RSM Samuel Augustus Yarnold (5240838)

Samuel Augustus Yarnold was born in 1903, son of Arthur and Annie May Yarnold. His father Arthur had also served with the Worcestershire Regiment in both the Boer War and the First World War, as did his uncle. His grandfather had joined the Worcestershire Militia in 1858.

Samuel was destined to join the Worcestershire Regiment. He joined the Worcestershire Regiment just after the First World War and served with the 2nd Battalion in India, China and Aldershot. He later joined the 1st Battalion.

He married Miss Beatrice May Parker on the 12th December 1931 at Smethwick.

Promoted to Corporal on the 13.12.1928, to Lance Sergeant on the 01.07.1931, to Sergeant on the 30.07.1932 and to C.S.M. on the 19.03.1935.

In 1939 he served as P.S.I. with the 7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment and on the outbreak of war he was promoted to R.S.M. of the 7th Battalion.

During the battalion withdrawal to Dunkirk on the 26th May 1940, the Battalion were holding a position west of La Bassee along the Northern bank of the canal. Enemy activity increased with heavy shelling and Mortar Fire. It was during this period that Lieut. John Francis Betts of 'C' Company was severely wounded in the head. During the night RSM S. A. Yarnold took a vehicle out to fetch Lieut. Betts, but his vehicle was hit and RSM Yarnold was killed. Lieut. John Francis Betts was taken prisoner and spent the rest of the war in a POW camp.

RSM S. A. Yarnold

The stone below the gravestone has an inscription which reads: "A UN BRAVE PAPA" Grave Number 14 Violaines Communal Cemetery

Violaines Communal Cemetery
RSM Samuel Augustus Yarnold grave is the second from the Left

Violaines is a village 4 kilometres north-west of La Bassee and 28 kilometres north of Arras. Violaines saw bitter fighting in May 1940, during the withdrawal of the British forces to Dunkirk, particularly near the Aire-Le Bassee Canal which runs through the commune about 2 kilometres from the village. At the time the dead were buried where they lay, on the banks of the canal and in the surrounding fields. In 1942, however, the occupying forces permitted the local people to transfer the graves to the communal cemetery. There are now over 30, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, a small number are unidentified. 13 of the graves are men of the 7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment.

Below are details of all the other Worcestershire Regiment men, all of the 7th Battalion, who are buried at this cemetery:

Surname	forename/s	Rank	Number	Died	Age	Grave No.
ALLEN	SAMUEL HERBERT GEORGE	Private	5385054	25/05/1940	33	Grave 34
COPE	SYDNEY	Private	4197380	27/05/1940	22	Grave 13
FAUKES	WILLIAM	Private	4197205	27/05/1940	20	Grave 33
FISHER	THOMAS FREDERICK	Private	4914742	10/05/1940	20	Grave 19
FOSTER	ROBERT WILLIAM	Private	5253302	24/05/1940	21	Grave 31
GASSON	WILLIAM HENRY	Private	4914629	26/05/1940	20	Grave 25
GRAZIER	STANLEY	Lance Corporal	5253156	27/05/1940	21	Grave 17
LAMBERT	STANLEY	Corporal	5253191	24/05/1940	21	Grave 29
POWELL	EDWIN DOUGLAS	Private	5250563	10/05/1940	22	Grave 32
REVITT	JOHN SAMUEL	Private	5253225	24/05/1940	21	Grave 28
TAYLOR	LESLIE ALAN	Private	5252605	24/05/1940	20	Grave 30
WAUGH	JAMES WILLIAM	Private	5253041	25/05/1940	20	Grave 27
YARNOLD	SAMUEL AUGUSTUS	R.S.M.	5240838	26/05/1940	37	Grave 14

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