Monday 18th October 1915

Front line trenches east of Bois Grenier.

The weather remained fair, although some light rain fell during the day. 

In a letter to his former schoolmaster Pte. George Edward Bush described conditions in the line. George Edward Bush had enlisted in September 1914. He had been born in the summer of 1895 in the hamlet of Amber Hill, just outside Boston, Lincolnshire, the first child of Thomas and Annie Bush; their second child, Albert, was born two years later. By the time of the 1911 census 15 year-old George was working as a railway clerk and lodging with Mr. and Mrs. Batley at their home in spring Street, Idle, Bradford. He wrote, “I am writing this in a dugout in the firing line. Both sides are unusually quiet just now, but it generally is ‘peaceful’ during the day except for a shell now and again on the off chance of catching something. Our trenches are well made affairs – in fact it looks as if it had taken years instead of months to construct them. Every trench of any consequence is named or numbered and well it is so too, as when one once enters the communication trench leading to the firing line it reminds one of a puzzle garden and there are frequent cases of men getting lost. Plenty of ruined farms in our line – as a rule nothing left except about two feet or so of the outside walls. I have seen two Tubes brought to earth, beaten in a fight with our machines. I am a bomb thrower now. It is a ticklish job. Our chief duties are in the listening post at night between our firing line and the Germans and a man has to keep his wits about him in the ‘sap’ as we call it, watching for enemy patrols and working parties. The weather out here at present is fine, though very cold at nights, but as long as the rain keeps off we can manage a lot better as the least drop of wet makes an awful mess of a trench and there is no change of clothes in case of a soaking”.

However, the prolonged stay in the trenches, in steadily deteriorating weather conditions was clearly having an impact on the morale of some of the men. J.B. Priestley reflected on conditions in a letter home to his family: “It is quiet here (though the snipers are particularly deadly), monotonous and bitterly cold. The night, with its long, weary vigils, commences at 5pm and lasts until 5 am next day; I do no sleeping at night, and the result is that these 12 hours seem like a lifetime – spent near the Pole too, by the weather. I am feeling a little off colour these days, nothing serious, and the result is, nothing seems worth doing and everything a failure. Speaking seriously, I am disgusted with my Company officers as a whole, and the way in which our men are badgered and hampered by silly little rules and regulations which other regiments have not to submit to. In fact I am so ‘fed up’ of being compelled to bully men to obey this or that ridiculous little order that I have been thinking of reverting to the ranks.”

The snipers whom Priestley had mentioned led to two more men being wounded.

The two men wounded were Ptes. William Henry Dobson (see below) and Bob Maunders (see 13^th March). Pte. Dobson had been an original member of the Battalion. He was 25 years old and originally from Windermere but had lived for some time in Heckmondwike; he was married with two children and his wife, Susannah was pregnant with their third child. He suffered a relatively minor wound to his back. Pte. Bob Maunders (see 13^th March) had been shot through the face. Both men would be evacuated to 70^th Field Ambulance at Erquinghem. The circumstances of Maunders’ having been wounded would be described by Pte. William Knox (see 17^th October) (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters). “I saw one chap shot. He was on sentry during the day and caught sight of a working party of Germans mending their trenches up and he called eight or nine men to let go at them, but old Fritz had got his eye on him and put a bullet in his neck and it came out of his cheek against his ear. He fell just as though he was dead but we gave him some rum and he came round again. So we dressed it with our field dressing and took him to the Doctor and he is going on very nicely I am pleased to say”.

Pte. Fred Job (see 17^th October), who had been wounded the previous day, died at 6.30am of his wounds at 70^th Field Ambulance at Erquinghem; he would be buried at Erqinghem-Lys Churchyard Extension Cemetery. His sister, Mrs. Crowther, would subsequently receive two letters concerning the death and burial of her brother. Lt. Adolph Keith Lavarack (see 27^th August 1915) would write, “It is with deep regret that I write these few lines to tell you that Pte. F. Job was wounded yesterday and passed away this morning. I knew him very well and he was one of the best chaps in the platoon, always doing his work cheerfully and willingly. It was only yesterday that I was talking to him and asking him how the wound on his face was going on, which he received, as you probably know, a few days ago. I can only end by saying I always had the greatest admiration for him and I deeply sympathise with those to whom his death will mean so much grief”. The Battalion Chaplain, Rev. Wilfred Leveson Henderson (see 16^th September) would write, “I know that you have already heard the sad news of the death of your brother, but I felt that I would like to drop you a line to say how deeply I sympathise with you. There was little hope for him from the beginning, as it was an abdominal wound. I think of all wounds they are the most serious. He was a fine fellow and will be much missed by his comrades, with whom he was always popular. We buried him early on Monday morning. I thanked God for the example of his life and prayed that he might find eternal rest and peace. I think I may tell you that he lies in the parish church yard in ____________ , side by side with many other brave soldiers. I will see that a cross is erected to mark his grave. Both officers and men join with me in expressing their deepest sympathy. May God comfort and strengthen you”.

Bob Maunders (seated) along with another man (identity unknown) pictured in 'hospital blues' uniform which was issued to men undergoing medical treatment.
Photo by kind permission of Bob's son, Dennis Maunders.

 

Ptes. William Munday (see 11^th September) and Percy Simpson were appointed (unpaid) Lance Corporal. Simpson was an original member of the Battalion, having enlisted in Bradford on 12^th September 1914; he was 20 years old and had been working as a labourer in Halifax.

In the evening orders were received that the Battalion would be relieved next day by 8^th Yorkshires.