Saturday 30th October 1915

Billets at Estaires

The Battalion relieved 1^st Worcesters in reserve positions west of the village of Fauquissart. They were positioned in Dead End, Masselot, Wangerie, Hougemont, Fort Desquin, Lonely, and Road Bend Posts and in White House billets. The War Diary described the trenches in this sector as, ‘very muddy and dirty’.

 

However, ‘C’ Company remained in Estaires to continue supporting 173^rd Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers. In place of ‘C’ Company, one company of 1^st Worcesters remained under the command of 10DWR.

 

Prior to the relief one of Tunstill’s original volunteers, Pte. Joseph Barrett Hartley (see 18^th September 1914) left the Battalion; he was discharged to take up a commission as a 2^nd Lieutenant. He left France and would spend a week at home in Thornton in Craven, before departing for the Milford House Garrison, Tenby to join 12^th (Reserve) Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers.

 

Capt. Pereira of ‘D’ Company, who had, for the previous two weeks been in hospital in France, suffering from dysentery and jaundice (see 22^nd October), was transferred to England, and admitted to the Royal Free Hospital, London.