Friday 23rd June 1916

Billets at Enquin-les-Mines

Training continued and orders were received that the Battalion would move next day, marching to Berguette Station and there entraining for Longueau (south-east of Amiens).

A.Cpl. Thomas Butler (see 10^th March) and Pte. Edward Isger (see 5^th October 1915) were reported by Sgt. Percy Cole (see 14^th May 1915) and Pte. Thomas Riding (see 13^th January) as having been, “drunk when warned for parade”; on the orders of Lt. Col. Sidney Spencer Hayne, (see 19^th May) Butler lost his promotion and reverted Private, while Isger was ordered to undergo 14 days’ Field Punishment no.1.

Pte. James Hatton Kershaw (see 11^th September 1914) was posted back to England, suffering from tuberculosis; the details of his treatment are unknown, but a later medical report would confirm that he had been suffering symptoms of the disease since March.

Pte. George Henry Hansford (see 3^rd May) was discharged from Huddersfield War Hospital; he would have ten days’ leave before reporting to 11DWR at Brocton Camp, Staffs..

Former member of Tunstill’s Company, Cpl. George Clark (see 11^th March), now serving with ASC, was transferred to the Motor Transport Section based at Bulford Camp, Wiltshire; he (temporarily) lost his rank of Corporal on transfer and reverted to Private.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried further news of the recent death of Sgt. Kayley Earnshaw, D.C.M. (see 16^th June):

MALHAMDALE D.C.M. KILLED IN ACTION

Great gloom was cast over Malhamdale when the sad news came that Sergt. Kayley Earnshaw, D.C.M., of Scosthrop, Airton, had been killed in France.

He had seen service in South Africa, and was one of the first men to answer Capt. Tunstill's appeal for recruits when war broke out, and had been in France nearly a year with the 10th West Riding Regiment. It is only a few weeks since Sergt. Earnshaw was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for great gallantry, and he was expecting leave to come home to receive a presentation from his fellow Dalesmen as a token of their pride and esteem of his exploits.

Sergt. Earnshaw was hit by a trench mortar and killed instantly. The greatest sympathy is felt for his widow and children in the loss of the brave man who brought so much honour to the Dale, and his name will ever be remembered both there and in his regiment where he was deservedly popular, and is deeply regretted by both officers and men.

Sgt. Kayley Earnshaw, DCM

(Image by kind permission of Sue Lugton)