Yorkshire Regiment War Graves
Yorkshire Regiment War Graves, -
Bedford House Cemetery
(West-Vlaanderen) Belgium
Yorkshire Regiment War Graves
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A view of Bedford House Cemetery A view of Bedford House Cemetery
Photo : Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)

Zillebeke village and most of the commune were in the hands of Commonwealth forces for the greater part of the First World War, but the number of cemeteries in the neighbourhood bears witness to the fierce fighting in the vicinity from 1914 to 1918.

Bedford House, sometimes known as Woodcote House, were the names given by the Army to the Chateau Rosendal, a country house in a small wooded park with moats. Although it never fell into German hands, the house and the trees were gradually destroyed by shell fire. It was used by field ambulances and as the headquarters of brigades and other fighting units, and charcoal pits were dug there from October 1917.

In time, the property became largely covered by small cemeteries; five enclosures existed at the date of the Armistice. A sixth enclosure was made in the 1930s from the graves that were continuing to be found on the battlefield of the Ypres Salient.

Commonwealth casualties buried in smaller cemeteries were either concentrated into Bedford House Cemetery after the war or if lost, are now commemorated in Bedford House Cemetery.

In all, 5,139 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War are buried or commemorated in the enclosures of Bedford House Cemetery. 3,011 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate a number of casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials name casualties buried in other cemeteries whose graves could not be found on concentration. Second World War burials number 69 (3 of which are unidentified). There are 2 Germans buried here.

Amongst the graves in the Bedford House Cemetery are 21 for soldiers who served with the Yorkshire Regiment.

We are very grateful to Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>) who has provided photos of the cemetery and the headstones of these soldiers. Richard commented that on the day he took the photos, the weather was somewhat showery, and this has affected one or two of his photos of the headstones.

Select one of the images of a headstone for a larger version which opens in a new window.

   2nd Lieutenant Joseph Alfred Child.
9th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, attd. 69th T M Bty. Son of Mary Louisa Child, of 6, Moorland Mount, Cleckheaton, Yorks, and the late Ben Child. Born at Liversedge, Yorks. Killed 7 June 1917. Aged 23.

(A biography of Lieutenant Child is provided on the War Time Memories Project website.)
Serjeant James Fishburn, MM. 34588.
   Serjeant James Fishburn, MM. 34588.
9th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, formerly 18175 the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Fishburn, of 19, Barrington Terrace, Hetton Downs, Hetton-le-Hole, Co. Durham. Killed 22 September 1917. Aged 22.
Born Hetton-le-Hole (Co. Durham), Enlisted Houghton-le-Spring (Durham), Resided Hetton-le-Hole.

"REST IN PEACE"
Private Harry Glover. 22029.
   Private Harry Glover. 22029.
12th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) transf. to (14018) 24th Coy Labour Corps, formerly 9720 the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Henry and Margaret Glover; husband of Annie Dodd (formerly Glover), of Latham St., Widnes, Lancs. Killed 20 August 1917. Aged 32.
Born Widnes (Lancs), Resided Widnes (Lancs).

"HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE"
Corporal William Thomas Hill. 10736.
   Corporal William Thomas Hill. 10736.
6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 26 September 1917.
Born North Ormesby, Enlisted Middlesbrough.
2nd Lieutenant Edgar Francis Hutchinson
   2nd Lieutenant Edgar Francis Hutchinson.
4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of James M. and Elizabeth Hutchinson, of Gilside House, 2, Victoria Rd., Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Yorks. Died 24 May 1915. Aged 24.

"FAITHFUL IN ALL THINGS"
Lance Corporal George Jefferson, 14492.
   Lance Corporal George Jefferson, 14492.
6th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of James and Jane Jefferson, of Downholme, Richmond, Yorks. Killed 26 September 1917. Aged 22.
Born Downholme, Enlisted Leyburn, Resided Richmond.
Captain Loftus Edward Perceval Jones.
  Captain Loftus Edward Perceval Jones.
7th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of Peyton Jones, M.I.C.E. and Letetia Caroline Peyton Jones, of "Edenbrook", Blackwater, Hants. Passed law examinations in Melbourne gaining Supreme Court Prize. A Barrister at Supreme Court, Shanghai. Born at Ararat, Victoria, Australia. Killed 3 August 1915. Aged 39.
Private Edward Kelly, 15195.
  Private Edward Kelly, 15195.
6th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 9 October 1917.
Born Ushaw Moor, Enlisted Durham.
Private Thomas Livesey. 63986.
   Private Thomas Livesey. 63986.
20th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, formerly 203698 the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 11 October 1917.
Born Preston, Enlisted Preston.
Private William Henry Mark. 28286.
   Private William Henry Mark. 28286.
9th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 14 November 1916.
Born Wortley (Yorks), Enlisted York.
Private William Robert Miller. 1969.
   Private William Robert Miller. 1969.
5th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 29 May 1915.
Born Malton, Enlisted East Ayton, Resided Scarborough.
Private William Ernest Mills. 10190.
   Private William Ernest Mills. 10190.
2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 6 November 1914.
Born Holborn (London), Enlisted Stratford, Resided Plaistow.
Private George Moore. 14199.
   Private George Moore. 14199.
7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 3 August 1915.
Born Bedlington (Morpeth), Enlisted Deaf Hill Colliery, Resided Trimdon Grange.
Private George Wilkinson Robinson. 12151
   Private George Wilkinson Robinson. 12151.
9th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died 14 November 1916.
Born Middlesbrough, Enlisted Middlesbrough, Resided Cardiff.
Private Edward Vaughan, 1230.
   Private Edward Vaughan, 1230.
4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 24 May 1915.
Born Maryport (Cumberland), Enlisted Eston, Resided South Bank.
Lieutenant Herbert Parlby Walton.
  Lieutenant Herbert Parlby Walton.
2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Son of J. Herbert and Ellen Walton, of 6, Grosvenor Flats, Links Rd., Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa. Born at Headingley, Leeds. Killed 7 December 1917. Aged 26.

(Although the CWGC shows Lieutenant Walton as being in the 2nd Battalion, there is no mention of him in the 2nd Battalion War Diaries. He was originally in the 7th Battalion but he is not shown in the 7th Battalion War Diaries either.)

The following notes on Lieutenant Walton were written by Robert Coulson in his biographies of Yorkshire Regiment Officers;-
"Herbert Walton was born in Headingley, Leeds on February 2nd 1891. The family moved to South Africa where he served with the Rhodesian Regiment and was wounded in action during the occupation of German South West Africa in January of 1915.
Herbert Walton returned to the UK and received his commission on April 7th 1916, joining the 7th Battalion in France in June 1916 at Longeau.
Lt Walton saw action on the opening day of the Somme Offensive when the 7th Battalion were badly mauled in the attack on Fricourt on July 1st.
Remaining on the Somme the battalion were also involved in actions around the Le Transloy Ridges in October of 1916.
1917 saw Lt Walton at the Battle of Arras and in October of that year at 3rd Ypres, the Passchendaele offensive where he was wounded in action.
Lt Herbert Parlby Walton died of his wounds on December 7th 1917 aged 26.
Private Frederick Tootell Wilcocks. 19118.
   Private Frederick Tootell Wilcocks. 19118.
8th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of the late Constance Emily Wilcocks, of Leeds. Killed 19 October 1917. Aged 32.
Born Addlington (Lancs), Enlisted Leeds.
Private Hardy Wilkinson, 14072.
  Private Hardy Wilkinson, 14072.
7th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 14 February 1916.
Born Seaham (Sunderland), Enlisted Seaham Harbour, Resided New Seaham.
Private Albert Edward Wills. 18003.
   Private Albert Ernest Wills. 18003.
7th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Husband of Henrietta Ellison (formerly Wills), of 27, Seymour St., Wingate, Co. Durham. Killed 3 August 1915. Aged 35.
Born Wingate (Durham), Enlisted West Hartlepool, Resided Wingate.
Private Charles Wood. 10153.
   Private Charles Wood. 10153.
2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment. Killed 31 July 1917.
Born Stoke Newington (London), Enlisted Stratford, Resided Hackney.
Private Archibald Herbert Wroth. 235329.
   Private Archibald Herbert Wroth. 235329.
9th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, formerly 8927 Northumberland Fus. Killed 20 September 1917.
Born Kennington, Enlisted West London, Resided Hammersmith.

Bedford House CemeteryBedford House Cemetery
Photo : Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)

Bedford House CemeteryBedford House Cemetery
Photo : Richard Roberts (<richard.nsw@googlemail.com>)

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