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11 August 1917 Pte. Foster Yerkess, 2nd Bn Royal Berks Regt.
/on-this-day/11-august-1917-pte-foster-yerkess-2nd-bn-royal-berks-regt/
Foster Yerkess was born in Earby, Yorkshire in 1896 to parents Jacob and Mary Ellen, both cotton weavers. At the time of the April 1911 Census, 15 year old Foster, the eldest of three children, was working as a weaver, as was his 12 year old sister Alice who was a cotton weaver and at school 1/2 time. They were living at 25 James St, Earby - th…
‘The Scum of the Earth’
/world-war-i-articles/the-scum-of-the-earth/
In 1813 the Duke of Wellington, angered by incidents of looting amongst his army, wrote sourly: ‘We have in the service the scum of the earth as common soldiers.’ The words were harsh, but not altogether inaccurate, for the British Army had a long tradition of recruiting primarily amongst the poorest and most desperate of society. Above: The Duk…
‘The Barracks on the Hill: A History of Victoria/Collins Barracks Cork’ with Gerry White
Collins Barracks in Cork City is over 200 years old. First occupied in 1806, it was one of the largest British military installations in Ireland. Unlike other barracks in Ireland, it didn't serve as a regimental headquarters. Instead, because of its proximity to Cork harbour and the city's rail network, it became a staging post for British units he…