PHILIP Balmforth, former Inspector with Bradford and West Yorkshire police, who has been following this weekly series, has a story to tell about two of his uncles who fought in World War1.

One of them was killed, the other survived with wounds but suffered for the rest of his life. We tend to forget that in August, 1914, the enthusiasm of volunteers to sign up for the great crusade against the Kaiser's Germany was fuelled by the conviction that the war would be over by Christmas and that Britain would prevail.

But let Mr Balmforth tell his story in his own way. He writes:-

"My father, Arthur, was the youngest son of James Henry and Annie Balmforth (there were nine children) and he had two older brothers (there were 4 sons, 5 daughters). He was born while the family was living in Airedale Crescent, Bradford 3, the house is still standing.

"They had moved by 1911 to 44 Dover Street, Bradford 3, demolished in 1960's - a small house for two parents and nine children. James Henry (my grand father) died in 1912 and his widow, Annie, died in 1927.

"As a result of this my father's older sisters took it upon themselves to be responsible for my father and his younger sister. He was 17 years of age when she died, his younger sister 15 years.

"So to the 'Great' War. The first born, James Walker Balmforth, born in 1896, enlisted in the West Yorkshire Regiment as Private 2888. He was killed at the Battle of Cambrai on November 26, 1917, at 19 years of age (records show him to have been 20).

"He was buried in the British Cemetery in a grave administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the Rocquigny-Equancourt Road in Somme, France.

"His war medals were presented to my father (as youngest son) and they are now with my son.

"The second born, Frank Saunders Balmforth, born in 1898, enlisted October 27, 1914, with his older brother, into the West Yorkshire Regiment as Private 3000. He lied about his age to enable him to enlist, he was 16.

"He was recorded as 'missing' on April 25, 1918, in France and eventually traced to a prisoner-of-war camp in Germany. He was repatriated on December 5, 1918. It was found that he had been subjected to medical experiments while in medical custody and discharged to the Reserve force on March 31, 1920.

"His army medical record shows shell wounds to right shoulder and forehead on December 20, 1915. Once back home in Bradford his family were unable to cope with his behaviour and he ended up being hospitalised and died, in hospital in 1963.

"His war medals, recorded as Bronze Star; British War Medal and Victory Medal were presented to my father and are now, as above, with my son.

"I have no photographs to share of either of my deceased uncles and cannot recall my father, who died in 1988, at any time, ever making arrangements to visit his hospitalised older brother.

"I left school at the age of 16 in 1961 and was unaware of his existence at the time and until I, and older cousins, started researching the family tree, in the last ten years or so."