The Yorkshire Regiment, Local War Memorials

War Memorials Elsewhere, -
The Devon War Memorial

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The Devon War Memorial, in front of Exeter Cathedral The Devon War Memorial, in front of Exeter Cathedral
Photo : Google Earth

The names of those men and women from the County of Devon who lost their lives in the First World are inscribed in a Roll of Honour.
Three copies of Devon County’s Roll of Honour were completed in 1921.
The covers of the volumes are in white vellum with a replica of the memorial cross stamped in gold. The book measures 16 inches by 12 inches and comprises 396 pages. The names of the 11,601 men and women are commemorated in the Roll of Honour.
One copy of the Roll of Honour was deposited in a copper casket inside the County’s Memorial Cross on Exeter's Cathedral Green.
The second copy was presented to the Dean & Chapter of the Cathedral.
The third copy was handed to Devon County Council to be stored in its archives. This copy, now housed at the Devon Heritage Centre, has been transcribed and can be searched on Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website.

9 men who served in the Yorkshire Regiment are commemorated in this Roll of Honour.

Further information on the names, beow, can be found on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website.

Private Albert Henry Bowden. 42264. 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 164308 R F A. Nephew of A. J. Bowden, of 21, Princes Rd., East Ellacombe, Torquay, Devon. Died at home 1 May 1918.
Born Torquay (Devon), Enlisted South Molton, Resided Molland.
Buried BROOKWOOD MILITARY CEMETERY.
(Albert Henry Bowden's name is found on this page on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website. )

Captain Cecil Aubrey Bradford. Yorkshire Regiment, attached to the Nigeria Regiment W A F F. Second son of the late Lt.-Col. O. J. Bradford, of Welparke, Lustleigh, S. Devon, and Mrs. Mary Ann Ellen Bradford; husband of Mildred Ellen Grace Wyatt-Edgell (formerly Bradford), of Tettenhall Wood, Wolverhampton. Served in the Cameroons. Died 24 April 1917. Aged 31
Commemorated on the HOLLYBROOK MEMORIAL.
(Captain Bradford was lost at sea when travelling home on S.S. Abbosso, which was torpedoed by a German submarine.)
(Captain Bradford's name is found on this page on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website. )

Private William John Bray. 34862. 9th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, formerly 2777 Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William H. Bray, of Longmeadow Cottage, Clyst St. Mary, Exeter. Killed 16 September 1916. Aged 21.
Enlisted Malton.
Commemorated Pier and Face 11 C and 12 A, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.
(William John Bray's name is found on this page on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website. )

Private Frank Butler. 42281. 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 42281 R F A. Son of John and Florence Butler, of 4, Lower Reddon St., Bideford, Devon. Killed 24 July 1918. Aged 27.
Born Bideford, Enlisted Barnstaple, Resided Bideford (North Devon).
Buried BERLIN SOUTH-WESTERN CEMETERY.
(Frank Butler's name is found on this page on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website. )

Serjeant George Henry Cottam. 15093. 8th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mrs. Jane Cottam, of 15, Wyndham St. West, Plymouth. Killed 10 July 1916. Aged 29.
Born Plymouth (Devon), Enlisted Battersea, Resided Plymouth.
Buried SERRE ROAD CEMETERY NO 2.
(* A George Henry Cottam had served briefly in the Royal Navy on HMS "Pembroke". He enlisted on 2 August 1914 and was discharged for medical reasons on 24 May 1915.)
(George Henry Cottam's name is found on this page on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website, though there is a transcription error.)

Captain Basil Every Gill. 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment (Adjutant of). Son of Thomas Husband Gill, of Ward House, Walkhampton, Devon, and the late Beatrice Gill. Killed 18 October 1916. Aged 23.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 3 A and 3 D, THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.
(Captain Gill's name is found on this page on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website. )
From "Officers of the Green Howards, 1688 - 1931" by M L Ferrar;-
Born at Devonport, 24 November 1893, youngest son of Thomas Husband Gill, Solicitor of Penlee Cottage, Devonport.
2nd Lieutenant 12 May 1915; Lieutenant 28 July 1915.
Joined the 2nd Battalion in France in September 1915 and was shortly afterwards appointed acting adjutant. He was wounded at Mametz Wood on 16 July 1916 but remained at duty.
Killed 18 October 1916 on the Somme, near Fleurs.
The following biographical comments are provided by Robert Coulson in his Biographies of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
"Basil Gill was born in Devonport on November 24th 1893, the youngest son of a local solicitor and was articled to his father’s law firm when war broke out leaving to join the ranks of the 2nd Battalion Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry.
He entered Sandhurst in December of 1914 and was commissioned on May 12th 1915 joining the 2nd Yorkshires in September 1915 after the Battle of Loos.
He was soon appointed adjutant of the battalion and on July 1st 1916 saw action on the Somme at Montauban and later at Trones Wood and Mametz Wood where he was wounded but remained at duty with the battalion.
On October 17th 1916 the battalion assembled in New Trench for an attack on the German position of Bayonet Trench on the Le Transloy Ridges.
Captain Basil Every Gill was killed in this attack on October 18th 1916 aged 23.
His body lost to the battlefield he is remembered today on the Thiepval Memorial.
His Divisional CO wrote of him,
“I knew him well and always regarded him as one of the finest boys in the division.
I know his regiment will miss him sorely and the service is poorer without him.
He had made a name for himself for his fine soldierly qualities and his unswerving devotion to duty”."

Private Herbert Harry Kinsman, 42388. 12th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 164276 R FA. Son of Henry and Thirza Kinsman, of 7, Strand, Bideford, Devon. Died 30 October 1918.
Born Bideford (Devon), Enlisted Barnstaple, Resided Bideford.
Buried BERLIN SOUTH-WESTERN CEMETERY.
(Herbert Harry Kinsman's name is found on this page on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website. )

Lance Corporal Albert Henry Seldon. 34298. 9th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 3704 Labour Corps. Killed 5 October 1918.
Born Exeter (Devon), Enlisted Portsmouth, Resided Exeter.
Buried BEAUREVOIR COMMUNAL CEMETERY BRITISH EXTENSION.
(Herbert Harry Kinsman's name is found on this page on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website. )

Captain Charles Neville Carleton Stiff. 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of John Thomas Carleton Stiff and Maria Eliza, his wife, of "Alfoxden", Chestnut Avenue, Torquay. Killed 22 Mar 1918. Aged 36.
Commemorated Panel 31 and 32, POZIERES MEMORIAL.
(Captain Stiff's name is found on this page on the Devon's World War One Roll of Honour website. )

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