PRIVATE 29314 HAROLD CLARKSON, 10th BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT.


PRIVATE 29314 HAROLD CLARKSON, 10th BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT. KILLED IN ACTION 30TH MAY 1917, AGED 19


Born in the Burley district of Leeds in September 1897, Harold Clarkson came to live in Ilkley as a young boy. His father, George was a baker and confectioner who had premises at 10 Skipton Road but lived at 107, Leeds Road where he was the sub postmaster. Probably educated at the nearby National School on Leeds Road his chosen career after leaving school was as an apprentice motor mechanic.


Harold first applied to join the army in Halifax on the 7th December 1915 but after attesting was sent back home to begin his training with one of the reserve companies based at Ilkley Drill Hall on Leeds Road. It was not until 10th May 1916 that he left home and joined a training battalion of the West Riding Regiment (Duke of Wellington's).

Harold arrived in France on 11th January 1917 and would have been sent to the regiments base depot at Etaples. Here he was assigned to 'A' Company of the 10th Battalion which was fortuitous as the battalion contained many men from Ilkley and nearby villages.

The circumstances of Harold's death are not entirely clear. On the 30th May 1917 the battalion was behind the lines near to the town of Poperinge to the west of Ypres, however, Harold seems to have died about 8 miles away south-east of Ypres. His platoon commander 2nd Lieutenant G E White wrote to his parents to say that their son had been killed by the concussion of a German shell at 8am that morning. It is possible that Harold was part of a working party which were often sent out from units in reserve and that a stray shell landed nearby.

Private Harold Clarkson was only 19 years old when he died and was buried nearby at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) Cemetery. Later in the war fighting seems to have disturbed the grave and his headstone notes that he is buried somewhere in the graveyard. Harold is also remembered at Christchurch on The Grove and our war memorial in Ilkley. (Photo courtesy James Cooper)



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