Wednesday 30th December 1914

Tunstill's Company remained in training at Aldershot.

A number of men were reported, having failed to return on time from leave.

Pte. Ned Metcalfe was officially reported as having ‘deserted His Majesty’s service’; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish any details of this event. He was an original member of the Battalion, 30 years old, married and from Bradford, where he had worked as a labourer.

Pte. Albert Nixon was also reported, by Cpls. Layburn and Robinson, as ‘absent off furlough from midnight’; he would not return until 9pm on 2^nd January and, on the orders of Col. George Rainier Crawford C.B. (see 15^th December), woul be confined to barracks for seven days. Albert Nixon was a 26 year-old shoeing smith from Leeds; he was married with one daughter.

Pte. Arthur Walton (see 8^th December) was also reported as ‘absent off furlough from 12 midnight’; he would not return until 3.30pm on 5^th January and, on the orders of Col. Crawford, he would be confined to barracks for ten days.

Writing from his home address at The Green House, Hebden, Skipton, Robert Clement (Bob) Perks (see 20^th December) wrote, clearly with some indignation, to the War Office regarding a concern which had been raised about his fitness for appointment to a commission.

Dear Sir

PE/319 (M.T.3)

Referring  to your letters of Dec 16^th and Dec 24^th,  May I ask whether I am considered as medically unfit because I am reported as suffering from severe varicocele (see 29^th December) or is any sign of varicocele enough to make me medically unfit?

If it is because of my varicocele is reported as “severe” might I suggest that there is possibly some mistake due either to one of your clerks or to the Oxford O.T.C. doctor who examined me and whose report you have.  I suggest this because this Oxford doctor, (an R.A.M.C. man of course)  whose report your first letter professes to quote, told me himself that my varicocele was very slight and would not, he felt sure, hinder me in obtaining a Commission.  I have since seen my family doctor (who is an army doctor) with a view to an operation and he does not advise one and says that it cannot be called “severe” but it is very slight.  Added to this I have never before or since your startling letter felt any signs of the slightest varicocele.  Therefore, while apologising for worrying a very busy department, may I suggest that if a mistake cannot easily be discovered, I be allowed to go to the nearest R.A.M.C.) man here and  get him to send his report on me to you?

If, on the other hand, any sign of varicocele prevents me from obtaining a commission I hesitate to undergo a totally unnecessary operation for a vaguely possible commission.  Could you tell me therefore whether I could have a commission in any other branch (eg. R.A.M.C.) or the Territorials except by applying to a Colonel; or if I could enlist; or finally supposing I underwent a successful operation have you, or are you likely to have, anything else against me (medical or otherwise) and by the time I am fit again, (about a month) will officers still really be needed?

I am Sir your obedient servant

Robert Clement Perks

(I am greatly indebted to Janet Hudson for her kind permission to quote from Bob Perks’ correspondence).

Bob Perks, left, with his older brother, Martin Thomas Perks, during their time at Oxford.

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson