LEST WE FORGET The Kirkby Lonsdale Men who died in World War I compiled by Sydney Richardson digitised and updated 2014 by John Hamlett for the centenary commemorations of WWI c:::\lottery fund CONTENTS Section I: Introduction concerning layout ofthe Book of Remembrance. Section 11: BriefHistory of some of the main Regiments involved. Section Ill: List, in chronological order, of the men who died. Section IV: Information about each man: This material includes some or all of the following: +Commonwealth War Graves' Commission information on cemetery or memorial; + K.L.Parish Magazine notice or obituary; + Westmorland Gazette obituary; + War Office Medal Roll (medals due). The Story of the Kirkby Lonsdale War Memorial LAYOU'L The information about those who died is set out in chronological order, Dot as on the War Memorial, where the men are ~rouped by re~iment or corps. The purpose ofthis arrangement is to show how the -casualties -became progressively heavier as the war ground on, especial~y on the Western Front in France. It also allows a rough time line to be added of the major-ca-m-paigns a-nd -of ·the-areas around -the world which also saw significant conflict and where Kirkby Lonsdale men were involved. For example: Gallipoli/the Dardenelles, Apr., 1915 - Jan. 1916: An attempt to knock Tu-rkey out ofthe war and to create another route to Russia: failed with many casualties for British, ANZAC and French forces. Mesopotamia and Palestine, 1917-1918: Further attacks on Turkish Empire, leading to the breaku.p ofthe Turkish Empire and the creation of many ofthe modern Middle Eastern states. Africa, 1914-1918; Attacks -on the-German -colonies in south-west and east Africa, ending the German imperial presence. India: ongoing British army presence in the largest of the British -colonies, ending only in 1947. France, 1914-1918: After the-initial Ger-man advance through Belgium and North-East France, continuous trench warfare and frequent massive battles and losses, with the British and Empire forces holding the northern end of the front. V.S.A. joined in in 1917. The War at Sea, 1914-1918: Continuous struggle to defend Allied supply lines a.gainst surface warships, submarines and mines. The one major confrontation between the British and German fleets was the Battle ofJutland in -the North Sea, 191.(j. BRIEF REGIMENTAL HISTORIES. ....I......!L.L&LA~~~U.&1....&3.Lo~..II...I...!AA.LI.....3.~·• Originally the 34th Foot was raised in 1702 in Essex and Norfolk, and the 55th foot in 1757 in Stirling (Scotland). In.1782 the 34th was linked to Cumberland and the 55th to Westmorland. was formed with the 34th Cumberland as the ist Battalion and the 55th Westmorland as the 2nd B'attalion. The Regiment saw service in Burma, on the North West frontier of India and in the Boer War before 1914. During , numerous other battalions were formed as the army grew, perhaps the most famous being the 11th Lonsdale Battalion raised at the expense of Lord Lonsdale and suffering immense losses at the Battle of the Somme so that it has its own cemetery (see attached letter). Battalions served in numerous areas and battles in France, including Ypres (most of the War), the Somme (1916 and 1918), Cambrai (1917-18), Arras (1917-18). Elsewhere the ist Battalion was heavily in involved at Gallipoli from the beginning (April, 1915) to the end (January, 1916) and in Macedonia (1915-1918). During the Regiment was in the retreat to Dunkirk. Later, the ist Battalion was converted to a glider-borne unit and took part in the invasion of Sicily (1943) and Arnhem (1944). It was also with the 8th Army in North Africa, including the siege ofTobruk, and three Battalions served in Burma against the Japanese, one taking part in the second "Chindit" attack behind Japanese lines in 1944. Its Museum is at Carlisle Castle. Lonsdal~ (~metery reveals Jull horro~, of awful battle I~o rV'- C t,L I/V\' .\J C l'"" l~::. VI.. J 0. nit\. We 57 ~ 'JITi 0 d,,- n et {-{e. r 0... r. ~ I Cl ve WI .b If? f'( :2. t::7 ~ g' er N ,.h"~~""~~. ,-",' ". " 0" " """ "1 Sir, Remembrance Day this scenes it is now a picture year holds a special sig­ of tranquility, with fields nificance since it marks of wheat interspersed the 90th anniversary of with poppies and cattle the end of World War 1. It grazing nearby. was with this in mind The Lonsdales were formed that I went back to the as a "pals" battalion of • Lonsdale Ce'metery in the Border Regiment at • northern France, a jour­ the instigation of Lord ney 1 first made with my Lonsdale and were under father in 1963, The the command'of Colonel • enclosed photograph was Machell. taken on my recent visit The troops were recruited • and might be of interest from Cumberland and to some of YOlU' readers. Westmorland and every • The Lonsdale Cemetery is family in those two coun­ one of more than 200 ties was affected in some • spread over the area way. My own great uncle, where the Somme Battle Fred Brunskill, from was fought so bitterly Great Asby, was one of over many months in the fortunate Lonsdales • 1916. It lies near the vil­ to return, although I l!'lge of Authuille and think he was wounded within a short distance Of both on the So1'nme and Aveluy Wood where the later at Ypres. Lonsdales "went over the As a boy I recall going to • top" on 1st July, 1916. Crabstack Farm, near In common with every other BOlton, the home· of • sector on the Somme, the "Joss" Jackson, and ask­ Lonsdales suffered heavy ing him about the medals • losses on that terrible which were in a small first day, losses which case above the kitchen were to continue until door. He replied that "one • November of that year was for supping porridge • when the battle slowly and another was for bon­ years ago and even from ed. I recall my father ing kippers". In fact, he the time of my first,visit spotting the name of the • ground to a halt. schoolmaster from Great In contrast to those horrific was being far too modest there with my father in • as he "had won the 1963, On that occasion Asby. Military Medal, one of there were relativ.ely few There are also impressive ~ the highest awards for visitors - mainly veter­ monuments at Delville bravery issued to ordi­ ans of the First World Wood (UDevil's Wood") o nary soldiers. War or relatives 'visiting where the South African At one stage he'had been graves of lost ones. Now visitor centre is situated. (§ buried alive after a shell there has been a revival . Particularly evocative is eA-ploded nearby and was of interest as families the caribou monument 3 dug out suffering from trace their histories. and Newfoundland visi­ 0" shell shock and unable to The inclusion in school his­ tor centre near the infa­ ('1) speak (fortunately tem­ tory syllabuses has also mous Y Ravine. .., porarily). He wrote meant that many school However, it is small ceme­ I\) home from hospital groups visit the various teries such as the Q asslU'ing his mother that excellent museums and Lonsdale where the full he was alive and well and visitor centres. Par­ tragedy of that awesome Q that "she would be ~ ticularly .poignant is the and awful battle is fully pleased to hear he had huge monument on revealed. Yours etc, stopped swearing". Thiepval Ridge where RICHARD ATKINSON The Somme today is a very the names of more than different place from 70,000 men who have no ~lifford Avenue, those terrible days 90 known grave are record- Taunton. wo LOCAL REGIMENTS undertook most of the recruitment of men in Cumbria for military service during the Great War. Ovet most of Cumbria this was the Border T Regiment, based in Carlisle, which recruited mainly from the former counties of Cumberland and Westmorland. In North Lancashire, including the Furness area, or Lancashire North ofthe Sands, the local regiment was the King's Own Royal Lancasters, based in Lancaster. Before the War each regiment was comprised of four battalions, twO of regular soldiers, and twO of Territorials. When the war began additional "service" battalions were created for the duration of the conflict as parr of Kitchener's New Army; initially these were formed from volunteers, and larer from conscriprs,. All battalions had, of course, to have depleted strengths supplemented by further recruitment. The notes below are intended ro give a brief resume of the warrime history of the main Cumbrian-recruited battalions of each regiment. THE BORDER REGIMENT lst Battalion recruited, trained and sent to the other battalions some 600 At the start of the War the battalion was stationed in Burma officers and 47,000 other ranks. After the war it was moved where it was to wait for relief by the 1st/4th Battalion before to Claremorris in Ireland to be merged with the 2nd Battalion, being sent back to the United Kingdom, landing at Avonmourh while its cadre returned to Carlisle to re-establish the on 10th January 1915. After home leave and further training Regimental Depot. based at Rugby it embarked on 17th March from Avonmourh sailing for Gallipoli via Alexandria. Landing at Cape Helles 4th (Territorial, Cumberland and Westmoreland) on 25th April, the battalion suffered very heavy casualties bur Battalion (later the lst/4th) was not finally withdrawn to Alexandria until January 1916. Mobilised in August 1914 in Carlisle, the battalion was moved It was then sent to Marseilles, arriving on 29th March 1916, to Barrow, then Sittingbourne.