Skipworth, BW

Lieutenant Bernard William Skipworth

Bernard was born on August 20th 1891, the elder of two children, and only son, of William Skipworth, who worked in the dry goods trade, and his wife, Emily, who unfortunately passed away before Bernard was ten years old. He spent time at Horsham Grammar School before coming to Dulwich in 1907. During his two years at the College he was a boarder in Elm Lawn and in his final summer played for the 3rd XI cricket team. After leaving he went to the University of Birmingham, graduating with a degree in Commerce, and then went into the City of London where he worked as an insurance broker.
Upon the outbreak of war Bernard signed up as a member of the Public Schools Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers before taking up a commission the following May in the Royal Sussex Regiment. He proceeded to the front that Autumn and was for around nine months stationed in the Ypres Sector before transferring to the Somme in July 1916. Not long after being posted there he was wounded and gassed, necessitating a period of recuperation away from the front. Upon his return to the front he was attached to the Machine Gun Corps and, shortly afterwards, in February 1917, was promoted to Lieutenant. That spring Bernard was awarded the M.C. for “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in an attack” before being wounded once more in July. In September he returned to the front once more and was involved on the front line throughout much of the winter. On April 25th he disappeared after having been involved in heavy fighting around Mont Kemmel and was never seen again. He was later officially declared to have died on that date.