Bus-les-Artois memorial

The Pals' memorials at Bus-les-Artois, France, photograph by permission of Brian Stobie

“Our battalion was reserve - with the exception of D Coy - to the 93rd Infantry Brigade, 31st Division in the 8th Army Corps commanded by General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston. The other battalions in the brigade were the 15th (Leeds Pals) West Yorkshire Regiment, and the 16th and 18th (Bradford Pals) West Yorkshire Regiment. The Leeds Pals, with our ‘D’ Coy, were to be the first wave over the top, followed at half hour intervals by each battalion of the Bradfords.” 

– Charles Moss, 18th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

A memorial stone dedicated to the Durham Pals is being unveiled at a ceremony in France this weekend.

The stone has been installed in the small hamlet of Bus-Les-Artois where 18th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (18 DLI) – known as the Durham Pals – were stationed in the lead up to the Battle of the Somme.

Installing the Durham Pals memorial at Bus-le-Artois, France, photograph by permission of Brian Stobie

The official unveiling of the memorial stone will take place on the evening of Saturday 30 June 2018, during a commemorative service attended by Durham County Council Chairman Cllr John Lethbridge and members of the DLI Association.

Cllr Lethbridge said: “It is extremely important to recognise the sacrifice of the Durham Pals and we are delighted that a permanent memorial has now been installed in an area the battalion had such strong links with”. 

Close up of the Durham Pals memorial, Bus-le-Artois, France, photograph by permission of Brian Stobie

The Pals, were part of the attack at Serre, at the northern end of the Somme battlefield. By 5 July, the battalion that had gone into the trenches on 30 June almost 800 strong, had suffered almost 500 casualties, including 70 dead. One of the survivors was Lance Corporal Charles Moss, and you can read extracts from his memoir of this battle:

http://ww1countydurham.blogspot.com/2016/06/charles-moss-hendon-beaches.html

and, the full transcript on Durham at War http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/material/597/

In 2016, a fundraising appeal culminated in the installation of two memorial benches, one on the Durham riverbanks where the 18 DLI began their journey to France, and the other in Thiepval to mark the end of their fateful journey into battle. 

Directions to the Pals' memorials, photograph by permission of Brian Stobie

John Scott Youll VC Ceremony

John Scott Youll Victoria Cross paving stone, next to the a stone remembering those who worked at Thornley Colliery

Last week on the blog we told you about John Scott Youll (Northumberland Fusiliers) winning the Victoria Cross. The ceremony took place on Friday 15 June 2018 and this week we have some photographs. 

Vice Lord Lieutenant Alasdair MacConachie and Reverend Jon PL Whalley CF

As well as local residents wanting to pay their respects, those in attendance included the Vice Lord Lieutenant Alasdair MacConachie, representatives from the East Durham Area Action Partnership, and from the 5th Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (5RRF). Lieutenant Colonel S Burton gave a reading and the service was led by the chaplain to the 5RRF, Reverend Jon PL Whalley CF. 

Information panel telling the story of John Scott Youll

The commemorative paving stone has been laid alongside the mining memorial (Youll had been an apprentice electrician at Thornley Colliery), and is less than 500m from The Villas, where John Youll had lived.

John Scott Youll VC

D/Ph 150/63 Second Lieutenant John Scott Youll

Today, 15th June 2018, a ceremony takes place to unveil the commemorative paving stone in honour of John Scott Youll winning the Victoria Cross. Youll grew up in Thornley and went on to serve with the Northumberland Fusiliers. On 4 September 1918, he was presented with the medal by the King. A few days later, he was honoured by his own community. The Sunderland Echo of 11 September 1918, printed the following report. 

D/DW 1/3(30) The Hippodrome, Thornley, c.1910

Thornley’s VC Honoured

There was an enthusiastic gathering at the Hippodrome Theatre, Thornley, on Tuesday night, when Second Lieutenant John Scott Youll was publicly honoured is recognition of his having gained the Victoria Cross. The testimonial had been organised by the War Memorial and Welcome Home Committee, appointed some time ago to make arrangements and raise funds for a memorial to the fallen and for extending a welcome home to the fighting men at the conclusion of the war.

Second Lieutenant Youll, who is due to leave home immediately for the front, was born at Thornley on June 8th, 1897, his parents and grandparents being residents of the village. He attended the Thornley Council School until he was fifteen years of age, when he commenced work at Thornley Colliery in the electric-power station, serving his apprenticeship as an electrician. Later he attended the technical classes held under the Durham County Council at Wingate. As soon as he became nineteen he joined the Royal Engineers (Durham Territorials). After twelve months in England he served as a sapper in France for six months, being then recommended for a commission. He was gazetted in June 1917, and proceeded almost immediately to France. While there he experienced much hard fighting, being recommended for the Military Cross and mentioned in despatches for attending to wounded men during six hours of terrible shell fire. He was personally decorated by the King of Italy with the Italian Silver Medal and Star, which is understood to be the highest honour that the Italians can bestow on any soldier who is not of their nationality.

The testimonial, which was provided by a large number of small subscriptions, took the form of a handsome gold watch and chain and large silver cigarette case.

Mr JHB Forster, of Spennymoor, general manager of the Weardale Coal Co, presided at the presentation. Captain JE Rogerson, chairman of the Weardale Coal Co, handed over the gifts, and referred to the high honour that the gallant officer had brought to his native village.

Lieutenant Youll made a modest reply.

Mr D Hagen, treasurer of the Recognition Fund, and the VC’s old schoolmaster, referred with pride to the fact that he had been so closely associated with Lieutenant Youll in days gone by.

Mr JT Simpson of Thornley, chief engineer of the Weardale Coal Co, said he felt as proud as anyone, because Second Lieutenant Youll came to him in 1912 to serve his apprenticeship. 

A vote of thanks to Captain Rogerson and Mr Forester was moved by Mr W Laidler (chairman of the War Memorial and Welcome Home Fund), and seconded by Mr Orange.

A selection of scholars from the Thornley Council School sang ‘Blighty’ and ‘The Village Blacksmith’.

Un honneur

This week we have a blog post by John Sheen.

Those of you who read the blog regularly will recall the events I recorded last year when the village of Saint Seurin de Cadourne, France, honoured the memory of Colour Sergeant Gawin Wild MBE MM, 26th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (3rd Tyneside Irish). Those that are not familiar with the story can read it here:

http://ww1countydurham.blogspot.com/2017/05/gawin-wild-honoured-in-france.html

Exactly one year on, my wife and I returned for a further two ceremonies in the village. The Mayor of Saint Seurin de Cadourne had agreed that a plaque should be mounted on the cemetery wall.

The plaque on the cemetery wall tells the story of Gawin Wild in French and English (photo by John Sheen)

Unlike last year, when we had a perfect day, it rained cats and dogs, but no one was put off and quite a crowd turned out to both events. Furthermore the owner of the chateau where Gawin lived in retirement also agreed to a plaque being placed on the wall of the chateau next to the front door.

The British effort improved by two, not only my wife and I, but the British Consul from Bordeaux, Madam Dominique Olley, and the Chairman of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (Northumberland), Major Chester Potts, also attended. 

Major Chester Potts, RRF Association, reads a letter of thanks, next to him is Mr Gérard Roi (Mayor of Saint Seurin de Cadourne), Madam Dominique Olley (The British Consul), and the trumpeter, also owner of the chateau, Mr Bernard D'Halluin (photo by John Sheen)

Once again we were greeted with enthusiasm and at the chateau the owner took everyone in out of the rain. Then after the unveiling of the plaque, back in for a glass or two of champagne and some food. 

John Sheen and Major Chester Potts after the unveiling of the plaque. The blue flower in our lapels is the French equivalent of the poppy. The cornflower, ‘Les Bleu’ was said to grow in abundance in the trenches around Verdun and as such was adopted as the sign of remembrance (photo by Mrs Sheen)

Then it was back to the local restaurant for a traditional French ‘long lunch’. Here we had a nice surprise as we were presented with a bottle of six year old local wine which had been specially labelled for the occasion. 

A commemorative bottle of wine with a photograph of Gawin Wild on the label (photo by John Sheen)

David Devigne, who started the work to have Gawin Wild honoured, is a talented artist and presented me with this drawing of a Tyneside Irish soldier resting on his rifle along with the words of the ‘Minstrel Boy’. 

The drawing by David Devigne