17th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment

[stocksd]

My Grandfather was 17/787 Serjeant J.W. Stocks. Prince of Wale’s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment). Killed in action 14 September 1917. Buried in the CWGC extension of the Villers-Faucon Communal Cemetery, Somme.

The 17th Battalion’s War Diary for that day reads:

Enemy heavily bombarded our line at 12:10 am. Rapid rifle and machine gun fire was at once opened by our troops & our artillery was immediately called upon.

Daylight Patrol discovered some stick & egg bombs near the South of OSSUS Wood. Our Casualties, Wounded 1 Officer & 11 O.R. Killed 4 O.R.

Those other “ORs” who had been killed on the same day were 38527 Private Joseph Arundale; 41584 Private Horace Fish; and 38511 Private Ben Haigh and are also resting at Villers-Faucon.

I would appreciate any assistance this forum may be able to provide in additional information about the West Yorkshires' actions in/arround Epehy in that part of 1917... especially anything relating to the 17th Bn.

Thanks in advance

Dennis