Leeds Rifles: The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment ) 7th and 8th Territorial Battalions 1914–1918: Written in Letters of Gold

by Andrew J. Kirk

The Leeds Rifles is a detailed chronicle of the four Battalions of Riflemen who left Leeds for the Western Front. In 1914, just as now, they were more numerous and less fashionable than the City Battalion, The Pals and their full war time story has never been told. This volume describes their volunteer origins and how they came to be woven into the social fabric of Leeds from where they drew their enduring esprit de corps, discipline and resolve.

It takes the reader on a journey across the Western Front contrasting the First Line Battalions lot, to stand in the mud of Ypres and endure all without breaking with the Second Line Battalions 'blooding' at Bullecourt and transformation as part of an elite assault Division that went on to occupy Germany.

It's told in part, by those who were there and experienced the fear, elation and the sadness of loss and who took strength from their Volunteer ethos and their common origins in Leeds.

All the Leeds Rifles main battles are described in detail as are the helter-skelter actions of the Last 100 Days of 'mobile warfare' and escalating casualties, when the defeated but still defiant German Army found itself in full and final retreat. Follow the fortunes of these 'enfants de Yorkshire', these Leeds Lads as they speak out from the pages of history with a very familiar accent.

376 pages, Hardcover

Published January 4, 2018

Reviews

[Ietrio]

The text is mediocre. Its only value comes from the sincere phrasing. After decades of BBC propaganda paid by the serfs, someone has the courage to put it on the cover. Yes, those people were the Prince's Own Battalions. And he could kill them as he pleased. And the goal was they could die, so the King could continue to extract taxes from the lands he owned, the lands he owned because more slaves were sent to die before 1914. Democracy.

[Richard Wild]

Great piece of research. I only really needed it up until 2 July 1916 (you can do the maths for that one) and it is a cracking read.

I like getting to primary sources and this is a good gateway book for further research. Once COVID lifts, I look forward to getting back to the Somme with this book under my arm.