Sunday 26th March 1916

Billets at Sains-en-Gohelle (Coron Fosse 10)

In fine weather the Battalion provided working parties, which may have included the provision of 200 rounds of ammunition for the Brigade Trench Mortar Battery, as recorded in their War Diary, but otherwise the day was quiet. News was received that the Battalion would be inspected next day by Genl. Sir James Babington, commanding 23^rd Division.

Three new subalterns joined the Battalion. 2Lt. Hugh William Lester had been living and working in Hong Kong before the war and whilst there he had served as a private in a Scouts Company of the Hong King Volunteers. He had returned to England and applied for a commission in May 1915; his posting to 10DWR was his first experience of active service; he was 31 years old.  2Lt. Isidore David Marks, who had turned twenty just a few days before reporting for duty, had spent more than three years in the OTC at King Edward’s School in Birmingham. He had applied for a commission in June 1915 and this was his first posting. The third new arrival was 2Lt. Charles Douglas Storrs, who was also just twenty years of age. He had been educated at Oundle School, where he also served in the OTC. He had served as Scout Officer with 9^th Dukes from March to July 1915 and had also “superintended the physical training” of the Battalion. When the Battalion went on active service, Storrs had remained in England and been posted to 11^th Dukes, again supervising their physical training. In December 1915 he had applied for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps; this application was still under consideration when Storrs had left England on 23^rd March. However, the following day orders had been issued for him to report, on 27^th March, to the Commandant, RFC School of Instruction at Reading; his departure for active service meant that this order could not be out into effect.