Vernon Horsfall was commissioned in the 1st/4th battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) in July 1915 . Prior to service he was with his father in the worsted business of Messrs. Clay & Horsfall, Sowerby Bridge. Vernon Adams Horsfall was killed in action at Schwaben Redoubt, Somme, on 3 September 1916, aged 23. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Clay Horsfall, Kingston Dene, Flopwood lane, Halifax. He is buried at SERRE ROAD CEMETERY NO.2, Somme, France
Second-Lieutenant-Vernon-Adams-Horsfall-CWGC-CertificateThe Battle of Pozieres, 23 July – 3 September 1916
Pozieres was a small, straggling village on the main Albert-Bapaume road. It is situated on high ground that gives the occupier observation southwards along the road towards Ovillers, La Boisselle, Albert and beyond; to the east across to High Wood, Delville Wood and beyond; and westwards to Thiepval. Possession of Pozieres was key to making possible any further advances towards Bapaume, the capture of the Thiepval ridge and the breaking of resistance at High and Delville Woods. The battle for Pozieres and nearby Mouquet Farm became an epic in its own right, with tenacious German defence keeping determined British-Australian attack at bay for several weeks. This was the first large-scale Australian battle in France and proved to be its costliest in terms of total casualties.
War Diaries – 1/4Th West Riding Regiment – September 1916
FORCEVILLE 1/9/16
Battalion in huts at FORCEVILLE
2/9/16
Battalion moves by route march in fighting order to MARTINSAAT wood, arriving at about 5.30pm. moves from there via NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE – to the AUTHVILLE, NORTH BLUFF to the assembly trenches in the forward Parallel in sector arriving at 2.am
Ref. maps. operation
The brigade attack was made by two battalions – the 4th on the right with objectives
German front line from 54 to 84 – allotted to B Company. Capt C HIRST, 2/Lt POHLMAN, 2/Lt HORSFALL
German Communication trench – 84 to 95 allotted to D. Company. Lt JT. RILEY, 2/Lt EC MEE, 2/lt TOMLINSON
German Support line 66 to 95 allotted to A. Company. Capt W.N. Everett,2/lt A E Hurst, 2/Lt ROBERTSHAW
Press Announcements
Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
1/4th 1/6th & 1/7th Battalion Territorial Force
04.08.1914 The 1/4th stationed at Halifax, the 1/6th stationed at Skipton-in-Craven and the 1/7th stationed at Milnsbridge all as part of the 2nd West Riding Brigade of the West Riding Division and then moved to Hull and Grimsby as part of coastal defences.
05.11.1914 Moved to Doncaster.
14.04.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne.
12.05.1915 The formation became the 147th Brigade of the 49th Division which engaged in various actions on the Western front including;
1915
The Battle of Aubers Ridge, The defence against the first Phosgene attack.
1916
The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, The Battle of Pozieres Ridge, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette.
1917
Operations on the Flanders Coast (Hush), The Battle of Poelcapelle.
1918
The Battle of Estaires, The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Bailleul, The First Battle of Kemmel Ridge, The Second Battle of Kemmel Ridge, The Battle of the Scherpenberg, The pursuit to the Selle, The Battle of the Selle, The Battle of Valenciennes.
11.11.1918 Ended the war at Auby north of Douai, France.
Personal Life
Vernon Adams Horsfall was born in 1893 to James Clay and Annie Carlotta (nee Adams) Horsfall at Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire, England. At that time he had a sister, Olive Mary , born 30 Jan 1890 in Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire, England. His father was a Worsted Spinner.
A brother. Stuart Clay, was born 20 Jan 1896 in Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire, England.
Vernon was age 8 and living with his parents in the 1901 UK Census on 31 Mar 1901 at Woodleigh in Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, Yorkshire, England.
Vernon was age 18 and Learning to be a Worsted Spinner, living with his parents in the in the 1911 UK Census on 2 Apr 1911 at Elsinore Heath Villas Halifax in Halifax, Yorkshire, England.
Vernon served in the military Regiment: Duke Of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment); Rank: Second Lieutenant in 1916.
Vernon was killed in action at Schwaben Redoubt, Somme, on 3 September 1916 at age of 23 years and is buried in Serre Road Cemetery No.2, France
His father died on 11 Nov 1935 at age of 75 years and his mother died on 25 Mar 1942 at age of 73 years both in Southport, Lancashire, England.
His sister, Olive Mary, died in Aug 1975 at age of 85 years in Maidstone, Kent, England and his brother, Stuart Clay, died about Nov 1977 at age of 81 years in Halifax, Yorkshire, England.
Census Records
Probate 14 Feb 1918
HORSFALL Vernon Adams of Kingston Dene Halifax second lieutenant West Riding regiment died 3 September 1916 in France Administration London 14 February to James Clay Horsfall spinner. Effects £295 35. 3d.
Clay and Horsfall
They were worsted spinners at Wharf Mill, Sowerby Bridge and Regulator Mill, Sowerby Bridge. They were founded at Luddendenfoot by brothers-in-law, James Clay and John Horsfall in 1863. They were at Luddendenfoot Mill [1872]. The partnership superseded that of Clay & Priestley which was dissolved in 1863.
Partners included James Clay Horsfall, Frank Clay, James Reginald Clay, Stanley Clay, and Frank Barber Clay.
The company evolved into John Horsfall & Sons Limited.
Grave Details
His war grave details can be seen here. This links to the Commonwealth Grave Commission’s website.
The grave photograph was taken by the War Graves Photographic Project. A copy of this photograph can be ordered from their website.
Remembered in Birkdale Cemetery.
TREASURED MEMORIES OF
JAMES CLAY HORSFALL
FATHER OF OLIVE, VERNON & STUART
WHO PASSED TO REST NOV. 11th 1935
AGED 75 YEARS.
ALSO
ANNIE CARLOTTA,
BELOVED WIFE
WHO PASSED ON MARCH 25th 1942
VERNON, DEARLY LOVED SON OF THE ABOVE
WHO GAVE HIS LIFE AT THIEPVAL, SEPT 3rd 1916,
AGED 23 YEARS.
OURS STILL IN MEMORY & LOVE.
Cemetery Details – SERRE ROAD CEMETERY NO.2
The village of Serre is 11 kilometres north-north-east of Albert. Using the D919 from Arras to Amiens you will drive through the villages of Bucquoy, Puisieux then Serre-les-Puisieux (approximately 20 kilometres south of Arras). On leaving Serre-les-Puisieux, 1.3 kilometres further along the D919, Serre Road No.2 Cemetery can be found on the left hand side.
In June 1916, the road out of Mailly-Maillet to Serre and Puisieux entered No Man’s Land about 1,300 metres south-west of Serre. On 1 July 1916, the 31st and 4th Divisions attacked north and south of this road and although parties of the 31st Division reached Serre, the attack failed. The 3rd and 31st Divisions attacked once more on the 13 November, but again without success.
Early in 1917, the Germans fell back to the Hindenburg Line and on 25 February, Serre was occupied by the 22nd Manchesters. The village changed hands once more in March 1918 and remained under German occupation, until they withdrew in August.
In the spring of 1917, the battlefields of the Somme and Ancre were cleared by V Corps and a number of new cemeteries were made, three of which are now named from the Serre Road. Serre Road Cemetery No.2 was begun in May 1917 and by the end of the war it contained approximately 475 graves (Plots I and II, except for Row E, Plot II which was added in 1922 and Row AA, Plot I which was added in 1927), but it was greatly enlarged after the Armistice by the addition of further graves from the surrounding area, including graves from the following smaller cemeteries:-
BAIZIEUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Somme): one United Kingdom grave March 1918.
BOISMONT CHURCHYARD (Somme): one United Kingdom grave of October 1914.
BUCQUOY COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Pas-de-Calais): 25 United Kingdom graves of August 1918.
ERCHEU CHURCHYARD (Somme): one United Kingdom grave of March 1918.
FRETTECUISSE CHURCHYARD (Somme): one United Kingdom grave September 1916.
HERVILLY CHURCHYARD (Somme): one R.F.C. grave of September 1916.
HOLNON COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Aisne): five United Kingdom graves April 1917.
LABOISSIERE CHURCHYARD (Somme): one United Kingdom grave of April 1917.
LE SARS GERMAN CEMETERY (Pas-de-Calais): one United Kingdom grave.
MADAME MILITARY CEMETERY, CLERY-SUR-SOMME (Somme): three United Kingdom graves of February 1917.
MEAULTE CHURCHYARD (Somme): one United Kingdom grave of April 1916.
POZIERES COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Somme): one Canadian grave of September 1916.
REMIENCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY (Somme): one United Kingdom grave of April 1918.
SOMME AMERICAN CEMETERY, BONY (Aisne): two United Kingdom graves of July and October 1918, and one Australian of September 1918.
VOYENNES CHURCHYARD (Somme): seven United Kingdom graves of March 1918.
YTRES CHURCHYARD (Pas-de-Calais): 14 United Kingdom and four New Zealand graves of September 1918, mainly from the 15th Field Ambulance.
There are now 7,127 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery, mostly dating from 1916. Of these, 4,944 are unidentified.
The cemetery, which was not completed until 1934, was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
You can view the details for this cemetery on the Commonwealth Grave Commission’s website here.