Second Lieutenant, 12th Battalion, attached to 9th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own).
Bryan was born on 13th July 1894 one of the seven children of Richard Herbert (the general manager of the Leeds Corporation Gas Department) and Minnie Townsley of 4 Woodbine Terrace, Headingley, Leeds. The family later lived at 25, Cardigan Road, Headingley.
He was educated at the Leeds Grammar School until 1908 and at St. Cuthbert’s College, Worksop (1908 to 1911).
He worked as an engineer with Messrs. Leech, Goodhall and Co., and later with Thos. Green and Son, Ltd., Smithfield Ironworks, North Street, Leeds. Following his father’s death in 1913 he left England for Portland, USA, on 5th March 1914.
On the outbreak of war he was living in Vancouver, and enlisted as 29026, 16th Canadian Infantry, on 23rd September 1914. He came over to England with the first Canadian Contingent. In April 1915 he was given a commission in the West Yorkshire Regiment. He saw much fighting at Gallipoli serving there from 4th December 1915 and was present at the evacuation of Suvla Bay.
Bryan Townsley died on 14th September 1916, aged 22, during a successful attack on Turk Street and the Wunder Work trenches.
He is also commemorated on the war memorials at St. Michael's, Headingley and at Leeds Grammar School.
His only brother Herbert Alan Townsley served as Lance Corporal, 36825, Royal Army Medical Corps. He was commissioned as second lieutenant, Royal Air Force on 26th September 1917 and died on 14th October 1918, aged 26. He is buried in grave III.D.7 in Dadizeele New British Cemetery.
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