Casualties from Leeds

[Terry Denham]

Pals

My son has just phoned me from Uni in Leeds asking for help (makes a change from money!). However, he has left me no time in which to help him!

He is undertaking a design project under the general title of 'Memory'. Due to the time of year, he is slanting his project to 'Remembrance' (the young do still care).

I have been able to assist him with names of Leeds casualties which will be incorporated into his design but he has asked if he could have three short biographies of Leeds men who died with photos.

The only problem with this is he wants them by the weekend and original research takes a little longer than that!

Is there any Pal who has info to hand and possibly photos of Leeds casualties which they would not mind sharing. The project is entirely private and not for publication etc.

If anyone can help, I would appreciate a PM or email.

Thanks in advance

[DaveBrigg]

Leeds University student Percy Margetts, before and after being sent to Gallipoli. Biography pasted into an Email. (There is a much briefer biography on the forum, if you search for Margetts. Something to do with the time it took between enlisting and arriving at the front.)

Hope this helps.

Dave

[Terry Denham]

Dave

I can't thank you enough.

Your PM and the info contained therein certainly does help.

I owe you.

Thanks again.

[jvcade]

Terry,

This is a page from a recent remembrance service for my (Leeds born) grandfather. I will send front cover separate.

Jim Cade

[jvcade]

Terry,

Front cover as promised.

[Terry Denham]

Jim

Once again the Forum comes up trumps.

Thank you for this. We are most grateful.

I now have two debts to repay!

[Bob Coulson]

Captain David Philip Hirsch VC – 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment.

A Leeds man, David Hirsch was born in the city on December 28th 1896.

He was educated at Willeston School in Nantwich where he excelled at cricket and athletics and was Head Boy in his final year at the school.

Leaving school during the first Christmas of the war he immediately began training with the Leeds University Officer Training Corps and was commissioned in April of 1915 with the West Yorkshire Regiment.

In September of 1915 he transferred to the Yorkshire Regiment and attended a machine gun course in England before joining the 4th battalion in Belgium in April 1916 at Locre. In August 1916 David Hirsch and the battalion moved south to play their part in the Somme offensive.

Early September saw them in action between High Wood and Martinpuich and between the 1st and 3rd of October they fought at Eaucourt L’abbaye where David Hirsch was wounded in action.

By now a Lieutenant he was promoted to Captain in December 1916 when he assumed command of “Y” company of the 4th battalion.

In February 1917 they took over the line from French troops at Foucaucourt and on March 30th they moved into the Arras sector.

During the night of 22nd-23rd April the battalion moved into position for operations the following day against the enemy line around Wancourt.

After an artillery barrage commencing at 4-45am on April 23rd the battalion moved forward just after 5-30am. After fierce fighting Captain Hirsch was the only officer remaining as a withering German machine gun fire was played on the troops. Captain Hirsch established a defensive flank parallel to the river.

By now twice wounded David Hirsch was continuously up and down the line over fire swept ground encouraging his men to hold the flank.

He was finally killed at 7-15am on April 23rd 1917 at the age of just 20.

His body still lies on the Arras battlefield and his name is remembered on Bay 5 of the Arras Memorial in the western part of the town.

His Victoria Cross citation was published in the London Gazette on June 14th 1917 and his medal was presented to his family by King George V at Buckingham Palace

on July 21st 1917.

Captain David Philip Hirsch was the eldest son of Harry and Edith Hirsch of Westwood Grove in Leeds.

After the war his parents paid for a swimming pool in his memory at his old school at Nantwich and there is a plaque to his memory outside Leeds City Art Gallery.

In 1918 his VC became the property of his brother Major Frank Hirsch and when he died in 1995 it passed to a nephew in South Africa who loaned the VC and Captain Hirsch’s other medals to the Green Howards Regimental Museum at Richmond in

North Yorkshire, where they can be seen today.

Terry this is from my own research though no picture I'm afraid.

Bob.

[Terry Denham]

Thanks Bob

That is great.

If I can do abything for you three gents, just ask.

[linge]

Bob/Terry

This is a not very good picture of David Philip Hirsch from the "Victoria Cross 1856-1920"

Hope this works

Regards

Pam

[Bob Coulson]

Nice one Pam.

Bob.

[Terry Denham]

Thanks, Pam.

[Bob Coulson]

Forgot I had this, his medals in the Green Howards museum.

[Jonathan Saunders]

Terry if you still need info then JohnW or Johnw (think it is the first one) has a lot of info on Leeds men and might be able to help if you PM him.

[Terry Denham]

Thanks, Jon, but I have enough now thanks to the kind gents above.

Thanks all.