House painter (apprentice) before enlisting in the Army
The following details were kindly supplied by the Commonwealth War Graves Commision:
Private HARRY TUNNACLIFFE, 202820 Served With: 1st/4th Bn. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Commemorated: ADINKERKE CHURCHYARD EXTENSION De Panne, West-Vlaanderen Belgium Grave Reference: Grave 848. Additional Information: Age 33 Husband of Janet Tunnacliffe, of Tandem, Kirkheaton,
Gravestone also in Kirkburton Parish Church (same as Janet)
During the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 (Passchendaele), casualty clearing stations were established on the main transport routes to the Belgian coast. Two of these were located at the town of Oosthoek from June-November 1917, between the towns of Adinkerke and Furnes, and they treated British soldiers who had been wounded in fighting in the Salient. Soldiers who died of wounds whilst being treated here were buried in the surrounding area. Adinkerke Military Cemetery holds the remains of soldiers who died at the 24th and 29th Casualty Clearing Stations and now contains 168 Commonwealth burials from the First World War, as well as 55 from the Second World War.
Background: The Battle of Passchendaele did not officially start until 31 Jul 1917, but it was in the early stages of this battle that German forces used mustard gas (amongst other chemical agents). Though I have no formally cited 'cause of death' yet for Harry, several other soldiers are listed as having been gassed on the same date and from the same regiment (K.O.Y.L.I.). Family recollections always indicated that Harry had been gassed, and hence it is highly likely that this was true.
"In July 1917 the 1/4th was initially in the Annazin sector, but from the 18th of the month were manning the Neiuport defences on the coast just north of Dunkirk"