Memories of Corporal Reginald Stenton with poem by a Pte. Roper

Memories of Corporal REGINALD STENTON 1895 - 1986 My father, Reginald Stenton, joined the West Yorkshire Regiment and his medal role gave his number as 11986. He served in France from July 13th 1915. In that year, whilst in the Ypres Salient, he was wounded twice, at Diekebusch and Hill 60. In 1916,whilst serving with the 10th West Yorks he was wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Somme at Fricourt attached to the seventeenth division of the 50th Brigade. In 1917, at Cambrai, he was seriously wounded in the leg. I am adding a poem written by Private Roper which was given to my father. I believe Private Roper was killed or died of wounds. My father did not speak much of the war but he told me the above facts. The charge of the 10th. West Yorkshire Regt. It was in the Tambour trenches The 10th. West Yorkshires tried To get honours for their Regt. They’d often been denied. All good lads from Yorkshire There never was a doubt; And the first time they were tested The Huns they routed out. It was in front of Fricourt The lines they had to take And our brave lads knew very well It was for Britains sake. Sat morn July the first The boys in trenches stay With bayonets fixed Not for glory or death care they The time to go over was zero But zero no one knew Then one, two, three mines exploded And over the top they flew. Dashing across the plain Through barbed wire thick and thin For German blood they thirsted And knew it was no sin. But hark! The roar of their guns Heavy shrapnel and shell they threw The Germans were for all their worth To cut our line in two. But oh ! How the brave lads suffered In that great bayonet fight To see them lie down in the trenches Alas! Was an awful sight. But one great praise for our gunners I think they are all of the best For they were just in their glory When they had their shells to test. For all that day they shelled them They had orders not to cease; And God only knows how the Germans withstood The Artillery gave them no peace And on that plain, unmindful of defeat Or victory the slain and wounded lay Grim death was busy still- unsatisfied Gathering the remnant of the spoil that day. Now shall our fighting days be ne’er forgotten No matter how Old Time behaves & talks For you must aye remember the brave soldiers Of the gallant 10th West Yorkshire Regt. Private Roper One of the boys