Saturday 1st April 1916

Front line trenches west of Angres

The day was bright and sunny and aeroplanes on both sides were particularly active. There were casualties among the airmen on both sides. About 9.30am British anti-aircraft guns appeared to hit a German aircraft which was then observed coming to earth some distance in rear of the German lines. At 3.25pm a French Aeroplane was brought down by the German anti-aircraft guns; it fell immediately behind the Battalion HQ trench. The pilot was immediately found to have been killed and the observer died a few minutes later.

There were further exchanges of rifle grenades and trench mortars, with the British effort aided by the fact that two additional trench mortar batteries had been formed within the division at this time to supplement the two which already existed and it was considered that, “quick and decisive retaliation keeps the enemy well in hand”.  There were also exchanges of fire from artillery on both sides. The War Diary makes no mention of any casualties, but one man, Pte. Matthew Teasdale (see 11^th September 1915), was officially recorded as having been killed in action on this date; he is buried alongside 10DWR casualties from earlier actions (see 23^rd March) at the former French military cemetery at Tranchee de Mecknes, near Aix Noulette.

The War Diary reported that, “No Mans Land is pitted with shell holes, in the bottom of which, in several cases there is barbed wire. These form particularly nasty traps”.

Pte. Frank Hargrave (see 8^th March), who had originally served with Tunstill’s Company, but was now with 9^th Battalion, was admitted to 50^th Field Ambulance having been reported as suffering from scabies; the diagnosis may have arisen as a result of the fact that the men of the Battalion had that day bathed at Armentieres.

A payment of £4 3s 3d, being the amount due on his army pay, was authorised to Emma Iredale, mother of Pte. Harry Iredale who had been killed in February (see 25^th February).

Pte. Harry Iredale