for Mr. John Mollet, ironmonger, Bradford, Lieut. Bellamy enlisted as a private in the R.F.A. a month after the outbreak of war, and in 1915 accepted the offer of a commission, and was posted to the regiment named. After taking part in the opening operations in Mesopotamia, he went to India on sick leave, but returned to the Near East at Christmas, 1916, and, along with two other officers of an advanced guard, was the first to enter Baghdad.

CAPTAIN CYRIL HOOK, Manchester Regiment, who was killed in action on April 23rd, 1917, was the second son of Sergt.-Major and Mrs. Hook (late of Bangalore), and grandson of the late Sergt.-Major Hook, of Settle. He was 21 years of age, and joined the Manchester Regiment as a 2nd Lieut. He went to the Front in November, 1915, being wounded in the July advance, but returned to active service again in November, 1916. Before the outbreak of war he was with Messrs. Mather & Platt, of Manchester, and a member of the Broughton Park Rugby Club.

CAPTAIN JAMES BRUCE MACKAY, West Yorkshire Regiment, was the elder son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Mackay, 11, High Street, Skipton. Thirty-two years of age, he enlisted as a private in the Hussars during the month following the outbreak of war, and, after twelve months’ training at Colchester, accepted a commission and was gazetted 2nd Lieut., being posted to the West Yorkshire Regt., proceeding to France in July, 1916. He took part in the battle of the Somme, and his promotion to the rank of Captain came on the battlefield. He was killed in action on May 3rd, 1917. He was educated at the Skipton Grammar School, and prior to enlisting was an Inspector in the London district for Messrs. Freeman, Hardy & Willis, boot manufacturers.

2ND LIEUT. ERIC MARLOR, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, son of Mr. Frank Marlor, Close House, Settle. Joined the Artists’ Rifles, December 15th, 1915, as a private. He afterwards entered the Cadet School, and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. of the 2/6th Duke of Wellington’s Regt., in September, 1916. In December of the same year he was attached to the 2/7th Duke of Wellington’s Regt., and went to France in January, 1917. He was reported missing May 3rd, 1917, in the attack on Bullecourt, and was last seen passing through the German wire at the head of his men. Neither 2nd Lieut. Marlor nor any of his men reported missing on that day have ever been traced or heard of, and the War Office has officially presumed their deaths.

CAPTAIN CLAUDE D. BENNETT, 2/6th Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, was the son of the late Mr. John Bennett, of Airedale Terrace, Skipton. The deceased officer was wounded in May, 1917, but he made a good recovery and returned to France on Wednesday, July 11th, 1917, exactly a week before he received the wounds which resulted in his death the same day. After leaving Skipton Grammar School, Captain Bennett served an apprenticeship to the teaching profession with the late Mr. W. H. Walker, of the Water Street Council School, Skipton, and later went to Westminster College to complete his training. Afterwards, for a time, he was a teacher at the Water Street School, where he remained about twelve months. From this school he was transferred to the staff of the Old British School at Skipton, and afterwards was for four years assistant master at the Brougham Street Council School, Skipton. Subsequently he was appointed headmaster of Langcliffe Council School. Captain Bennett, who was 30 years of age, started service in the Army as 2nd Lieut., and his promotion was rapid.

2ND LIEUT. FRANK HUBERT GILL, West Yorkshire Regiment, met his death in action on August 16th, 1917. He was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Gill, of Park Avenue, Skipton. Twenty-three years of age, deceased was educated at the Water Street Wesleyan Higher Grade School, and Ermysted’s Grammar School, Skipton. Before the war, he held a commission in the local Cadet Corps, but on the outbreak of hostilities, he joined the ⅙th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment as a private, with which he served in France for twenty-three months. Subsequently he was granted a commission, and returned home in the early part of 1917 to undergo the necessary training for his new duties in a school at Fleet. Afterwards he was attached to the West Yorkshire Regiment, and again proceeded to the front about five weeks before he met his death.