Sunday 2nd April 1916

Front line trenches west of Angres

Another fine warm day, the weather being “very much appreciated by all ranks as trench life is considerably improved”. There were again vigorous exchanges of artillery, rifle grenade and trench mortar fire from both sides; “The enemy fired a number of rifle grenades and trench mortar shells into, and behind our front line without doing any damage, we retaliated with similar missiles a little more vigorously than the enemy. The night passed quietly”.

Ptes. Robert William Bell (see 21^st September 1914) and James Wilding Clarkson (see 21^st September 1914) were admitted to 4^th Stationery Hospital at Arques, for treatment for ‘dental caries’; Pte. Clarkson was also suffering from a ‘mucocele’ (a swelling in the mouth). Pte. Ernest Carter, serving with 10DWR but attached to 69^th Brigade Trench Mortar Battery, was also admitted, suffering from dental caries; he had been an original member of the Battalion and was 22 years old but, in the absence of a surviving service record, I am unable to make a positive identification of this man.