REMEMBRANCE 2004
Lynda Heath, 10 November 2004
This year we have seen the commemoration of 60 years since the D Day Landings and 60 years since Arnhem. Arnhem is well remembered by one of our audience, Galphay’s own John Hebden who was a glider pilot on Day One of Arnhem, one of the lucky ones as he puts it. But this year is also a 90 years anniversary, 90 years since the outbreak of World War One, and, as far as we can tell, this Village Hall has an interesting link back to those days, and it is probably the same 90 years since it was first built, up at the construction site for Leighton Reservoir at Breary Banks in Colsterdale. This site was used for the training of volunteers in 1914 and 1915.
Back in 1914 Lord Kitchener called on the towns and cities of the United Kingdom to form new volunteer battalions, also known as Kitchener’s Army or the Pals. Leeds responded eagerly to the call, and my own grandfather was one who volunteered, but he then went on to join the Hussars instead as he wanted to work with horses. So that’s where I get my love of horses from! The Leeds Pals formed the First Leeds Battalion, the Prince of Wales Own West Yorkshire Regiment, 15th (Service) Battalion. And in September 1914 the first 1300 volunteers set off, cheered on by 20,000 people in Leeds, for Masham and Colsterdale, where there were only a few huts and a small bungalow. They lived under canvas that autumn, and built all the other wooden buildings needed to meet War Office requirements, including in all likelihood this very building that we sit in.
The volunteers included water engineers, the sons of prominent Leeds businessmen, a Leeds City (as the club was then called) footballer, three Yorkshire County cricketers and two notable athletes. After 9 months in Colsterdale they moved on to complete their training, again locally, at North Camp in Ripon.
After completing their training they first went to serve in Egypt before returning to go to the western front in time for the battle of the Somme. Around half the total strength of 2000 pals went over the top at 7.39 in the morning on 1st July 1916. Two hundred and twenty two of those who first built this hall died that day, and a further 26 died later of their wounds. Kitchener’s Army was annihilated.
World War One was not quite the end of the military connections of this hall. In 1927 it was taken down and transported in bits here to Galphay, to be re-constructed as the basis for the Village Institute. The Second World War did not bring it such active service, but it was the host for regular dances, when, according to Cecil Burgess who was a teenager at the time, it was heaving with both service personnel from Ripon and civilians. Cecil has even speculated that the dances were so popular that some of those attending were perhaps taking unauthorised time off from their military duties.
Lynda Heath, 10 November 2004
This year we have seen the commemoration of 60 years since the D Day Landings and 60 years since Arnhem. Arnhem is well remembered by one of our audience, Galphay’s own John Hebden who was a glider pilot on Day One of Arnhem, one of the lucky ones as he puts it. But this year is also a 90 years anniversary, 90 years since the outbreak of World War One, and, as far as we can tell, this Village Hall has an interesting link back to those days, and it is probably the same 90 years since it was first built, up at the construction site for Leighton Reservoir at Breary Banks in Colsterdale. This site was used for the training of volunteers in 1914 and 1915.
Back in 1914 Lord Kitchener called on the towns and cities of the United Kingdom to form new volunteer battalions, also known as Kitchener’s Army or the Pals. Leeds responded eagerly to the call, and my own grandfather was one who volunteered, but he then went on to join the Hussars instead as he wanted to work with horses. So that’s where I get my love of horses from! The Leeds Pals formed the First Leeds Battalion, the Prince of Wales Own West Yorkshire Regiment, 15th (Service) Battalion. And in September 1914 the first 1300 volunteers set off, cheered on by 20,000 people in Leeds, for Masham and Colsterdale, where there were only a few huts and a small bungalow. They lived under canvas that autumn, and built all the other wooden buildings needed to meet War Office requirements, including in all likelihood this very building that we sit in.
The volunteers included water engineers, the sons of prominent Leeds businessmen, a Leeds City (as the club was then called) footballer, three Yorkshire County cricketers and two notable athletes. After 9 months in Colsterdale they moved on to complete their training, again locally, at North Camp in Ripon.
After completing their training they first went to serve in Egypt before returning to go to the western front in time for the battle of the Somme. Around half the total strength of 2000 pals went over the top at 7.39 in the morning on 1st July 1916. Two hundred and twenty two of those who first built this hall died that day, and a further 26 died later of their wounds. Kitchener’s Army was annihilated.
World War One was not quite the end of the military connections of this hall. In 1927 it was taken down and transported in bits here to Galphay, to be re-
Given this history it is therefore very fitting that we should welcome guest speakers from our armed forces at remembrance time this particular year, and that the proceeds from our event should be shared with the Royal British Legion.
