Sunday 30th April 1916

Billets at Hersin

A quieter day which passed off without incident.

L.Cpl. John William Wardman (see 12^th December 1914) was promoted Acting Corporal.

L.Cpl. Josias Bailey (see 23^rd December 1915) departed to England on one weeks’ leave.

 

The parents of 2Lt. Harry Thornton Pickles who had originally served with Tunstill’s Company before being commissioned, received a telegram from the War Office, informing them that their son had been killed in action on 26^th April. The news came to them the day after they had received a letter from their son, telling them that he was, “quite well and feeling very fit” (see 29^th April).

2Lt. Harry Thornton Pickles

69^th Brigade War Diary recorded casualties for the Brigade for the month of April:

Killed                                     10

Accidentally killed                 1 (a man from 9^th Yorkshires reported drowned)

Died of wounds                     0

Wounded                              42

Accidentally wounded        10

Missing                                   0

All of the above casualties were among other ranks; there were no reported casualties among officers.

10DWR’s casualties were recorded as:

Killed                                     1 (see 1^st April)

Accidentally killed              0

Died of wounds                  0

Wounded                             5

Accidentally wounded       4 (see 11^th April)

Missing                                  0

It should be noted that these casualty figures take no account of the deaths of CSM. Watson and Ptes. Holmes and Ellis (see 4^th, 7^th and 12^th April), all of whom died of wounds some time after having been wounded and evacuated for treatment..

The official cumulative casualty figures for the Battalion since arriving in France were now:

Killed                                     26

Accidentally killed                 4

Died of wounds                     3

Wounded                           138

Accidentally wounded       43

Missing                                    3