Monday 17th April 1916

Billets at Hersin

Following their one-night stay, the Battalion continued their move into reserve. Lt. Lavarack (see 16th April) and the billeting party, departed at 8.45am, followed, at 12 noon by the rest of the Battalion, including ‘D’ Company which, by now had re-joined (see 16^th April). The eleven mile march, via Barlin, Maisnil, Roudain, Divion and Houdain, to Ourton, was completed by 5 pm. On arrival at Ourton, orders were received that the Battalion would move again, on 19^th, to Beaumetz-les-Aires.

En route to Ourton, the men had been fed from the Company cookers, as organised by Sgt. George Edward Smitham. Writing many years later, J.B. Priestley recalled, “Sgt. G.E. Smithams (sic.) of Keighley, famous for his rissoles and the manner in which he always contrived to have a hot meal ready for the men when they came out of the line … and usually managed to get hot food to them when actually in the trenches”.

George Edward Smitham was 43 years old when he re-joined the army in September 1914; he was one of the Keighley contingent of volunteers who were added to Tunstill’s original recruits to make ‘A’ Company up to strength. At the time he was living at 14 Eldon Place, Keighley with his wife, Ann (Gillett), their three children and two children from Ann’s first marriage. George was then employed as a warehouseman but had previously worked as a cab driver when the family were living in Farnborough, Hants, close to where George had been born. As a young man in the 1890’s he had served in the Army.

 

Following his recent letter regarding his fitness for service, Major Lewis Ernest Buchanan (see 6^th April) appeared before a Medical Board which declared him unfit for service for a further three months.

 

The War Office replied to the request which had recently been received (see 15^th April) from the mother of 2Lt. Samuel Lawrence Glover, who had been posted as missing in action on 13^th January. They confirmed to Mrs. Glover that, “no further report has been received … His name, with the names of other missing officers, has been included in the list sent to the American Ambassador for circulation in Germany”.