Wednesday 31st May 1916

Billets in Bois de Bouvigny

A fine day which was spent in general cleaning up following the recent extended stay in the trenches.

L.Cpl. James Gordge (see 14^th May) was admitted transferred from 11^th Stationary Hospital at Rouen to 2^nd Convalescent Depot, also at Rouen, he had been suffering from influenza.

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

Killed                                       8 (incl. Lt. Armitage of 9^th Yorks)
Accidentally killed                 0
Died of wounds                     8 (incl 2Lt. Bethell of 9^th Yorks)
Wounded                             76 (incl. 2Lt. Webster of 11^th West Yorks)
Accidentally wounded         1
Missing                                   0

10DWR’s casualties were recorded as:

Killed                                     1 (Pte. Ernest Dawson, see 24^th May)
Accidentally killed              0
Died of wounds                  0
Wounded                           12
Accidentally wounded       0
Missing                                 0

It should be noted that these casualty figures take no account of the death of  Pte. John Smith (see 21^st May), who died of wounds after having been wounded and evacuated for treatment.

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

Killed                                   27
Accidentally killed               4
Died of wounds                   3
Wounded                         150
Accidentally wounded     43
Missing                                  3

Seaman George Earnshaw died in the sinking of HMS Defence during the Battle of Jutland; he was the nephew of Sgt. Kayley Earnshaw (see 7^th April). George was one of three sons of Thomas Earnshaw who were serving in the forces (Thomas was Kayley’s elder brother). George had joined the navy in 1912 at the age of 14.

Seaman George Earnshaw