A Brief History of The Yorkshire Regiment

Private Robert SPOORS GC

1st Battalion, The West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s Own) 31st May 1935 GC awarded for bravery on 31st May 1935 at Quetta “After the earthquake at Quetta on the morning of 31st May 1935, Private Spoors, at very considerable risk to himself from falling debris, entered an army officer’s house which was in a dangerous condition. He was successful in clearing a path for the officer’s wife and was mainly responsible for saving her life. He then re-entered the house to save the nurse and baby, but was himself caught in the debris and was later rescued by two other men and brought out in an exhausted condition. He subsequently worked for many hours at the British Military Hospital. Private Spoors was awarded the Albert Medal for his actions.”

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Private Ernest Matthew ELSTON GC

1st Battalion, The West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s Own) 31st May 1935

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GC awarded on 31st May 1935 in connection with his rescue work in Quetta, Baluchistan, India “Private Elston worked with untiring energy at rescue work and in the subsequent salvage operations 31st May-14 June 1935. He was personally responsible for saving the lives of several Indians buried under the debris in Quetta City; and on more than one occasion voluntarily endangered his own life to effect a rescue. On 31st May 1935, regardless of his own safety, he worked at great personal risk for four hours to effect the rescue of an Indian child entombed alive under a collapsed double storey building. In order to reach the child he had heard crying, it was necessary to make a tunnel underneath the wreckage which was in a most unsafe condition. The dead bodies of other members of the family were encountered embedded in the debris; it was impracticable to extricate these, but the child was brought out unscathed. (The remains of this building did actually collapse in consequence of the shocks that took place during the night of 31st May–1st June). Private Elston’s personal example and bravery were most meritorious.”

Private Thomas McAVOY GC

1st Battalion, The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own Yorkshire) 15th March 1939 GC awarded for bravery at Jinsafut Camp, Palestine on 15th March 1939 “Private McAvoy was amongst those endeavouring to put out the flames of a burning truck at Jinsafut Camp, Palestine.

He was working beside the nearest petrol tank, which was alight. To relieve the pressure in the petrol tank and to save a possible explosion, Private McAvoy took up a pickaxe and pierced the petrol tank without any thought for his own safety, though he must have been aware of the appalling risk he was taking.

The jet of burning petrol which immediately rushed out caused him to be badly burned.”

Corporal Thomas ATKINSON GC

1st Battalion, The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own Yorkshire) 15th March 1939 GC awarded for bravery at Jinsafut Camp, Palestine on 15th March 1939 “On 15th March 1935, Corporal Atkinson was in charge of the mechanical transport when a truck caught fire at Jinsafut Camp, Palestine. He organised the removal of the remainder of the mechanical transport to a point clear of the burning truck. Without his initiative and energy in rallying the drivers and assisting them to move their trucks out of danger, the remainder of the transport would have caught fire as well and a general conflagration throughout the camp would have been inevitable.

Corporal Atkinson was subsequently indefatigable in his efforts to

subdue the fire right up to the time he was severely burnt in endeavouring to save the life of one of his comrades.”

Captain Robert LJ JONES GC

1st Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) Various dates 1940 The George Cross was awarded to Captain Jones (together with Lt Eastman) for a joint achievement (bomb disposal) in Malta during the enemy’s concentrated air attack on the fortress in 1940 “Captain Jones (together with Lt WM Eastman) worked under dangerous and trying conditions and performed acts of considerable gallantry in dealing with a large number of various unexploded bombs, some of which were in a very highly dangerous state and of the German delayed action type. On one occasion these two officers showed particular gallantry in dealing with a 1,000 lb German bomb. They made two attempts to explode the bomb but it failed to detonate. At the third attempt, and when the bomb was in a most dangerous state, they succeeded in detonating it. On a second occasion these officers, assisted by master Rigger, succeeded in removing a 400 lb high explosive Italian bomb, which had been under water for a week, from a 20-foot-deep well under a house. This bomb, which was fused at both ends, was also in a dangerous state and had to be raised to the ground floor by means of a gin, tackle, sling and rope. This operation was doubly dangerous as there was a possibility of the sling slipping while the bomb was being hauled up and, further, because the bomb was two and a half feet long, the mouth of the well only three feet one inch wide and, for safety, the bomb had to be kept horizontal if possible and pulled up thus. Lt Eastman, assisted by Master Rigger, guided the bomb from the floor of the well, whilst Captain Jones went to the top to guide it through the opening. They succeeded in getting the bomb out although there was only a six-inch clearance as it came through the mouth of the well.”

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8th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) (145 Regt RAC) 21st August 1943 The George Gross was awarded posthumously to Major Kempster after he died on 21st August 1943 following an act of self sacrifice near Phillipville “On 21st August 1943, near Phillipville, Major Kempster was carrying out grenade throwing practice with two others in the same pit. Major Kempster attempted to scoop out a dropped grenade out of the pit but failed to do so. By this time detonation was due. Without hesitation he threw himself on the grenade just before it exploded and received fatal injuries. By his self sacrifice, Major Kempster undoubtedly saved the lives of the other two occupants of the pit. Major Kempster’s act meant certain death, and he must have known this at the time. His was a supreme act of gallantry.”

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Lieutenant Terence Edward WATERS GC

The West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s Own) 25th April 1951

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The George Cross was awarded posthumously to Lt Waters after he died in captivity after the Imjin Battle in Korea 22nd/25th April, when attached to the Gloucestershire Regiment “Lt Waters was captured subsequent to the Battle of the Imjin River, April 22nd–25th 1951. By this time he has sustained a serious wound in the top of his head and yet another most painful wound in the arm as a result of this action.

On the journey to Pyongyang with other captives he set a magnificent example of courage and fortitude in remaining with wounded other ranks on the march, whom he felt it his duty to care for to the best of his ability.

Subsequently, after a journey of immense hardship and privation, the party arrived at an area west of Pyongyang adjacent to POW Camp 12 and known generally as ‘The Caves’, in which they were held captive. They found themselves imprisoned in a tunnel driven into the side of the

hill through which a stream of water flowed continuously flooding a great deal of the floor in which were packed a great number of South Korean and European prisoners of war in rags, filthy, crawling with lice. In this cavern a number died daily from wounds, sickness or merely malnutrition: they fed on two small meals of boiled maize daily. Of medical attention there was none.

Lt Waters appreciated that few, if any, of his numbers would survive these conditions, in view of their weakness and the absolute lack of attention for their wounds. After a visit from a North Korean Political Officer, who attempted to persuade them to volunteer to join a prisoner of war group known as ‘Peace Fighters’ (that is active participants in the propaganda movement against their own side) with a promise of better food, of medical treatment and other amenities as a reward for such activity – an offer that was refused unanimously – he decided to order his men to pretend to accede to the offer to save their lives. This he did, giving the necessary instructions to the senior other rank with the British party, Sgt Hoper, that the men would go upon his order without fail.

Whilst realising that this act would save the lives of his party, he refused to go himself, aware that the task of maintaining British prestige was vested to him.

Realising that they had failed to subvert an officer with the British party, the North Koreans now made a series of concerted efforts to persuade Lt Waters to save himself by joining the camp. This he steadfastly refused to do. He died a short time after.

He was a young, inexperienced officer, comparatively recently commissioned from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, yet he set an example of the highest gallantry.”

From left to right – Field Marshal Sir Peter Inge GCB, General Sir Nicholas Houghton GCB CBE and General Sir Richard Dannatt GCB CBE MC

CHIEFS OF THE DEFENCE STAFF, CHIEFS OF THE GENERAL STAFF AND COLONELS, THE YORKSHIRE REGIMENT

Since 1992 the antecedent regiments and the Yorkshire Regiment have furnished the following senior officers:

Chief of the Defence Staff

Field Marshal Sir Peter Inge GCB1 Mar 1994–Apr 1997 General Sir Nicholas Houghton GCB CBE Jul 2013–Jul 2016

Vice Chief of the Defence Staff

General Sir Nicholas Houghton GCB CBE May 2009–Jun 2013

Chief of the General Staff

General Sir Peter Inge GCB Feb 1992–Mar 1994 General Sir Richard Dannatt GCB CBE MC Aug 2006–Aug 2009

1 Last CDS to hold the rank of Field Marshal

Colonels of the Yorkshire Regiment2

Lieutenant General Sir Nicholas Houghton CBE Jun 2006–Jun 2011 Major General G J Binns CBE DSO MC Jun 2011–Jun 2016 Brigadier A T Jackson Jun 2016–Jun 2021 Brigadier Z R Stenning OBE Jun 2021–

2 Rank and Post Nominals as at date of assumption

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bales P G. History of the 1/4th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (WR)

Regiment. Edward Mortimer, Halifax, 1920. (Printed by Stott Brothers

Ltd, Halifax; 314pp, portraits, plates, maps). Barclay C N. The History of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, 1919 to 1952.

Regtl Council, 1953. (Printed by William Clowes and Sons Ltd; 398pp, plates, maps). Barker A J. Fortune Favours the Brave. Leo Cooper, London, 1974. (Printed by Hazell, Watson & Viney Ltd, Aylesbury; 170pp, plates, maps). Barker A J. The West Yorkshire Regiment. Leo Cooper Ltd, 1974. (Printed by

Hazel, Watson & Viney Ltd; 80pp, plates). Barker A J. The East Yorkshire Regiment. Leo Cooper, 1971. (Printed by

Compton Press; 152pp, plates). Bilton D. Hull Pals. Pen & Sword, 1999. (Printed by Yorkshire Web; 248pp, illustration, maps). ISBN: 97 80850526 349 Brereton J M, Savory A C S. The History of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) 1702–1992. RHQ DWR, 1993. (Printed by Amadeus Press,

Huddersfield; 446pp, portraits, plates, maps). ISBN: 0 9521552 0 6 Bruce C D. History of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (1st and 2nd

Battalions) 1881–1923. 1927. (Printed by The Medici Society Ltd; 263pp, portraits, plates, maps.). Butterworth T, Flaving M S, Harvey R L. The ‘Dukes’ History and Digest 1702–2006. J Telensky, 2009. (Printed by J Telensky; 139pp, plates, maps, portraits). Calladine G. Diary of Colour Sergeant George Calladine 1793–37. Eden

Fisher, 1922. Out of print