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War Memorials, - Elsewhere Barnard Castle School |
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The
Two Books of Remembrance for Old Barnardians Who Lost Their Lives in the First
World War
Photo : Barnard
Castle School World War 1 Memorial website
Barnard Castle School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the market town of Barnard Castle, County Durham. The school was founded in 1883 with funding from a 13th-century endowment of John I de Balliol and the bequest of the local industrialist Benjamin Flounders. The school has been fully co-educational since 1993. There are around 660 pupils and some 200 members of staff.
739 Old Barnardians fought in the First World War, 149 of whom made the final sacrifice. Their names can be found on the panels of the School Chapel and in the Memorial Books. The school has set up a website to commemorate the Old Barnardians who lost their lives. Photos of the memorial panels in the chapel, together with the individual pages of the Memorial Books can be found on this website.
9 of the Old Barnardians commemorated served in the Yorkshire Regiment.
Captain James Scott Bainbridge. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.
Killed 22 March 1918.
Commemorated Panel 31 and 32, POZIERES MEMORIALl.
Additional information from Robert Coulson's Biographies
of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
"James Bainbridge first served as Company Sergeant Major with the 4th
Battalion before receiving his commission and rising rapidly through the ranks.
As an officer he was gassed in June 1917 whilst the battalion were in action
in the Hindenberg Support Line."
The following biographical information is provided in a Royal
Society of Chemistry booklet commemorating those who fought and died in
the First World War;-
"Born in 1888, son of William & Mary Bainbridge, James Bainbridge
later graduated from Leeds University. After university, he went to work in
the chemical laboratory of Messrs Rowntree & Co. in York and was engaged
in the research of the aromatic principle of the cocoa bean.In 1914, he was
appointed research chemist at the Doncaster Coalminers’ Laboratory but
enlisted with the 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment when the war began; in
June 1917, he was caught in a gas attack whilst fighting with his battalion
at the Hindenburg Line.When the German Spring Offensive (Kaiserschlacht or
‘Kaiser’s Battle’) began on 21 March 1918, Captain Bainbridge
and the battalion were moved up to Brie and marched for six hours to the front
line at Hancourt. At 6.30pm on 22 March, as the enemy was pushing the 5th
Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) on the left of the 4th Yorkshires back,
Captain Bainbridge attempted to steady and rally the DLI. He was killed when
he became caught in heavy enemy fire; his body was never recovered."
Further information, including a photo and biographical data, on James Scott
Bainbridge can be found on the Old
Barnardians commemorative website.
Lieutenant Herbert Waller Cummins. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.
Killed 24 May 1915.
The following notes are by Robert Coulson in his biographies
of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
Herbert Cummins was born on March 18th 1880 at Bishop Auckland in Co Durham.
He was educated at the North Eastern County School (the name of Barnard Castle
School at the time) at Barnard Castle and then worked for Barclays Bank in
Bishop Auckland and Darlington. In his spare time he was a keen golfer and
won the 1913 Durham County Championship.
He was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in September 1914 and Lieutenant in October
1914.
When the 4th Battalion landed in France they were immediately in action.
Herbert Cummins and the Yorkshires were moved into the Ypres salient where
the 2nd Battle of Ypres was raging. They fought at the village of St Julien
in April of 1915 suffering heavy casualties. Early May found them in reserve
trenches at Brandhoek
and on the evening of May 23rd Lt Cummins and his men were moved up to the
trenches at Hooge astride the Menin Road. On Whit Monday May 24th 1915 a great
German gas attack fell on the battalion’s lines.
Lt Herbert Waller Cummins was killed instantly by a Mills Bomb in this action
on May 24th 1915 at the age of 35.
He was the son of Jane and the late William John Cummins of Bishop Auckland.
Further information, including a photo and biographical data, on Herbert Waller
Cummins can be found on the Old
Barnardians commemorative website.
Lieutenant Colonel Austin Graham. 5th Battalion (Attached 4th Battalion)
Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John and Margaret Ely Graham, of 17, Montalbo Terrace,
Barnard Castle, Co. Durham. Died 11 April 1918. Aged 48.
Buried HAVERSKERQUE BRITISH CEMETERY.
The following notes are by Robert Coulson in his biographies
of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
Serving as a territorial captain, Austin Graham was with the 4th Battalion
when war broke out in August of 1914. He landed with the battalion at Boulogne
on April 18th 1915 when the battalion was almost straight away thrown into
the 2nd battle of Ypres. On April 24th Captain Graham and his men had their
first taste of action in fierce fighting during the Battle of St Julien. On
Whit Monday 1915 the battalion were in trenches astride the Menin Road at
Hooge and Austin Graham was badly gassed and hospitalised with his injuries.
In early 1918 the battalion were back in the Ypres sector and when the German
Spring Offensive opened on March 21st they were in a position close to Hancourt.
There followed nine days of fighting on the retreat under the enemy onslaught.
A brief rest at Bethune followed this and then on April 8th the battalion
was moved up to take part in the Battle of the Lys.
By now CO of the 4th Battalion Major Austin Graham was wounded in action during
efforts to hold a bridge at Sailly sur La Lys. He died of his wounds the following
day April 11th 1918 at the age of 48.
Further information, including a photo and biographical data, on Austin Graham
can be found on the Old
Barnardians commemorative website.
Corporal Charles Ballan Miller, 12374. 6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.
Son of Mrs. J. E. Miller, of Ivy Grove, Middleham, Yorks. Killed 22 August
1915, Aged 27.
Born Richmond (Yorks), Enlisted Middleham (Yorks)
Commemorated on Panel 55 to 58, HELLES MEMORIAL.
Further information, including a photo and biographical data, on Charles Ballan
Miller can be found on the Old
Barnardians commemorative website.
Private George William Richardson. 204016. 10th Battalion the Yorkshire
Regiment. Killed 14 October 1917.
Born Bowes (Yorks), Enlisted Barnard Castle, Resided Bowes (Darlington).
Buried WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY.
Further information, including biographical data, on George William Richardson
can be found on the Old
Barnardians commemorative website.
Private Joseph Robert Watson. 18779. 6th Battalion the Yorkshire
Regiment. Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Watson; husband of Millicent Watson,
of 3, Garden Lane, Cleadon, Sunderland. Killed 19 November 1915. Aged 29.
Enlisted Barnard Castle.
Buried HILL 10 CEMETERY.
Further information, including biographical data, on Joseph Robert Watson
can be found on the Old
Barnardians commemorative website.
2nd Lieutenant Frank Whaley. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, formerly
served in 18th (University and Public Schools). Son of the Rev. Frank Webster
Whaley and Agnes Whaley, of The Vicarage, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Settle, Yorks.
Killed 31 March 1917. Aged 21.
Buried HENIN COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION.
The following notes are by Robert Coulson in his biographies
of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
Frank Whaley was born on September 16th 1895 in Horton in Ribblesdale where
his father was the local vicar.
In 1915 he enlisted with the Royal Fusiliers, 18th Public Schools Battalion
and served with them through until early 1916.
After officer training he received his commission joining the 2nd Yorkshires
in November of 1916 at Bailleuval.
Early 1917 found the battalion still at Bailleuval and then moved to Mondicourt.
On March 28th they were moved into the line near Ficheux holding an outpost
line west of Henin sur Cojeul. Orders were then received for the battalion
to try and squeeze the enemy out of Henin. On the night of March 30/31st 2nd
Lt Whaley and “D” company advanced on the village being held by
the 99th Prussian Infantry.
2nd Lt Frank Whaley was killed in this night attack on March 31st 1917 aged
21.
His CO wrote later to his parents, “Your gallant son was killed leading
his men whilst setting them a fine example of courage under fire. A shell
fell near him and he died at once, we all feel his loss as he was liked by
everyone in the regiment”.
Further information, including a photo and biographical data, on Frank Whaley
can be found on the Old
Barnardians commemorative website.
Captain Thomas Wiggins. 4th Bn. attached to 5th Battalion Yorkshire
Regiment. Killed 27 May 1918.
Commemorated SOISSONS MEMORIAL.
The following notes are by Robert Coulson in his biographies
of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
A North Yorkshire man, Thomas Wiggins was born in the market town of Stokesley
near Middlesbrough in 1887.
He first saw service in the ranks of the London Regiment before receiving
his commission.
After the German spring offensive of March 1918, Captain Wiggins was one of
a group of reinforcements rushed out to the 4th Battalion in the early days
of April.
He joined with the battalion in time for the Battle of the Lys where they
fought on the retreat from the 9th to the 13th of April before being relieved.
Early May saw them in rest billets at Beaurieux and on the 26th of the month
the battalion were back in the line around Craonelle and La Hutte on the Chemin
des Dames ridge.
The following day the Germans launched an artillery bombardment in the early
hours of the morning followed by a heavy infantry assault which saw the Yorkshires
suffer grievous losses so bad it was said “the battalion may be said
to have practically ceased to exist”.
Captain Thomas Wiggins was initially posted as missing but was in fact killed
in this action on May 27th 1918 at the age of 31.
Further information, including a photo and biographical data, on Thomas Wiggins
can be found on the Old
Barnardians commemorative website.
A comprehensive biography of Captain Wiggins, with a portrait photo, can be
found on the Stokesley
Heritage website.
2nd Lieutenant John Winn. Yorkshire Regiment, attached 7th Bn York
and Lancaster Regiment. Son of the late William and Margaret Ann Winn. Killed
23 March 1918. Aged 19.
Commemorated on Bay 5, ARRAS MEMORIAL.
Further information, including a photo and biographical data, on John Winn
can be found on the Old
Barnardians commemorative website.
Some
of the Commemorative Panels of the First World War Memorial in the Chapel
of Barnard Castle School
Photo : Barnard
Castle School World War 1 Memorial website
The
Home Page of the Barnard Castle School website
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