Diary of Robert Spence Stephenson, ERY etc.

[Doctord84]

Latest project for me (and fellow forum member Neil H, who is now volunteering with us) is to transcribe the above and put it online. Along with numerous photographs, military documents and artefacts, the diary has been kindly loaned to us by relatives for our forthcoming display. It's a 1917 diary, so covers the period from when the ERY moved over the Suez canal, through the three battles of Gaza and up to the regiment's withdrawal from the front line. As our Archives service already has his wartime album, we'll hopefully be adding images, as well as references to the unti's war diary, to put the thing into context.

The diary also has various other notes, including lists of names and service numbers, which we hope to tackle as well in due course.

Attached image (from private collection) shows RSS at Costessey camp, near Norwich, September 1915.

[Eran Tearosh]

Doctord84 & Neil H,

What a great project!

I live not far from the battlefeilds of Mughar, Abu Shushe and the Horon area (Thatha, Foka, Zeitun etc). Let me know if I can help in anyway.

Eran

[Doctord84]

Hi Eran

Thanks for that. If you have any photos of the area as it is now, I'd certainly be interested to see them. It is a real privilege to be able to work on this stuff and bring it to a wider audience.

cheers

David

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

I have around 82 men from the ERY serving with the Camel Corps during that time.mostly with No 10 Company 2nd Bn ICC.

If you need anything.

S.B

[Doctord84]

Thanks Steve

I might need to check the odd name,I'll let you know.

Dave

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

To help here are the names I have;

Acerman Charles 17257 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (17257) and Hussars (75613)
Agershow Christian 2214 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (2214) and Hussars (231878)
Armitage Frederick 50591 Cpl 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1512) and Hussars
Ashlin C.H.N. Lt OC 10Co 8-16 to 2-17 Ex East Riding Yeo (2876) to RAF
Banks John 50606 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (2060) and Hussars
Bardwell Thomas Garnett Maj OC 10Co 7-16 to 8-16 Ex East Riding Yeo
Blacker Robert 1534 S/Sgt ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1534) and Hussars (231890)
Bone Sydney 1363 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1363) and Hussars
Bonewell Sydney 50599 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1486) and Hussars (H/50599) died in UK buried Hull Western Cemetery DoD 2-4-19
Boulton William 50603 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1719) and Hussars
Bowes Arthur 50604 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1136) and Hussars
Brain Jonathon H 50605 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (2019) and Hussars
Broumpton Louis F 50752 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1210) and Hussars
Brown Harold 1993 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1993) and Hussars (327174)
Caley Harold 50600 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1597) and Hussars
Chapman Jonathon 50608 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1653) and Hussars
Chessman Consett E 50010 Wo2 ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (357) and Hussars
Chipperfield Thomas 10602 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (10602) and Hussars (75802)
Clark George Pawson 50581 Sgt 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1226) and Hussars and Lancers (50143) or (50651) in Bn roll buried Damascus War Cemetery KIA 27-3-18
Clark William 2077 Pte 10Co killed at Bir el Aweidia Ex East Riding Yeo AKA William Clarke KIA 7-8-16
Collins Arthur I. 50609 Sgt 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1306) and Hussars
Cook John William 50328 Pte 10Co to 3Bn HQ Sig 1-17 Ex East Riding Yeo (1516)
Coulbeck George 481 F/QMS ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (481) and Hussars (301878)
Craggy John Stuart Worth 50580 Sgt 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (50380) reported MIA 27-3-18 NKG listed on the Jerusalem War Memorial KIA 30-3-18
Cunningham Thomas F 2132 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (2132) and Hussars (231879)
Daines Aaron L. 50610 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (50559) and Hussars (50610)
Dennison Harold 2389 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (2389) and Hussars (231882)
Dickens Frank 30927 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (30927) and Hussars (236830)
Dodgson William K. 50611 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1520) and Hussars
Dunning Edgar 50579 SSM 10Co Ex SSM East Riding Yeo (1390) and Hussars
Fanthorpe Arthur 50613 Pte 10Co MID Ex East Riding Yeo (2028) and Hussars
Fox Clifford J. 50612 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1266) and Hussars
Freeman John 50588 Cpl 10Co DCM Ex East Riding Yeo (1472) and Lancers (50302) buried Suez War Cemetery WIA 8-8-18 DoW 14-8-18
Gilbank Harold 1594 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1594) and Hussars (231833)
Glen Malcolm 1561 Cpl ICC Ex East Riding Yeo (1561) and Hussars (301880)
Graham Benjamin 50598 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1622) and Hussars
Gray William 50594 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1784) and L/Cpl Hussars
Harrison Frederick S. 50614 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1550) and Hussars
Hawkins Maurice 50589 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1337) and Hussars
Hole Henry V 1703 Sgt 9Co ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1703) and Hussars (327182)
Holland James E 2205 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (2205) and Hussars (327188)
Hunter Jack 1167 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1167) and Hussars (327181)
Jaques Eric 50618 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1766) and Hussars
Jones John H. 51117 CQMS ICC Ex SQMS East Riding Yeo (1850) and Hussars
King Joseph Harry 50619 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding (2203) and Hussars (50619)
Lamplugh Victor L 50582 Sgt 10Co DCM Ex East Riding Yeo (1511) and Hussars
Langham Harry P. 50585 Cpl 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1533) and Hussars (327171)
Leaf Stanley 50590 L/Cpl 10Co DCM Ex East Riding Yeo (1552) and Hussars
Lear William W. 50620 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (?) and Hussars
Longhurst Sidney J 50595 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1966) and Hussars to RFC (113215)
Lowthorp Bernard 51143 A/Sgt ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1604) and Hussars
Lyth Wilfred 50596 L/Cpl 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (2065) and Lancers 50664 NKG listed on the Jerusalem War Memorial KIA 30-3-18
Marlow Albert E 53008 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (46195) and Hussars
Maynard Henry Robert 50601 L/Cpl 10Co Ex East Riding (1799) and Lancers (50510) buried Damascus War Cemetery KIA 27-3-18
Moore Lawrence 50593 Sig 10Co to 2Bn HQ Ex East Riding Yeo (2187) and Hussars (rory)
Mutton Herbert 11251 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (11251) and Hussars (75610)
Oldfield George 50006 Sgt ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (?) and Hussars
Osgerby Herbert 1327 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1327) and Hussars (276963)
Outhwaite Reginald 50621 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1216) and Hussars WIA 30-3-18
Perry Kenneth 50597 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1441) and Hussars
Rackham Valentine H 50585 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1596) and Hussars
Reader William 1106 Cpl ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1106) and Hussars (236823)
Robinson William 50623 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1431) and Hussars
Sears Albert J 30575 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (30575) and Hussars (231875)
Smith James W 50592 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1543) and Hussars
Stanton William O 50624 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1866) and Lancers (50555) buried Damascus War Cemetery KIA 27-3-18
Steele Cliffard MQ 50625 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1447) and Hussars WIA 27-3-18
Streetly George 50626 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1292) and Hussars
Swaine FE 50586 L/Cpl 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (?) and Hussars WIA 27-3-18
Sykes N.C. Mark 2/Lt Ex East Riding Yeo (1799) and Capt Hussars att MGC
Thompson Oliver 50627 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1996) and Hussars
Varey Edward 1710 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1710) and Hussars (327176)
Vincent George 231880 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (231880) and Hussars
Waind William 50632 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (2686) and Hussars
Walker Bernard 50628 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1880) and Hussars
Walker Eric N 50587 L/Cpl 10Co Ex L/Cpl East Riding Yeo (1201) and Hussars
Wall Thomas H 50618 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (2202) to Stafford Yeo (301551) and Royal Engineers (475857)
Watson Noel A 50584 Sgt 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1482) and Hussars
Welton Frank 50629 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1982) and Hussars
Winter Reginald 11850 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (11850) and Hussars (75611)
Witty Stanley 50631 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1698) and Hussars
Woodruf John Elias 50630 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1697) + Gloucester Yeo and Hussars AKA John Woodup

Many suffered under TEL when attach during the later stages of the war.

Cheers

S.B

[Doctord84]

Gosh, thanks Steve, wasn't expecting that!

Although the booklet to go with the Yeomanry exhibition this July has of necessity stopped at 100 men - it seemed like a good round number and I had to stop somewhere if I was to get any other work done! - I am working largely in my own time on a longer term project, looking at the social background of officers, NCO's and men in the ERY. Might take a while......

best regards

David

[joseph]

Photo of Pte Bonewells Grave.

Hi,

Regards Charles

[SteveMarsdin]

Hi Dave,

I was speaking with Kay Stephenson on Thursday night, Kay was talking about Edward VII's visit to the family farm in 1905. Kay had some fantastic contemporary photos of the yeomanry on that occasion. Kay mentioned that she'd passed over the wartime diaries to you. Chris Stephenson and Chris Clubley are good friends and their paternal grandfathers both served in the ERY in WW1. You viewed Chris Clubley's grandfather's display last July, would you still like it for your exhibition ?

[Doctord84]

Hi Steve

Yes, I would still like to have Chris Clubley's ERY material for the exhibition if available. If he can drop it off sometime in the next couple of months that would be great!

We've transcribed a couple of months of the wartime Stephenson diary so far, well on course to get it ready for the exhibition.

Charles

Many thanks for the photograph. He was one of three Bonewells in the ERY, all from Hull seemingly. Sydney was a plumber, Herbert Walter was a cooper and there was also Jack as well.

[nfh249]

Perry Kenneth 50597 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1441) and Hussars

Rackham Valentine H 50585 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1596) and Hussars

Reader William 1106 Cpl ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (1106) and Hussars (236823)

Robinson William 50623 Pte 10Co Ex East Riding Yeo (1431) and Hussars

Sears Albert J 30575 Pte ICC? Ex East Riding Yeo (30575) and Hussars (231875)

Hi Steve,

Recently William "Wass" Reader's diary came to light in the Castle Museum in York and as part of the research relating to that we uncovered Reader's service record on ancestry. This shows that he didn't in fact serve with the ICC - he got his Corps of Hussars number as a result of being wounded and in hospital when the rest of the East Ridings were transfered to France in 1918. Reader was subsequently transfered to the 1/1st Gloucestershire Hussars 19th July 1918.

Cheers,

Neil.

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Thanks for that.

Yes where I could not confirm there being in the ICC, I place a question mark after that (ICC?) untill I found some confirmation, nice to find that out and I can cross him off the list.

Reader was suspected as he had no ICC number (50000 range) .

I suspect that Albert Sears (in the list above) and others may also fall into that area.

But there are espections to every rule as William Clark (Clarke) was killed with the ICC but had no ICC number? So I included all I believe may have been in the ICC untill they can be confirmed.

Cheers

S.B

[nfh249]

Hi Steve,

I think that it is to do with the renumbering of the TF in 1917. East Riding Yeomen were renumbered in the 50000 - 55000 range. William Clark(e) was killed in 1916 before everyone was moved over to 5-digit numbers and so doesn't have a 50000 series number.

According to the Long, Long Trail the range of numbers allocated to the Corps of Hussars (TF) was 200000+ so it appears that the ERY retained their Yeomanry "identity" in the ICC which was considered to be in the Corps of Hussars (i.e. retaining numbers between 50000 - 55000 rather than being renumbered as should have been the case when moving between Corps). I would therefore be tempted to deduce that anyone in the list with a 200000+ number were "genuine" transfers to Hussar regiments.

However, as you say, things are rarely as straightforward as that!

Cheers,

Neil.

[Doctord84]

Diary now available from our Museums website at -

http://www.museums.eastriding.gov.uk/ww1-commemorations/ww1-resources/

We are now moving on to various lists of names, service numbers and other material written in the back of the diary. More eye strain ahead!

[Doctord84]

Various lists from this diary now transcribed - bar areas where water stains mix with the red leather binding to give an interesting strawberry jam effect on the page! Firstly something which seems to be a list of "scores" for kit inspections:

Name

Rifle

Sword

Saddle

Horse

Audas

RSS

Sgt. Hall

Sgt. Searle

49

49

37

356

Sgt. Lyon

Lance Sgt. Thompson

111

116

1016

Sgt. Elliott

8/9

Cpl Simpson

1

111

369

LCpl Copper

91

91

122

905

LCpl Elliott*

96

96

50

382

LCpl Johnson

94

94

89

146

LCpl Potter

19

19

26

1003

Whiting

LCpl Hepworth

77

476

107

572

Nicholson

SS Thomas

106

106

106

535

Trumpeter Thompson

145

2

130

912

Private Akester

97

97

133

758

Private Brown

133

133

81

694

Private Bradley

95

1

112

495

Private Booth

109

280

Champlin

Private Cooper

110

110

110

762

[Name lost]

55

55

78

690

Falkener

120

323

Hancock

461

233

Howard

115

115

115

Holdsworth, E.*

117?

Holdsworth, F. (Cook)

147

21

Large

61

61

132

886

Lound*

104

Lofthouse *

197

197

126

833

Owst

1

108

641

Randall *

107

107

134

408

Rafton*

20

20

Roach

7

7

113

619

Simpson

109

109

985

Twinner (Transport) *

Utteridge

103

103

135

765

Walker

72

72

117

344

Woodmansey

127

127

127

1054

Wigglesworth

120

323

* Names crossed out. So implying transfers, or in the case of Lofthouse killed. LCpl Elliott was promoted to Sergeant, hence the two entries.

[Doctord84]

Another list, this time with three digit numbers. Not all the numbers or names are legible. These are clearly not service numbers - they do not match the earlier numbers on the medal cards and Lt. Audas has a number, which as an officer he would not have done. These are perhaps scores of some kind, maybe from rifle practice on a range? (in which case a very wide range of abilities is indicated!)

146 Cpl Johnson

169 Sgt ????

280 Booth

318 Am P?

323 Wigglesworth

328 Ben?

344 Walker

352 HKSP

356 Sgt. Searle

369 Cpl Simpson

376 Mary

382 Cpl Elliott?

?86 Sgt Lyon

408 Randall

414 Champlin, H.

495 Bradley

535 Thomas

572 Hepworth

619 Roach

64? Owst?

644? Brown, J.R.

732 Lt. Audas

758 Akester

762 Cooper

765 Utteridge

816 Rabbit

8?? Lofthouse

886? Large

905 Copper

912 Trumpeter Thompson

TO M & S 15/17 click 985 (crossed out)

990

1003 Cpl Potter

1016……

1086……

1034 Woodmansey

Rest illegible

A

[SteveMarsdin]

Hi Dave,

Is Sgt Lyon the one with the camera, who took the photo record of their campaign ?

[Doctord84]

Hi Steve

It is indeed Harold Lyon, from Market Weighton.

Dave

[Doctord84]

And finally, a list of names with five digit service numbers, as issued to Territorials in 1917. We've cross referenced to the earlier service numbers and added other details where possible. 37 names in all, presumably all the men from one troop of the ERY.

2^nd Lt. Stephenson [Robert Spence Stephenson, born Goodmanham, enlisted in 1906]

50155 Sgt. Searle [Oswald Searle, originally 1253, enlisted May 1913. From Norton]

50207 Sgt. Hall [James Alfred Hall, previously 1336, enlisted April 1914?]

? Sgt. Lyon [Harold W. Lyon. Previously 1155, enlisted 1912? Of Market Weighton]

50079 Cpl Simpson [Not identified]

50356 Cpl Copper [Ernest Copper, previously 1553, enlisted around 1^st September 1914]

50603 Cpl Potter [Frank Potter, previously 1980, enlisted about April 1915]

50212 Johnson [Henry Cecil Johnson, 1343, enlisted about 1^st May 1914]

50505 Hepworth [Thomas M. Hepworth, previously 1794, enlisted about end October 1914

50130 Howard [not identified]

50397 [William Noel Whiting 1621, enlisted about September 1914]

50182 Nicholson [Percy Nicholson, 1294, later RAF 406282]

50417 S.S. Thomas [=Shoeing smith George R. Thomas]

50336 Trumpeter Thompson [Victor Thompson, 1528, enlisted 31/8/1914]

50719 Private Akester [Herbert Akester 2140, enlisted about June 1915]

18339 Ashwell [Charles William]

50333 Brown [John Richard Brown, 1523, enlisted 31^st August 1914]

50085 Cooper [Not identified]

50882 Booth [Frederick William Booth, 2475, enlisted November 1915]

50075 Dalton [William Walgate Dalton, 1100, enlisted November 1911? Born in Beverley]

50898 Faulkner [William Henry Faulkner 2545, enlisted November 1915]

50494 Forrest [Not identified]

31026 Goode [William John Goode]

50649 Holdsworth [Fred Holdsworth, 2049, enlisted May 1915]

50206 Large [Lewis Large?]

31033 Manton [Joseph Alfred Walter Manton]

50835 Owst [irvin, 2349, enlisted 23^rd October 1915]

50430 Randall [Alfred Randall, 1671, enlisted 7^th September 1914]

50848 Roach[bernard Roach, 2371, enlisted October 1915]

50704 Simpson [Not identified]

50833 Sleight [Not identified]

50228 Utteridge [Richard Utteridge, 1370, enlisted August 1914, born Beverley]

50218 Walker [Augustus Walker, 1353, enlisted mid 1914]

50677 Woodmansey [ John B. Woodmansey]

51569 Millan (?) [Not identified]

50911 Wigglesworth [Reginald Norman Wigglesworth, 2602, enlisted November 1915, born Hull]

50771 Ward [Campbell Terrance Ward, 2240, enlisted 6/9/1915]