CAPTAIN BRIAN DACRE, 9th BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT (ILKLEY PALS COMPANY). KILLED IN ACTION 12th OCTOBER 1918, AGED 28 YEARS.

CAPTAIN BRIAN DACRE, 9^th BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT (ILKLEY PALS COMPANY). KILLED IN ACTION 12^th OCTOBER 1918, AGED 28 YEARS.

Brian Dacre had volunteered for service in British Army during the first month of the war, and now less than four weeks before its end he was killed in action. It was on the 31^st of August 1914 that he had gone to the Kings Hall in Ilkley with his younger brother, Maurice, to a recruitment meeting where both had enlisted. Another 125 men from the town had done likewise and together they formed the Ilkley Pals Company of the newly raised 9^th Battalion of the West Riding Regiment. Just a few days later Brian and Maurice would head the column of friends and comrades as the Ilkley lads left the Drill Hall on Leeds Road and marched off to war. Their destination was Dorset where after a long and probably uncomfortable journey they set up camp in rolling countryside near to the village of Wool to begin their training.

The Ilkley Pals were still for all intents and purposes civilians and few had any military experience sufficient to take charge of recruits. In such circumstances commanders would look amongst their charges to identify men who had the necessary qualities needed to lead others. Brian Dacre clearly impressed his commanders and he was soon promoted to the rank of sergeant before being selected for officer training in December 1914

Brian completed his officer training in March the following year and returned to the 9^th West Riding Regiment as a newly gazetted 2^nd Lieutenant. Together with the rest of his battalion he landed in France on 15^th July 1915 as the 9^th West Yorkshires took their place on the Western Front. Brian would remain with the Ilkley Pals until he was killed and saw action in all the major battles of 1916, 1917 and 1918. His war was long and no doubt difficult as he rarely seems to have been away from the front, leaving to return home only to recuperate from a wound received at Fricourt on the Somme in July 1916 and occasional periods of home leave. It is known that he was at home in early January 1917 when he acted as best man at the wedding of his older sister Phyllis when she married Robert Denby an officer in the Army Service Corps. That same year Brian was promoted to Captain, however, any celebration would have been tempered by the news that his younger brother Maurice had died whilst serving with The British West Indies Regiment.

The 9^th West Yorkshires served with distinction during the onslaught of the German Spring Offensive and it was during this period that he was given the important position of battalion adjutant. As Spring turned to Summer the allies won a great victory at Amiens in August and began the advance that would bring them to victory. The German army would not easily be vanquished and continued to fight hard against a British Army now bristling with confidence. Fighting during this phase of the war was no longer the siege warfare between men in trenches but more mobile with battles taking place across open countryside.

In early October 1918 British units including the 9^th West Ridings, advanced north away from the desolate battlefield around Cambrai and towards strong German positions along the River Selle. On the 12^th of the month the battalion was involved in a probing action designed to test the strength of the enemy positions. At 1am the battalion left its positions near to Inchy and moved against the enemy front line in front of the village of Neuvilly. Alerted the German infantry began firing their machine guns at the attacking British. Lt Col. Driver the 9^th’s commanding officer was wounded and forced to seek medical attention leaving Brian Dacre, battalion adjutant, as the most senior officer. However, his command was short lived and soon he too was killed.

Brain Dacre was the eldest son of John William and Helena Dacre and was born on 2^nd January 1890 at a house on Tivoli Place, Ilkley. John was a well known auctioneer who carried out his business in Otley and Ilkley. The family moved to 9 Mount Pleasant, off Cowpasture Road and Brian attended Ilkley Grammar School which was just a few yards from his home. After school he joined his father in the family business and was active at Ben Rhydding Hockey Club and Ilkley RFC as well as being an enthusiastic motor cyclist. He seems to have been a natural soldier and was well liked by his fellow officers and the men whom he commanded. Martin Brodie, a contemporary at Ilkley Grammar wrote of him “Speaking to an officer of the ‘Dukes’ this Summer I asked him if he knew Brian”, he replied “Rather, Brian is one of the best isn’t he”.

Today Captain Brian Dacre lies in the British Military Cemetery at Montay-Neuvilly Road and is remembered with pride on our war memorial here in Ilkley