Saturday 13th May 1916

Front line trenches west of Angres

The weather turned much colder, with rain falling for much of the morning. Overall, conditions on the Battalion front remained quiet, though there was some German shelling.

Pte. Eli Bradley (see 28^th April) was transferred from 12^th General Hospital in Rouen to a Convalescent Depot also in Rouen; he was suffering from debility.

Having been remanded in custody a week earlier, John Henry Hitchin (see 12^th May) appeared again at Tower Bridge Magistrate’s Court, charged with presenting forged cheques and obtaining credit by false pretences. Mr. Percy Robinson, defending, “made a strong appeal for general leniency”. He reminded the Magistrate of Hitchin’s good background and previous good conduct and re-iterated his comments of the previous Saturday that Hitchin’s problems had been created by his having mixed, after receiving a commission, with, “persons of a higher rank in life and of extravagant habits”. He also told the court that he (Robinson) had made enquiries and could confirm that Hitchin would be able to re-enlist, as a private, if the Magistrate, “took a certain course”. The Magistrate decided to deal with the case on a lesser charge of “stealing by a trick”, and placed Hitchin on probation for twelve months.

Hitchin was as good as his word and, at some point (details unknown) re-enlisted and was posted to Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

John Henry Hitchin, pictured while serving with Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders