Sunday 16th April 1916

Billets at Coron d’Aix

As ordered on the previous day the Battalion vacated billets at Coron d’Aix (which were to be taken over by 2^nd Ox. And Bucks. Light Infantry) and was withdrawn to Hersin, where again they were to stay for just one night. A billeting party, led by Lt. Lavarack (see 10^th April) moved off at 7.30am to take over billets in Hersin, with ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies to begin their march at 10.30 am; ‘D’ Company were yet to be relieved from the support positions (see 15^th April) and it was noted that the officer commanding ‘D’ “will receive special instructions”. Given the fact of another daytime relief, additional precautions were taken against the threat of German shelling. The Battalion was to withdraw from Coron d’Aix in sections only, with 200 yards between, before rendezvousing as half companies by Quarter Master stores near the Fosse 10 pit-head. Whilst there, “men are on no account to be allowed to wander about the road, but must be kept well to the side under the Fosse 10 walls. All ranks are to be informed that the whole Brigade is carrying out a daylight relief and as little movement as possible is to be shown”. From Fosse 10 the half-companies would then complete the two mile march to Hersin, where they would take over billets from 17^th Royal Fusiliers. The precautions were well-founded as, “About 11.30 am the enemy began to shell the reserve billets at Coron d’Aix. He sent some very heavy shells but, beyond demolishing a few already badly damaged houses, there was no damage or casualties reported”.  The move was duly completed and the men were settled in their new billets by late afternoon.

J.B. Priestley again wrote to his family with an update on his medical condition; his condition and treatment seem to be similar to those associated with a number of Tunstill’s original recruits, notably Pte. Tom Darwin (see 4^th April): “I wrote to you a fortnight last Thursday (see 29^th March) from No.3 Convalescent Depot, to send me, at once, some money & an old pipe. Well, if you have written or sent anything, I haven’t received it, & in the meanwhile I have changed my address & am now at the Base (this being the Infantry Base Depot at Etaples). I have been in front of a Medical Board & am passed fit for the line. I shall be going up there with the next draft, which may be a week or two. I have waited impatiently for the mail every day, hoping to hear something from you, & putting off writing until I did. We don’t get any pay apart from our Battalion, & it is miserable to be without money for weeks & weeks, & there are plenty of YMCA’s etc here. If you have sent it I can’t make out what has become of the letter because, though I have changed my address, the people at Con. (Convalescent) Camp send letters on here. Better make some enquiries. If you didn’t receive my letter, please send off a 10s. or £1 note & an old pipe (not a new one) … I am hundreds of francs in credit & yet I have had no money for weeks – very ironical. This place is one enormous camp – huts & bell tents, for it is the Infantry Base for most of the Divisions out here”.

The case of 2Lt. William Neville Dawson (see 14^th April) continued to be pursued with an enquiry from 23^rd Division as to whether Dawson, who had been regarded as unfit to continue as a platoon officer, might be transferred to the A.S.C. 

L.Cpl. John William Cooper (see 3^rd October 1915; it is unknown when he had been promoted), serving with 11DWR at Brocton Camp, Staffs., after having been wounded in October 1915, was reported for having been “In Stafford without a pass, contrary to garrison orders”; he was ordered to be deprived of his Lance Corporal’s rank.