Knaresborough Post, 5 May 1888: ROUTE MARCH OF THE IST VOLUNTEER BATTALION (P.W.0.) WEST REGIMENT. SHAM FIGHT AT RISELEY HALL.

On Saturday afternoon a very successful route march—concluding with a sham fight at Riseley Hall, near —was carried out by the companies forming the left half of the 1st Volunteer Battalion (Prince of Wales' Own) West Yorkshire Regiment, comprising the , Knaresboro' and Ripon Companies, and the and contingents, the former of which is attached to Knaresborough and the latter to Ripon. Lieut.-Col. Kearsley, commanding the Battalion, in issuing hie orders for the season, has arranged for a series of route marshes, to be carried out by the right half battalion, which has its headquarters at and by the left half battalion, which includes the above companies. These route marches are not planned simply for pleasure or recreation, but are accompanied by instructive manoeuvres of a character calculated to impart agreeable variety to the ordinary round of company and battalion drill.

A convenient centre in a particular district having been selected as a base of operations the companies from the surrounding district march thereto taking advantage on the route of practising signalling, and throwing out scouts by means of the cyclist section of the battalion, that of the left half consisting of 22 men of the Ripon and Harrogate companies, formed under the command of Lieut. Capes, of Harrogate.

The converging point of Saturday's route march was Riseley Hall, the residence of Mr. T. Binns. through whose kindness access was obtained to grounds well adapted for military manoeuvres. while an invitation was also given of hospitable refreshment; large party of ladies and gentlemen from Ripon, Harrogate, Knaresbro', and the intermediate district being also cordially invited, and had the pleasure of the day's enjoyment.

Riseley Hall is four miles distant from Ripon, and seven from Harrogate, close to the main road, and within a short distance from Wormald Green station. It is charmingly situated on an eminence overlooking an undulating country, well adapted for the operations of military forces especially of the character cut out for the men on Saturday. In and around the precincts of the Hall there is every element for warlike proceedings. The Hall itself, stately and imposing it appearance, possesses a lofty tower—from the flag staff of which on Saturday floated the Union Jack—commanding an extensive view of the country for many miles. Away to the west may be seen the rugged rocks of Brimham clearly outlined against the sky. On the north-west is How Hill with its quaint grey tower overlooking the vale and ancient abbey of Fountains. Northward, the view stretches away over she city and cathedral of Ripon along the Vale of Mowbray; an extensive view southward including Harrogate, Knaresbro' and many other points of interest. The site of the Hall itself is of strategic importance. On the north it is protected by a deep quarry, the caverns in which are objects of geological interest. To the east is a thickly wooded knoll of trees in which form a well-stocked rookery, an open plateau to the north of this forming splendid vantage ground for the battery of four guns, which on Saturday were here placed in position to defend the Hall. Immediately in front of the Hall is a wall twelve feet deep surmounted by heavy battlements, making the position almost impregnable to a force approaching from the valley. Descending the elevated position occupied by the Hall, further means of defence are available. At the bottom of the bill is a small copse, within which is a ruined building, well suited for the sheltering of skirmishers, and which if placed in the centre of any of our old battlefields might have been handed down to fame. In the valley runs a purling stream, its banks rich in lily of the valley and primrose, while its waters no doubt give to the lord of Riseley many a dish of the finny tribe.

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Bridges span the rivulet at different points, and as the eye took in the various places where sanguinary encounters might be expected, there was a keen anticipation of the coming struggle which was to decide the merit of the respective forces, which were to be distributed as follows: Ripon (H and I) Companies under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Kearsley, numbering 160 men were to defend the position. The Ripon officers were H Company, Captain Mengin, Lieutenants H. Kearsley and H. M. Bower; I Company, Captain Husband and Lieutenant Lowland. The attacking force numbered over 200 men, under the command of Major Brady, the company officers being, F. Harrogate, Lieut. Morrell; G. Knaresborough, Major Gill, Lieuts. Gill, (Wakefield), and A. E. Holtby. Boroughbridge forms part of the Knaresborough company. The Pateley Bridge company, newly formed, was a fine specimen of dalesmen and under the command of Lieuts. Lumsden and Metcalfe. The first arrangement was that the Pateley Bridge detachment, which is nearly 100 strong, should come to join the two Ripon companies, to which it is at present attached ; but it was found that this would cause the Pateley Bridge men to give up the whole day, and as the expense would be much greater Col. Kearsley allowed this fine portion of his force to be transferred to the enemy, which made the attacking force under Major Brady much stronger than the force of the defenders under Colonel Kearsley. It was arranged that no company should leave its headquarters before 2.30 pin., in order that the Ripon men being nearest to the point of attack might have time to reach Riseley Hall and take up position. The men turned out in full marching order, with water bottles, haversacks and leggings, and had served out to them 30 rounds of blank ammunition.

The plan of the day's proceedings was as follows: — The defending force under Col. Kearsley represented the outposts of an army encamped at Ripon, while the attacking force under Major Brady represented the advance guard of an army advancing towards Ripon from the south. The limit of the ground for the attacking party was not further east than and Bishop Monkton, and not further west than and Ingerthorpe so that the defenders had to watch a wide stretch of country. Colonel Kearsley's plan of defence, read out to the men before starting, was as follows: — The two Ripon companies divided into four, to defend Riseley Hall, and to consist of sentries, pickets, and reserves. No. 1 Company under Lieut. Bower to form the sentries; No. 2 Company under Capt. Husband to form three pickets; No. 3 Company under Lieut. Gowland to occupy the village of Bishop Monkton, and keep touch with Riseley Hall; No. 4 Company under Capt. Mangin to form (with No. 3) the reserve behind Risely Hall; Lieut. Bower to place his outposts in a semicircle with the right resting on the quarry two fields in front of Riseley Hall, and having his left extending over the Burton Leonard road until it joined Lieut. Gowland’s company at Bishop Monkton. Captain Husband to place his right picket on the road above Wormald Green station, his centre picket on the Harrogate road near the Risely Hall Lodge, and the left picket in the Burton Leonard Lane near Keeley Hall. Capt. Mangin to detach a Sergeant with four files to hold the bank of the river, at the same time removing any planks that might be about. Lieut. Kearsley was appointed Aide de Camp to keep the Colonel informed of what went on along the whole front of the sentries, which extended ever two miles; the work of the enemy apparently being an easy one to concentrate and advance upon any given point; and, seeing that sentries are not allowed to advance, the result was most likely to be the retirement of the smaller defending force.

The day was all that could be desired for a march out. The roads were in capital order, though somewhat dusty, but as the bulk of the force travelled across fields and through lanes, this did not seriously affect them. The clouds occasionally were dark and threatening, and at times the atmosphere was exceedingly murky, rendering a distinct view of the country impossible. By half-past three Riseley Hall presented a busy and animated appearance. Mr. and Mrs. Binns were fully occupied in

3 welcoming their numerous visitors, in addition to which hundreds of spectators gathered on the hill near Riseley to look out for the arrival of the troops.

Shortly after this time, the Ripon men were visible in the distance from the tower, advancing along Monkton-moor, and throwing out their scouts right and left. The cyclists dashed off well in advance, but before their task was completed they found their work pretty heavy, the thick tunic and Martini- Henri rifle being undesirable articles with which to be handicapped on a bicycle. By 4 o'clock Col. Kearsley had marched his main force onto the ground, and positions were quickly taken up as already planned.

All was now excitement and interest, and the ladies looked admiringly at their red-coated defenders, dotted here and there in the park as sentries, and scouting far across the fields in the distance. Something like half-an-hour passed without anything more striking than the vagaries of a sentry immediately below the Hall. This worthy took up ground close by the stream, and no enemy being visible, he placed his rifle on planks removed from the bank, and to quote the poet "Down he sat beside the brook, And out his bread and cheese he took, For he was hot and dry." The comfortable manner in which it was possible for a sentry to refresh in view of an immediate attack of the enemy displayed a nonchalance and coolness, which has ever been a distinguishing characteristic of the British army. The lovely manner in which the water bottle was upended at the close, and the long lingering draught which was taken as well as the evident reluctance with which the stopper was replaced, led to the supposition that the so-called water bottle contained some other ingredient. This business concluded, the sentry whiled away the time with a pipe of' tobacco, and an occasional shot with a stone at venturesome water rats. A brother sentry not far away sought repose under the shady bushes, feeling that after all a campaign was not a very great hardship.

The top of the tower now became the centre of attraction, and the gallant colonel from this point anxiously scanned the horizon with a view of ascertaining the whereabouts of the enemy, while the umpires (Capt. St. George, Adjutant of the 1st West York, and Major I'Anson, 3rd West York militia awaited also the development of events.

In order to understand the position of affairs at ' this juncture we must turn our attention to the force under Major Brady, which had before it a seven miles march with the prospect at the end of a stubborn conflict for the possession of Riseley Hall, for "when Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war." To avoid the long march down the Valley, the Pateley Bridge force was allowed to take train to the Ripley Valley Station, and march across country to a point between Knaresborough and Striven, where the united forces from Harrogate and Knaresborough also met. Here Major Brady disposed the men under his command as follows:— Advanced guard sent forward to reconnoitre, the bicyclists leading, while the main body was protected by a rear guard. A forced march was then made in a bee line over hedges and ditches, and ploughed fields, Burton Leonard being reached before the time expected. Here an amusing incident occurred in the surprise of two of the Ripon cyclists, Sergt. Bateman and Private Croft, who, in a moment of inattention, were captured by the enemy, and thus were prevented from giving an alarm, and from carrying that information which the Colonel vainly awaited.

Part of the attacking force made a feint in the direction of South Stainley, and the Colonel, accompanied by his aide-de-camp, rode rapidly in that direction to repel the attack. In the meantime the force at Burton Leonard, after scouring the village, again took the open country, and advanced rapidly in the direction of Riseley, and proceeding carefully as they approached, the enemy's outposts were not long in opening the attack. They were met by half of Lieut. Gowland's company under

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Colour-sergeant , and several well-directed volleys were poured from cover upon the enemy advancing in the open, the defenders claiming that in actual warfare the attacking party would have been for the most part killed or wounded. Had the umpires been present they would no doubt have decided the point, and ordered the men, supposed to be shot, off the ground. Major Brady's force continued to advance, and as the rattle of musketry awoke the echoes great consternation was caused at Riseley Hall, both ladies and gentlemen being in a flutter of excitement, while the rooks hovered in a thick cloud over the trees, evidently being of opinion that the battle day had come. On the near approach of the enemy, the battery of artillery at once opened fire, and was supposed to have caused great havoc among the enemy with shot and shell. The fighting behind the hill was of a desperate and sanguinary character; the attacking party pressed determinedly forward and Colonel Kearsley anxious that the ladies ' and gentlemen assembled on the terrace at the hall should have an opportunity of seeing a fight of some description ordered a retreat all along the line. The spectators had vainly looked in the direction of Harrogate for an attack, and had anticipated that masses of men would be thrown against the impregnable bulwarks of Riseley, remitting in slaughter such as had not been witnessed, as was scripturally observed, since the days of "Sehon, king of the Amonites, and Og, the king of Bashan." With Major Brady however there was no intention of repeating the mistake of the "Light Brigade", and as strategy was the order of the day, it became necessary to approach the Hall as secretly as possible, the eastward attack proving the most advantageous and successful. Retreating step by step, and closely followed by the attacking party, Col. Kearsley's force at length found shelter in the wooded knoll overlooking Riseley, and here the battle raged furiously for a considerable time, until Major Brady attempted to turn the flank by an attack near the quarry. The reserves were at once thrown forward, and heavy firing then took place on the Ripon side, Col. Kearsley in person heading a charge upon the enemy. The detachment left in the wood descended into the bottom, and the crown of the hill was then occupied by Major Brady's men who continued to I pour volley after volley on the defenders who ought immediately to have been shot. They were, however, withdrawn from this important point, and as they trooped through the garden, were rallied by the spectators, who declared that British soldiers never turned their backs on the enemy. Further fighting now took place near the quarry as well as around the battery, the zeal of the attacking party leading them to attempt to shoulder and carry off the artillery, but on the interference of the officers in command the guns were left on the supposition that they had been spiked. The engagement became general along the line, the defenders in the direction of South Stainley were heavily pressed and volley after volley was poured upon them. Lieut. Bower and his men in front of the hall kept up a brisk fire, and the enemy finding the wood unguarded came down into the garden and opened deliberate fire on the defenders who were reduced to great straits, as the ammunition had given out. The men, however, did their best from behind the terraced walks to keep a desultory fire with such cartridges as were left, and the Colonel mustering his forces which rose from their sheltered position in true "Up Guards and at 'em" style, led them with a loud cheer in a brilliant charge across lawn tennis and flower beds to repel the bold invaders. This, however, was but a forlorn hope, as the Umpires had already decided that the abandonment of the Knoll (which was deserted alike by rooks and Riponers) was the turning point in the conflict, and the key of the position having been lost, Riseley Hall—with all its inhabitants and numerous fair visitors, as well as the ample array of provisions and refreshment—had fallen into the hands of the enemy.

The "cease fire" was sounded, and the whole force then mustered under Colonel Kearsley for a march past on the level plateau behind the Hall. One prisoner was taken by Colonel Kearsley's force. Notwithstanding the fatigue the men had already undergone, they marched past in splendid style, and went through the various movements of forming column and extending into line with alacrity and precision. The Pateley Bridge men in marching past received the greatest praise, and even the Colonel

5 could not refrain from calling out "Well done Pateley Bridge," a compliment well merited. The successful and practical day's work was concluded with a general salute, after which the battalion marched down to the Hall, where they were regaled with substantial meat pies, with tea, lemonade, or beer, followed by a supply of tobacco and pipes, which was spread out in the billiard room. Mr. Binns entertained the officers to dinner, and the ladies and gentlemen received as visitors were also hospitably entertained.

The Captains afterwards took command of their companies, the Pateley Bridge men being the first to move off, which they did in gallant style at the double, after giving three cheers for Mr. Binns and the Colonel. The Pateley Bridge men went by train from Wormald Green by the branch train specially run down for them. The Knaresbro' and Harrogate Companies also left by train at 8.42, arriving in Harrogate shortly after 9.0. The Harrogate men on arriving at their Drill Hall were addressed by Major Brady, for whom hearty cheers were given in recognition of the skilful manner in which he had conducted the attack. Notwithstanding the fatigue undergone by the men, not one in the whole force fell out, the ambulance corps, under the circumstances, having a very light task to fulfil. Before their departure, the Ripon companies marched in front of the Hall, and Col. Kearsley, on behalf of the officers and members, thanked Mr. and Mrs. Binns, in the name of the left half battalion, for the most hospitable and generous manner in which they had been received and entertained, and after expressing the great pleasure and satisfaction it had afforded both the attacking and defending forces to have such a delightful rendezvous as Riseley Hall, he concluded by calling for three hearty cheers of Mr. and Mrs. Binns and their family, to which Mr. Binns, surrounded by a large circle of his personal friends, responded that as they had found the locality convenient for their operation, hoped that at some future time to be able to see them under similar happy circumstances. Loud cheers followed, and the men left the Hall singing, “For he’s a jolly good fellow.”

On reaching the city, the Ripon companies were marched into the market-place and were addressed by Colonel Kearsley, who said that he could not allow them to be dismissed to their homes without expressing to them the very great satisfaction which the day’s proceedings had given him. It was the first time that the battalion had paraded in full marching order, with water bottles, haversacks and leggings, and although he had been in the battalion now 28 years, he had never seen them turn out so strong, smart, and clean, and with uniforms and accoutrements so well put on, and what was more, had never seen them conduct themselves in such a soldierly manner throughout the day although they had been under arms eight hours and had exercised a long route march, well taken part in a sham fight, they had marched back to Ripon jolly, cheerful, and happy as though they had only been out for a short parade. He could only say he was delighted with their conduct, appearance and steadiness throughout the day. The men were then dismissed and the eventful proceedings of the day were brought to conclusion.