Lieutenant Hugh Brooksbank
Remembrance - The Yorkshire Regiment, First World War
Photos, - Individuals, Surname "W"

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Lieutenant Hugh Brooksbank

Information and photos for the following are to be found on this page;-

Private Janes WAISTELL Major Wilfrid Beckett WALKER Lieutenant Richard WALMESLEY Corporal Frederick Ernest WEBBER
2nd Lieutenant Eric George WELLESLEY Lieutenant Colonel Charles Ramsey WHITE, DSO 2nd Lieutenant John Finlayson WHITE Captain William Taylor WHITE, MC
Captain William Thomas WILKINSON Lance Corporal George Shaw WILLIAMS Lance Corporal Arthur WILLIAMSON Sergeant Robert WILLIAMSON
Lieutenant Ian McLean WILSON Private John WILSON Private John William WILSON Lieutenant William Arthington WORSLEY
Private James WAISTELL, 19569.
Select the above for for a page that contains a larger sized portrait of Private Waistell, and an Obituary Card. The page opens in a new window.
Close the new window to return to this page.		   Private James WAISTELL, 19569. 7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.
Son of John and Grace Waistell, of 14, Glebe Terrace, Easington, Co. Durham.
Killed 6 November 1916. Aged 20.
Born Middleston Moor (Durham), Enlisted Darlington, Resided Easington Colliery.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.

James' twin brother, Charles, who also served with the 7th Battalion was killed on 1 July at Fricourt. He is buried in Fricourt British Cemetery and is commemorated on the Fricourt Memorial.

We are extremely grateful to Mrs Raven Woodburn (<woodburnraven@yahoo.com>) for sending us the images of the postcards commemorating Private James Waistell.

 
Major Wilfrid Beckett WALKER
Photo from that of 2nd Battalion Officers, 1914		   Major Wilfrid Beckett WALKER

Born at Scarborough, 5th August, 1876, 2nd son of Captain Edwyn Walker, 15th Hussars.
2nd Lieut., 20th February, 1897 ; Lieut, 15th October, 1898; Capt., 25th June, 1904 ; Major, 3rd December, 1913.
Served in the Boer War, 1900-02. Operations in the Orange River Colony, including actions at the Vet and Zand Rivers. In the advance eastwards, actions at Diamond Hill and Belfast. With the 2nd Battn. Mounted Infantry in operations in the Transvaal, 30th November, 1900, to end of the war (mentioned in despatches. Queen's medal and 4 clasps. King's medal and 2 clasps).
Proceeded to Zeebrugge with 2nd Battn. in October, 1914, and was killed at Ypres, 29th October, 1914. Aged 38.
"He was a most capable and reliable officer, whose loss will be deeply felt in the regiment. Under a quiet and somewhat cynical exterior, there was a true and brave heart. No one did kinder things than he, and certainly no one took more pains to conceal the fact that he had done them. He always had a way out of a difficulty and worked for the good of the regiment " (G.H.G.).

Commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 33.
His brother, Oswald Bethell Walker, 15th (The King's) Hussars, was killed on 23 August 1914.
 
Lieutenant Richard WALMESLEY
Photo from that of 2nd Battalion Officers, 1914		   Lieutenant Richard WALMESLEY

Son of John Walmesley, of Lucknam, Chippenham, Wilts.
Killed 21 October 1914, aged 23.
Buried in Aeroplane Cemetery, Belgium (3.5 kilometres north east of Ieper town centre on the Zonnebeekseweg road ).
   
Corporal Frederick Ernest WEBBER, 8648.
Select the above thumbnail image for a larger sized photo. Click anywhere inside the window that opens to close it.		   Corporal Frederick Ernest WEBBER, 8648.

2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment.
Son of George and Annie Webber; husband of Amy Beatrice Rodley (formerly Webber), of I, Brown's Court, Swan St., York. Killed 30 October 1914. Aged 26.
Born Newington (London), Enlisted Stratford, Resided York.
Commemorated Panel 33, YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL.

John Sly (<sly211@btinternet.com>) has provided the photo of Corporal Webber, together with some additional information on the service of this soldier with the Yorkshire Regiment. This may be read by selecting the link below.
   
2nd Lieutenant Eric George WELLESLEY
Select the above thumbnail image for a larger sized photo. Click anywhere inside the window that opens to close it.		   2nd Lieutenant Eric George WELLESLEY

8th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 21 December 1915.
Commemorated Panel 4, Ploegsteert Memorial.

John Sly (<sly211@btinternet.com>) has researched the career of Lieutenant Wellesley. John has written an article for the magazine "Ancestors" in connection with this research, and this may be read by selecting the link, below.
   
Lance Corporal George Shaw WILLIAMS
No photo available yet.		   Lieutenant Colonel Charles Ramsey WHITE, DSO, Belgian Order of the Crown and the Croix de Guerre (Belgium)

The following information on Lieutenant Colonel White has been provided by John Hamblin (<jc.hamblin@btopenworld.com>);-

2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment attached to the 6th (Service) Battalion.

Charles Ramsey White was born the son of Sir William K.H.R. and Lady Edith Laura (nee Paris) White of "Leahurst", Tickhill in Rotherham.

He was educated at Oatlands School, Harrogate, in Yorkshire leaving there in 1892 for Hazelwood School which he left in the summer of 1895. He went on to Wellington College where he was in Hill House leaving in 1896

He served in the South African War with the Yorkshire Regiment as a Captain and as Regimental Transport Officer from 1900 to 1902. He took part in operations at Cape Colony south of the Orange River from January to August 1900 Orange River Colony from September to the 29th of November 1900 and was there again from January to April 1902. He was awarded the King’s Medal with two clasps, and the Queen's Medal with two clasps. He was promoted to Captain in the 22nd of October 1904.. He left the army in 1907 and went into business in Burma.

He rejoined the army on the outbreak of war and went out to France as a Captain in November 1914 as a replacement. He was wounded at Neuve Chappelle on the 10th of March 1915, and invalided home. He went to Egypt as a Major in 1915 and returned to France in 1916. He took command of the 6th Battalion in September 1917 but was sent home sick in May 1918 where the regimental history records “For long he had struggled against illness, in fact it may be doubted whether he had ever really been fit enough to be passed for field service.”.

He was awarded the Belgian Order of the Crown and the Croix de Guerre (Belgium) on the 15th of April 1918, and became Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion.

He died suddenly on the 31st of March 1921
   
2nd Lieutenant John Finlayson WHITE
Photo from that of 6th Battalion Officers, 1915		   2nd Lieutenant John Finlayson WHITE

6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment.
Died 7 August 1915.

Commemorated Panel 55 to 58, Helles Memorial.
   
Lance Corporal George Shaw WILLIAMS
No photo available yet		   Captain William Taylor WHITE, MC

The following information on Captain W T White has been provided by John Hamblin (<jc.hamblin@btopenworld.com>);-

3rd (Reserve) Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.

He was born on the 9th of February 1880 the son of Mr W.K.H.R. White of Leahurst, Rickhill, Rotherham. He left Hazelwood at Christmas 1893 and went to Haileybury where he played rugby for the 1st XV and cricket for the 1st XI, being Captain in 1898 and leaving the same year.

He joined the 3rd Battalion of the Yorkshire regiment and served in the South African War from 1901 to 1902 being awarded the Queen’s Medal with 4 clasps. He left the army in 1903 and went to work for B.B.T.C. in Rangoon.

He returned to serve in the Great War from 1915 to 1918 serving in France and by the end of the war he was serving in Salonika attached to the 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment. He was awarded the Military Cross..

After the war he returned to Rangoon until 1926. He died at Bridlington on the 3rd of April 1937

   
Captain William Thomas WILKINSON
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   Captain William Thomas WILKINSON

9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.
Son of John R. and Jane Wilkinson, of Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. Native of Hampstead, London, England. Served with Artists' Rifles 1909-11. Enlisted in Public Schools Bn. Aug., 1914. Commissioned Sept., 1914.
Killed 5 July 1916. Aged 29.
Buried Becourt Military Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt.

The photo of Captain Williamson has been sent by Amanda Forbis (<forbis@shaw.ca>), a great niece, to whom we are very grateful.
   
Lance Corporal George Shaw WILLIAMS
Select this image for a detailed report on the life and service career of Lance Corporal George Shaw Williams.
(Document is in PDF format).		   Lance Corporal George Shaw WILLIAMS

Ivor Davies (<iandjdavies@blueyonder.co.uk>) has made a most detailed study of the service career of his maternal grandfather's brother, George Shaw Williams. Although there is no photo of this soldier, the research by Ivor Davies into the life of this soldier is so comprehensive that it is well worth including on this website.
Briefly, George Shaw Williams first enlisted in the North Staffordshire Regiment in 1897 (Aged 18), and served in the Boer War. He re-enlisted at the Outbreak of War in 1914, and initially served with the 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. He was one of the survivors of the 6th Battalion at Gallipoli. In 1916 he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, and was killed on 28 September 1916 aged 38.

Full details of George Shaw Williams life and service career may be viewd by selecting the image on the left.
   
Lance Corporal Arthur WILLIAMSON
Select the above thumbnail image for a larger sized photo. Click anywhere inside the window that opens to close it.		   Lance Corporal Arthur WILLIAMSON

The following information on Lance Corporal Arthur Williamson has been provided by Simon Williamson (<spwilliamson@postmaster.co.uk>). Simon has kindly given permission for this website to use the photograph, though retaining copyright on the photo.

L/Cpl Arthur Williamson – no. 1298. “C” Coy 5th Bn Yorkshire Regiment
Born 16th February 1896 in Beverley, East Yorkshire. Died 15th June 1975.

Reply to a letter in the Beverley Guardian newspaper

“GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS”
Mrs Johnson, of School Lane, Walkergate, Beverley, has received the following >letter from the front:
Dear Friends, - It gave me great pleasure to read your letter of thanks in the “Beverley Guardian” last week. I am sure it ple……… me very much to think I had been the p………………. of doing such a thing for a comrade, for …………. is no saying what would have happened to him if we could not have got him to the dressing station. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for
his friends,” and we both risked our lives, but thank God we were spared, and I sincerely, hope your son will soon be quite well again and that we shall all live to see each other back in the dear old town. Hoping you are both in the best of health, I remain, Yours truly, -

1298 Plc. A Williamson 5th Yorks

(For a full account of this action – see Baptism of Fire, pages 143-145).
Robert and Arthur Williamson had three other brothers who also served in the army and are as follows:
John William (Billy) Williamson – served with the 3rd Hussars and then later with the Royal Engineers, Charles Williamson with the York and Lancaster regiment, but was killed in 1907 and Tom Williamson who also served with the York and Lancaster regiment.

   
Sergeant Robert WILLIAMSON
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Sergeant Robert WILLIAMSON 		  Sergeant Robert WILLIAMSON

240334. 5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John and Annie Williamson, of 39, St. Andrew's St., Beverley, Yorks. Killed 28 March 1918. Aged 26.
Commemorated Panel 31 and 32, Pozieres Memorial.
Born Beverley (Yorks), Enlisted Scarborough.

The following information on Lance Corporal Arthur Williamson has been provided by Simon Williamson (<spwilliamson@postmaster.co.uk>). Simon has kindly given permission for this website to use the photographs, though retaining copyright on the photos.

Transcript from the Beverley Guardian newspaper.

SERG’T “BOB” WILLIAMSON, BEVERLEY, KILLED.

A letter from a comrade last Sunday states that Sergt. Robt. Williamson, Beverley Terriers, was killed in action during the recent German advance. He was the third surviving son of Mr John Williamson, of 39, St Andrew Street, Beverley, and prior to the war was in the employ of Messrs Wright and Hoggard as a compositor.
Mrs Williamson has since received a letter from Captain E M Roberts, stating that Sergt. Williamson was killed by shell fire on March 25th. After expressing the sympathy of the Company, Capt Robson says: “I had a very high opinion of Sergt Williamson’s qualities and character. He had been a platoon sergeant in my company for many months and we shall all miss him greatly. He died like a British soldier should, fighting bravely to the last”.
(Also see Baptism of Fire, Mark Marsay, page 155)
   
Lieutenant Ian McLean WILSON
Photo from that of 6th Battalion Officers, 1915		   Lieutenant Ian McLean WILSON

6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment.
Son of H. Maclean Wilson, M.D., and S. O'Connell Wilson, of Woodthorpe Lane, Wakefield.
Died 7 August 1915.
Aged 20.

Commemorated Panel 55 to 58, Helles Memorial.
   
Private John WILSON, 240407.
Select the above thumbnail image for a larger sized photo. Click the window that opens to return to this page.		   Private John WILSON,  240407.

2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of James and Annie Wilson, of Wombleton. York. Killed 14 November 1917. Aged 21.
Born Wombleton (Kirbymoorside), Enlisted Malton, Resided Wombleton
Buried BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION (NORD).

Photo kindly provided by Dennis Wilson (<goldwolf82@hotmail.com>), nephew of John Wilson.
   
Private John William WILSON
Select the above thumbnail image for a brief biography and larger sized photos that open in a new window.		  
Private John William WILSON,  2370.

5th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John Henry and Eliza Wilson, of 18, St. John's Walk, Bridlington; husband of Ethel Kirby (formerly Wilson), of 32 Havelock Crescent, Bridlington. Killed 25 April 1915. Aged 31.
Born Bridlington, Enlisted Bridlington.
Commemorated Panel 33, YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL.

Photo kindly provided by Mike Wilson, grandson of John William Wilson, from the book "The Great War Heroes of Bridlington".

Select the thumbnail image on the left for further brief biographical details of John William Wilson, together with larger sized photos.
   
Lieutenant William Arthington WORSLEY
Photo from that of 2nd Battalion Officers, 1914		   Lieutenant William Arthington WORSLEY

Born at Hovingham, 5th April, 1890, eldest son of Sir William Arthington Worsley, Bart., of Hovingham Hall, Yorkshire.
2nd Lieut, 4th December, 1912 ; Lieut., 30th October, 1914; Capt., 17th June, 1917 ; Adjt, 18th February, 1920; retired with a gratuity, 7th March, 1923.
Went to Belgium with 2nd Battn. in 1914. Was wounded and taken prisoner at Gheluvelt, near Ypres, about 30th October, 1914 (1914 star silver and bronze medals).
Elected Captain of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club in December 1927.