Monday 4th October 1915

Billeted in huts near Rue Marle.

A fine clear day, but again frosty overnight.

The two Companies in the Bois Grenier Line (C and D) were relieved by 11^th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, whose War Diary commented that there was, “Great delay caused by the bad state of the communicating trenches; thick, slippery mud made movement very slow”. Having been relieved, these two Companies marched five miles to billets at Jesus Farm, north-west of Erquinghem-Lys. Meanwhile A and B Companies marched three miles west to join them at Jesus Farm.

The Battalion now formed part of 23^rd Division reserve, along with 8^th Yorkshires. However, the other two Battalions of 69^th Brigade (9^th Yorkshires and 11^th West Yorkshires) had been despatched to Estaires to supplement the reserve to 20^th Division.

Pte. Willie Marsden was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance, suffering from scabies; he would be discharged to duty three days later. He was a 21 year-old dyers’ labourer from Bradford.

Back in England, Lily Webb, wife of Pte. Solomon Richard Webb (known as 'Sammy') (see 7^th September 1914) gave birth to the couple’s second child; the boy was named Arthur.

Sammy, Lily, George and Arthur Webb, pictured when Sammy was home on leave in Spring 1916.
Photograph by kind permission of Eileen Bamford and relatives of Sammy, to whom I very grateful for their generosity in providing information about Sammy.