Sunday 28th May 1916

Reserve trenches east of Bully Grenay

The weather remained good. German shelling came to be increasingly concentrated against the rear areas of the British line, both close to the reserve positions and also in and around Sains-en-Gohelle and Fosse 10. The danger was such that an order was issued that the Battalion transport lines should be relocated to Bouvigny; only shortly after this had been effected a large German shell landed in the recently-vacated positions. No casualties were suffered. The continued shelling also meant that the main dressing station located there (see 24^th May) was emptied, with patients transferred to the care of 71^st Field Ambulance, further back in reserve. The emergency accommodation remaining at Fosse 10 was moved to the cellars.

Three more new subalterns reported for duty with the Battalion; 2Lts. Coke, Dawson and Smith had all disembarked in France a few days previously (see 24^th May).


Pte. Walter Milnes departed for England on one weeks’ leave. He had been an original member of the Battalion having enlisted aged 19; he was from Halifax and had been working as a joiner.

HQ First Army wrote to the War Office in the case of 2Lt. William Neville Dawson (see 22^nd May), who had been reported as being unfit to continue as a platoon officer. The letter, which included a copy of the report on Dawson’s case, stated that, “I consider this officer unfit for his position and recommend that he should be called upon to resign his commission. Orders have been issued for him to proceed to England and to report in writing to the War Office on arrival. The remarks of the General Officer Commanding First Army will be communicated to Second Lieutenant Dawson before he leaves this country”.

Pte. Albert Edward White (see 11^th May), serving with 11DWR at Brocton Camp in Staffordshire, was reported as having been ‘unshaven on church parade’; he would be confined to barracks for five days.