Tuesday 16th May 1916

Front line trenches west of Angres

With the weather somewhat improved, the day was again largely quiet. Some long-range German artillery activity was observed but there was little else to report. The Divisional Trench Mortar Battery reported that they had fired five rounds in the evening, “in retaliation for sausages and rifle grenades; succeeded in restoring peace and quiet”.

Following the recent conviction in a civil court of John Henry Hitchin (see 14^th May), and having received a copy of the report of his Medical Board, the War Office began an enquiry of its own into the circumstances of Hitchin’s case. A request was directed to GOC, London District, asking, “in what circumstances, and by whose permission, he was admitted into Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital”, given that he had been removed from the Army for absence without leave, which decision had been published in the London Gazette on 24^th February.

Following the recent appeal for information by the mother of 2Lt. Samuel Lawrence Glover, (see 17^th April) who had been reported missing in action on 13^th January, enquiries began to be carried out into the circumstances surrounding Glover’s disappearance. A statement was taken from Pte. John Driver (see below) at no.16 General Hospital, Le Treport, he confirmed that, “He (Glover) was in ‘B’ Company. We were at Armentieres. He went on patrol with Cpl. Lawton and two Privates to inspect the German wire. They ran into a party of Germans and Mr. Glover told Cpl. Lawton and one Private to go back for help. Cpl. Lawton was killed going back and the Private got back in a very exhausted state and had to be taken away. Another party went out to look for Mr. Glover and the Private and they saw Mr. Glover dead on the German wire, but could not get to him. Lt. Waite of ‘B’ Company would be able to obtain more details”.

Pte. John Driver was an original member of 10DWR; he was a 27 year-old loom fitter from Keighley and had married Mabel Masters early in 1915. The reason for his being in Hospital at this point are unknown, but he would subsequently re-join the Battalion, via both 9^th and 2^nd Battalions.

2Lt. Samuel Lawrence Glover

Image by kind permission of Andy Wade and MenOfWorth