Lieutenant Colonel John Stansfield
Service No:
Regiment: Gordon Highlanders 2nd Battalion
Division: 7th Division
Memorial: CHOCQUES MILITARY CEMETERY - I. B. 3.
Craven Herald Article
Date: 19 February 1915
THE DASH FOR CALAIS - CRAVEN OFFICER'S GALLANT CONDUCT
In the 'Dundee Advertiser' a short time ago appeared an interesting interview
with Drummer Pearson, who was at his home at Lochee, who was one of the Seventh
Division (Gordon Highlanders) of the British Expeditionary Force which held
the road to Calais against the German hordes during the terrible two days at
end of October, when they suffered severely during their gallant and successful
attempt to hold the enemy at bay. The interest of the interview to our readers
lies in the fact that Capt. Stansfield, one of the officers, is a brother of
Mrs. Yorke, of Halton Place, Hellifield, and one who is well known in Craven.
Capt. Stansfield was wounded during one of the engagements, and after three
weeks' leave, returned to the front. Of the 31 officers who west into action
on October 30th only two were unscathed by November 2nd, and what was left of
the Battalion was under the command of Lieutenant (now Captain) J. M. Hamilton,
with Second Lieutenant W. J. Graham as his acting Adjutant. The other officers,
including Capt. Stansfield, the Adjutant, had either been killed, wounded or
were reported missing. The regiment was quartered at Cairo when war broke out.
They got as for as Ghent before hearing that Antwerp had fallen, and took up
a position on a canal bank to cover the retirement of the Belgian Army. The
regiment afterwards retired swiftly - heavy marching for a week - toYpres, where
they entrenched.
Describing the doings on the Ypres road, Drummer Pearson says:- "On the
following morning we attempted to call the roll but the German guns again got
the range, and we altered our position. We advanced in another direction, and
it was in this advance that Col. Uniacke was hit. Major Crauford took over the
command of the battalion, but he only held it for a few hours when be was wounded
too. Capt. Stansfeld, the Adjutant, who is a Forfarshire man, then took charge,
and I must say I never saw a braver man. He walked about the trenches and in
the open quite unconcernedly, always with a cigarette or a pipe in his mouth,
and how he escaped that day, considering that he is over 6 feet in height, and
must have made an excellent target, I don't know. He held the command for a
couple of days, and then he was hit in the heel by a bullet, and had to give
up the charge of the battalion to Lieut. Hamilton. Lieut. J. H. Fraser had been
killed by a sniper on the day Col. Uniacke was wounded; while the Hon. William
Fraser, another son of Lord Saltoun, was wounded. Lieut. C. K. Latta, and Second
Lieut. Bullock Graham had also been killed, and when the roll was ultimately
called the only two officers present were Lieut. Hamilton and Lieut. Sprot,
with the Quartermaster, Capt. Mackie. Only a fraction of the regiment remained.
Under Capt. Stansfield we had the only bayonet charged before I was wounded.
The word was passed quietly down to us; then Capt. Stansfeld gave the battalion
'war cry,' a catchword of Capt. Sworder's in Egypt - 'Where are we, boys' -
to which we rolled back, in a tremendous shout 'Here we are sir.' 'Then give
it to them,' said the Captain, and by gum, we did, for we tumbled them out of
their trenches pretty quickly. We were all mad with passion, and the number
of Germans who were left dead in the trenches gave us some sort of satisfaction
for the good men we had lost. A few days later - on the day I was wounded -
we were reinforced by a draft of 90 odd men under a Dundee officer, Second Lieut.
Gibb, of the 3rd Black Watch, be must have got a surprise when he saw how few
of the battalion was left.
Capt. Stansfeld was mentioned in despatches. Sir J. French published yesterday,
as one "whom I recommend for gallant and distinguished service in the field."
Craven Herald Article
Date: 26 March 1915
MAJOR STANSFELD. D.S.O.- AGAIN WOUNDED
Major J. R. E. Stansfeld, D.S.O., Gordon Highlanders, who was recently promoted,
and mentioned in dispatches, has again been wounded at Neuve Chapelle by a shrapnel
bullet in the shoulder, and is in hospital at Warley, Essex. The gallant officer
had a narrow escape, as his cigarette case, tobacco tin and blotting pad were
riddled with bullets. He is the brother of Mrs. Yorke, of Halton Place near
Hellifield.
CH Article Date: 25 June 1915
Distinctions for Bravery
Captain C. D. Irwin, of the 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment, was among the
list of those mentioned in Sir John French's despatches published on Wednesday
for gallantry in the field. He has had the Military Cross conferred upon him.
Captain Irwin was stationed a few years ago in Skipton as adjutant to the 6th
Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.
Major J. R. E. Stansfield, brother of Mrs. Yorke, of Halton Place, who has been
wounded twice, has received the Distinguished Service Order. He is attached
to 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders.
Craven Herald Article
Date: 08 October 1915
DEATH OF COLONEL J. R. E. STANSFIELD
Lieutenant-Colonel John Raymond Evelyn Stansfield, D.S.O., 2nd Gordon Highlanders,
died in France on September 28th from wounds received in action. He was a son
of the late Rev. J. B. E. Stansfield, Knightsbridge, London, and a nephew of
Captain Stansfield, of Field House, Sowerby Bridge, near Halifax, and was 35
years of age. A year ago he returned from Egypt with the 1st Gordon Highlanders
and was slightly wounded at Ypres. His rapid promotion from the rank of captain
since that time indicates the value of his military qualities. He served through
the South African war, was twice mentioned in despatches, and received the D.S.O
and medals with eight clasps. In 1904 he married a French lady, Yolande, daughter
of the late Major-General Marquess de Bourbel, R.E. Mrs. John Yorke, of Halton
Place, Hellifield, is his sister. Lieutenant-Colonel Stansfield was a man of
fine physique.
Craven Herald Article
Date: 08 October 1915
STANSFIELD - On the 28th instant, in France, from wounds received whilst leading
his regiment into action. John Raymond Evelyn Stansfield, D.S.O., Lieut.-Colonel
2nd Gordon Highlanders, aged 35; son of the late John Birkbeck Evelyn Stansfield
and Mrs. Stansfield of 32, Knightsbridge, S.W.; nephew of Captain Stansfield,
of Dunninald, Montrose, and Field House, Sowerby Bridge; and beloved husband
of Constance Yolande Stansfield.
Craven Herald Article
Date: 22 October 1915
THE LATE COL. J. R. E. STANSFIELD - MEMORIAL SERVICE AT MONTROSE
On Saturday afternoon last The Primus (The Bishop of Brechin) conducted a memorial
service in St. Mary's Church, Montrose, for Lieut.-Col. J.R.E. Stansfield, D.S.O.,
commanding second Gordon Highlanders, grandson of the late Rev. John Stansfield,
vicar of Coniston Cold, and cousin of Capt. And Mrs. Stansfield, of Dunninald
Castle, Montrose.
A large congregation attended, the immediate relatives of the deceased officer
including Mrs. Evelyn Stansfield, London (mother); Captain and Mrs. Stansfield,
of Dunninald Castle, Montrose; Mrs. Porter, Wimbledon (aunt); Mrs. Armstrong-Smyth,
Dunninald Castle. The widow of the late Colonel and Mrs. J.C. Yorke, (Halton
Place), his sister, were unable to be present, the latter owing to illness.
Among the officers of the deceased's regiment present were Captain Sprott, Captain
Mackenzie, Captain and Adjutant Alexander, Captain Brooke (retired), Lieutenant
Brooke, Lieutenant Gordon, and Second Lieutenant Mitchell. A contingent of the
regiment, including a number of the wounded in the rank and file of the 2nd
Gordons from Castle Hill and King Street, Aberdeen, were also present.
Other units of His Majesty's service were represented by Lieutenant-Colonel
Burke, D.S.O., commanding No. 2 Squadron Royal Fling Corps, and representative
officers and non-commissioned officers and men of that service; Colonel Ouchterlony,
commanding Dundee Volunteer Corps; Colonel Cathcart, commanding 2nd 1st Highland
Cyclist Battalion at Montrose; Major R. Hoyer Millar, commanding the 3rd 5th
Black Watch (T.F.); Provost Thomson, representing the community of Montrose,
and representatives of the nobility and of all denominations in the town and
district.
There was a choral celebration of the Holy Communion conducted by the Primus,
who was assisted by the Rev. J. Hampson Shepherd, assistant curate, St. Mary's.
The hymns included 'Onward, Christian Soldiers,' 'Come, Holy Ghost, our souls
inspire,' and 'For all the Saints,' while Mr. James Burgess rendered the tenor
solo in the Benedictus, 'Blessed is He that cometh,' to organ accompaniment.
The Primus, in the course of a brief address, said that they had met to remember
the life and character of a very brave and distinguished soldier and of a very
true-hearted man, and they had come to commend his soul to the gracious keeping
of Almighty God, their Heavenly Father. He did not think that Colonel Stansfield
would have wished or have cared for anything like a panegyric or eulogy of that
kind. One could not know him without being profoundly impressed with the greatness
or his soul and with the loveableness of his nature. It was not only the magnificent
physique that impressed one; it was the spirit behind. He had never read anything
more touchingly beautiful than the letter written by his servant describing
the way in which he met his death. But they could not be present there that
day without also feeling that they desired to remember those gallant ones in
that congregation who had laid down their lives for their King and Country,
and they would not forget two officers of the Royal Flying Corps who only that
week had met their deaths in so sudden and tragic a way. He had often thought
that in these terrible days death was losing much of its sting and bitterness
for them. They thought of the great hosts of gallant lads going out into the
unseen so bravely and so calmly.
The service concluded with the playing on the organ and by the orchestra of
Chopin's Funeral March, the singing of the National Anthem, and the sounding
of 'The Last Post' by the cornets.
Additional information courtesy of Craven's Part in the Great War - www.cpgw.org.uk