Birdsall (St. Mary's) Churchyard. There are 3 Commonwealth War Graves in the Churchyard, relating to the First World War. Two of these graves are for men of the Yorkshire Regiment.

The two soldiers of the Yorkshire Regiment have adjoining regimental numbers, and they are buried in adjoining graves. This strongly indicates that in life they would have been friends and knew each other. Private Whiteley will have taken part in the war from the beginning, only to die on the day of the Armistice.

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Private Ernest Turner. 2711. 2/5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment. Died at home 6 August 1915. Enlisted Malton (Yorks). Photo : Edward Nicholl

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Private Sidney Whiteley. 2710. Yorkshire Regiment. Son of William and Emily Whiteley, of The Kennels, Goathland, Yorks. Died at home 11 November 1919. Aged 22. "PEACE PERFECT PEACE" Photo : Edward Nicholl

The headstones for Privates Turner and Whitely in Birdsall (St. Mary's) Churchyard
Photo : Edward Nicholl

St. Mary's Church, Birsdall
Photo © Copyright Martin Dawes and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

St. Mary's Church is very isolated, sitting on top of a small hill.

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