1915 letter found details of men & units

[Havrincourt]

Hello all, I am new to the forum, I must say that this is a fantastic site

I would like your help and comments with a letter that was found by some school kids back in the 1970's , it was inside the chimney of a ruined cottage near some woods in Leeds,it is dated 31st May 1915, I shall attach the first page, the others to follow [4 in total]

The envelope is addressed to Mr & Mrs Chippindale, Scholes near Leeds, the letter mentions what looks like a missing son, gives comments on some casualties from around that time and later mentions Lord Feversham and Major Roberts, I do know that Lord Fevershams body was found over a year later near Flers and formed the Yeomans in 1915

Any comments , ideas, photo's , contacts are welcomed

Many Thanks

Andy

[To save space on the Forum please PM me to see this picture, it has been removed after 2 years]

[Simon R]

Where is this 'chimney of a ruined cottage' of which you speak?

[Havrincourt]

Where is this 'chimney of a ruined cottage' of which you speak?

Well, good question ,my older brother found it when playing near Gipton Wood in Leeds, I have had the letter for over 30 years!

[ianw]

It seems that Lord Feversham (Charles Duncombe, 2nd Earl Feversham) was killed leading his battalion (21st KRRC) during the famous capture of Flers on 15th Sept 1916 - with tank support.

"Lord Feversham.... set out ... with a party of mixed units towards Gird trench ... Feversham out in front of his men was killed... ". (Pidgeon "Tanks at Flers) . Strange that , I thought all aristocrats were 15 miles behind the line in a nice warm chateau.

Feversham had a private grave where he fell until well after WW2, when his body was moved to the AIF Cemetery.

In 1915 , I presume he was commanding the Yorkshire Yeomanry. The letter certainly refers to a cavalry unit because of the squadron references.

It would be nice to see the rest of the letter.

West Yorks seems to be Chippindale/Chippendale country.

[Havrincourt]

It seems that Lord Feversham (Charles Duncombe, 2nd Earl Feversham) was killed leading his battalion (21st KRRC) during the famous capture of Flers on 15th Sept 1916 - with tank support. In 1915 , I presume he was commanding the Yorkshire Yeomanry. The letter certainly refers to a cavalry unit because of the squadron references.

It would be nice to see the rest of the letter.

West Yorks seems to be Chippindale/Chippendale country.

Thanks Ian

The other 3 pages I've listed here earlier, I listed page 2 last night and 3 & 4 today

[ianw]

Perhaps it would be better if all the pages were in the same thread. It's quite difficult to track them all down.

I think Major Roberts may have died of Galipoli wounds or sickness in Malta. He was 47 and an ex-Indian Army officer. Rather old for the rigours of Galipoli, poor chap.

I liked the link re. the German POW who knew the Chippindales during WW2. Obviously they were not embittered by their experiences in the Great War.

[Havrincourt]

Perhaps it would be better if all the pages were in the same thread. It's quite difficult to track them all down.

I think Major Roberts may have died of Galipoli wounds or sickness in Malta. He was 47 and an ex-Indian Army officer. Rather old for the rigours of Galipoli, poor chap.

I liked the link re. the German POW who knew the Chippindales during WW2. Obviously they were not embittered by their experiences in the Great War.

Thanks Ian, you are right, I will post them all together next weekend , I'm finding it difficult to get some results on the other names mentioned, it might be that they could be in the Yorkshire Regiment or KRRC

Captain Deacon

Mr Kendal

K Heart

Corporal Lane Fox {I have found 2}

M A Lewis

Regards

Andy

[Havrincourt]

Who is Albert Hodson Bdr 775715 RFA?

Hello Simon

Albert is on my mums side of the family, the family say that he was injured with burst ear drums, I would love to find out more about all the names in my sig , would you have any clues as to where he would have served?, the family are from Leeds

Thanks

Andy

[Simon R]

Hodson, A. Bdr. 775715

This number was given to him c. Sept. 1917 as part of 'New Series of Regimental Numbers to be allotted to soldiers of the RHA and RFA (TF)'.

775001 - 780000 is a 1250 number sequence that covers both 1st and 2nd lines of the West Riding RFA (TF).

It means that we could narrow it down to him being in either 245th or 310th brigade RFA (TF).

Which battery he was in is a different matter!

He isn't in the nominal rolls of either the 1/10th or 1/11th West Riding howitzer bde. RFA (who became D246 and D245 respectively) but that doesn't mean he didn't serve with them later on!

I've a G.A. Hudson, that's as close as I get.

Sorry if you know all this already!

[Havrincourt]

Thank you Simon

I did not have any of that information, this adds a little more interest to the Family tree, the other name listed as RFA in my sig is Alfred Charles Benham Rutter ,it might be possible for both to have known each other during active service, the Rutters also lived in same Leeds district, Albert Hodsons son marrying one of Alfred C B Rutters daughters in 1935

Would there be any chance of you looking at Alfred Charles Benham Rutter , this might put them in the same unit?

Many thanks

Andy

[Simon R]

Yes, no problem, but the name doesn't sound too familiar to me - did he survive the war?

[Havrincourt]

Hi Simon

Yes survived , on the mic he is named as Alfred C B Rutter

RFA 28655

tranfered to RGA 149376,

Hope this helps,at some time he was injured in the leg, how could I find out when and where?

Andy

[Simon R]

I think just about the only chance of finding out when and where he was wounded would be to look up his file at the NA. Unless his battery produced a unit history (some did), but then you'd need to know which battery he was in. There may be some scope for narrowing him down to a bde. from his service number, but I'm not too sure about RGA re-numbering offhand.

Are all this lot from Tadcaster? Where they were from is sometimes a clue as to which bty./bde. they went into.... but not always as I'm sure you're aware.

[Havrincourt]

Thanks Simon

looks difficult , both men are from Leeds [burmantofts] as far as I'm aware , well , it will have to remain a mystery for now

The other RFA man in my sig ,Thomas Harley was a regular , The Stone family [my uncle] say that Tom Harley watched Sam Stone [signals] ,and brother in law, deliver a message under fire on his hands and knees in trenches near Beaumont Hamel, on his return Tom is said to have met Sam still in the frontline trench and found that he had worn his trousers out at the knees, Tom went back to the gun position and brought him a pair of artillery breeches to replace them!

Regards

Andy

[Nigel Marshall]

Full reply later, but the Lane-Fox name rings big bells.

Bramham House, not a million miles from Tadcaster is owned by the Lane-Fox family and they have a large enclosed burial plot in the village churchyard.

[Nigel Marshall]

Have a look here too.

Oh but a dig in the 1901 census shows that the four Chippindales here were not all brothers, They were two sets of brothers who were uncles and nephews to each other

[Rodge Dowson]

Charles Duncombe Earl of Feversham, was killed at Flers during the first tank action he was the former C/O of the Yorkshire Hussars and C/O at that time of the 21st Bn. KRRC (Yeoman Rifles). The battalion formed at Helmsley but attracted men from all backgrounds and different areas. The local men and North Yorks recruits formed A Company. They had a young officer who became adjutant later that was Anthony Eden. He married one of the Beckett family of Nawton. Gervaise Beckett also later married the Earl's widow who was one of the Warwick family.

[Rodge Dowson]

Edward Lane - Fox was a Captain in the Yorkshire Hussars

[Havrincourt]

Edward Lane - Fox was a Captain in the Yorkshire Hussars

Thanks for all your help guys

Andy

[Perth Digger]

I am replying to an old thread in which a letter having been posted has subsequently been removed. Would it be possible to put this letter up again, please? The details are below.

Thank you.

Mike

Hello all, I am new to the forum, I must say that this is a fantastic site

I would like your help and comments with a letter that was found by some school kids back in the 1970's , it was inside the chimney of a ruined cottage near some woods in Leeds,it is dated 31st May 1915, I shall attach the first page, the others to follow [4 in total]

The envelope is addressed to Mr & Mrs Chippindale, Scholes near Leeds, the letter mentions what looks like a missing son, gives comments on some casualties from around that time and later mentions Lord Feversham and Major Roberts, I do know that Lord Fevershams body was found over a year later near Flers and formed the Yeomans in 1915

Any comments , ideas, photo's , contacts are welcomed

Many Thanks

Andy

[To save space on the Forum please PM me to see this picture, it has been removed after 2 years]

[MBrockway]

I am replying to an old thread in which a letter having been posted has subsequently been removed. Would it be possible to put this letter up again, please? The details are below.

Thank you.

Mike

Hear hear - I missed this first time around & would be very interested because of the 21st battalion (Yeoman Rifles) KRRC connection.

Cheers,

Mark

[DDP1955]

The envelope is addressed to Mr & Mrs Chippindale, Scholes near Leeds, the letter mentions what looks like a missing son, gives comments on some casualties from around that time and later mentions Lord Feversham and Major Roberts, I do know that Lord Fevershams body was found over a year later near Flers and formed the Yeomans in 1915

I would also be interested in seeing this letter as I am researching men who were in the Yorkshire Yeoman Battalions

Dianne

[euryclea]

Hi Havrincourt.

I was told to contact you by a Chris Noble, after I posted messages on the Leeds Pals quandary topic. I am interested in two of my Great Grandmother's cousins Reginald and Gerald Wilkinson from Ulleskelf.

Euryclea

[Nigel Marshall]

Good to see this thread alive again.

Here is an extract from my website which tells a little more about the Chippindale family.

Isaac Chippindale came to Scholes from the windmill at Seacroft which now forms the centre of the well known hotel of the same name there. He established the Scholes Brick and Tile works on Wood Lane in Scholes. Run as a family business, the quarry gave high quality clay which made bricks from which many houses in Cross Gates, Seacroft, Scholes and Thorner were built. Isaac and his wife Clara had six children together, four boys and two girls. Arthur was the eldest son, born in December 1866, and he was followed four years later by Miranda. Next was Kate, three years younger than Miranda, followed after another three years by William. Isaac Murray Chippindale was born around 1884 and the family was completed with the birth of Henry Murray Chippindale in March 1887.

Clara took over the running of the Brickyard on the death of her husband, and she was assisted by her two oldest children, Arthur, who managed the operation, and Miranda who was the bookkeeper. Clara later married James Milner of Milner Villas on what is now Main Street in Scholes.

Arthur married Susan and they had three sons, Roy, born around 1893, Donald, born 23 March 1895, and Hugh Arthur born in 1896.

When the Great War came so many of the workforce at the Brick and Tile Works joined the armed services or went off to other war work, the brickyard was forced to close. In addition to the workers going to the services, the Chippindale men also answered the call for volunteers and brothers William and Henry Murray joined up, as did their nephews, Donald and Hugh Arthur.

William joined the Royal Flying Corps and became an Air Mechanic 1st Class. He remained with the RFC when it became a separate service in its own right on 1 April 1918 on the formation of the Royal Air Force. William survived the war, however, it appears that he had not emerged from the war untouched. He was described on his Death Certificate as having died from the effects of Pulmonary Tuberculosis, which he had had for three years, and the immediate effects of Acute Lobar Pneumonia which he had suffered for only three days. He is also described as being an Army Pensioner when he died at his home - Brickworks House, Wood Lane, Scholes.

Henry originally joined the Yorkshire Hussars as a Trooper. He was promoted Corporal and served with the regimental number 2345. The Yorkshire Hussars was a yeomanry regiment, the Territorial Force equivalent of the cavalry. On his commissioning he was transferred to the Yorkshire Dragoons. It was common for officers commissioned from the the ranks to be transferred to a different regiment in order to not allow old familiarities and loyalties influence the new officer, or let his subordinates who were recently his equals expect preferential treatment. The practice allowed the officer to make a fresh start.

Henry was gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant in the gazette of 12th September 1917, with seniority dating from 25th August 1917.

The following year this announcement was made in the London Gazette: -

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE. 7 NOVEMBER, 1918

AWARDED THE MILITARY CROSS.

2nd Lt. Henry Murray Chippindale, Yeo.

For conspicuous gallantry and ability while making a reconnaissance. He took his troop forward, carrying out his duties most successfully, and when, machine-gun fire compelled him to send his horse away he continued his reconnaissance on foot and remained observing the enemy and sending back good information throughout the afternoon. He located enemy artillery, a machine-gun position, and an infantry position. He did excellent work, and his report was of the greatest value to the operations.

Donald Chippindale gained a commission in the Royal Field Artillery and he too was a Territorial Force Officer, serving with the 1st North Midland Brigade. Donald, like his uncle Henry also received the Military Cross for his gallantry when serving as a Forward Observation Officer (F.O.O.). The London Gazette published the award in a supplement on 18th June 1917. It read: -

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 18 JUNE, 1917.

MILITARY CROSS.

2nd Lt. Donald Chippindale, R.F.A.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He did exceptionally good work as F.O.O. The trench in which he was posted was shelled continuously. In spite of this he maintained communications, and three times reported the enemy massing for an attack, thus enabling steps to be taken which brought the enemy attack to nothing.

In December 1918 the London Gazette carried an announcement that Donald Chippindale was relinquishing his commission due to ill health contracted on war service. Donald evidently recovered his health and lived until December 1984 when he died at Bridlington aged 89 years old.

Hugh Arthur Chippindale was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery as a territorial officer, but in March 1918 he was seconded to the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps where he trained and qualified as an Observer. He quickly made his mark in his new role and was awarded the Military Cross, which was announced as follows: -

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 22 JUNE, 1918.

AWARDED THE MILITARY CROSS.

Lt. Hugh Arthur Chippindale, R.F.A., attd. R.F.C.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While carrying out a reconnaissance, he and his pilot were attacked by eleven hostile scouts. They succeeded in destroying one of these, drove off the remainder, and then completed the reconnaissance. Later, when information was urgently needed during an engagement, he and his pilot carried out a most successful reconnaissance, flying at a very low altitude under continuous rifle and machine-gun fire from the ground. They located hostile batteries, and enabled very effective counter battery work to be carried out, and also engaged ground targets with bombs and machine-gun fire. He showed splendid courage and skill.

When the war ended there was a surplus of officers in the newly formed RAF and many of the officers who had been seconded were placed on the unemployed list prior to being returned to their parent units. This happened to Hugh Chippindale on 29th January 1919, and he was restored to the establishment of 3rd West Riding Brigade the same day.

Between the wars investment was made into the brickyard and new steam boilers were bought, but the efforts to get the business up and running again could not save it and the company finally closed.

The Chippindale family probably made more of an impression on the village than any other. The houses their bricks built can still be seen and the Arthursdale area of Scholes is quite obvious in its origins. Their military achievements, winning three Military Crosses between them is something which the family was obviously very proud of. There being two family members in the RFC and later the RAF shows that they were a family that embraced the future and were modern in their outlook. When Donald Chippindale left the Army, he was granted the honorary rank of Captain, and this appears in his telephone directory entries until 1971. He used the post nominal letters MC until 1960.

The derelict site of the brickworks was littered with the detritus of its former use but the most imposing feature of the site was the pair of chimneys which once vented the furnaces under boilers and the kilns. These stood in mute testimony to the bygone era of Scholes Brick and Tile Works until they were brought crashing down by controlled explosion in the early 1980s when it was discovered, after years of suspicion, that the structures had been rendered unsafe by age, neglect and vandalism. The site of the quarry was cleared and the lake cleansed of much of the deposited rubbish of years of fly tipping, including, so rumour has it the shells of numerous dumped cars. The waters of the quarry have supported the angler in his hobby almost since the pit stopped being pumped dry, and stories of fabled pike abound. Today many anglers from East Leeds can claim to have baited their first hook at "Chippy's".

Cheers,

Nigel