Monday 28th August 1916

Front line trenches east of Ploegsteert Wood

The events of the day are clearly described in the War Diary, “Very dull day. There has been no hostile shelling on the front-line, but about six howitzer shells fell in the neighbourhood of BHQ during the late afternoon. Enemy aircraft has been unusually active during the day. The usual machine gun and rifle fire was indulged in by the enemy during the night. Much progress has been made in wiring the new trench, valuable assistance has been given by the 9^th South Staffs.”

Pte. Henry Edgar Grass (see 6^th June) suffered an accidental bayonet wound to his left leg; he would be admitted via 70^th Field Ambulance and 1^st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station to 13^th General Hospital in Boulogne.

Pte. Frank Woodall was reported as ‘accidentally wounded’ (details unknown). He was 22 years old and originally from Goole, but had been living in Cornholme, near Todmorden, where he had been working at the local gasworks; he had joined the Battalion in the Spring or early Summer of 1916 (date and details unknown). He would be evacuated to 8^th Stationary Hospital in Boulogne.

Sgt. Edgar Shuttleworth (see 23^rd August) was transferred from 69^th Field Ambulance via 70^th to 23^rd Divisional Rest Station, following treatment to his injured right knee.

Pte. Charles Davey (see 25^th June), who had been in England since having been wounded in June, was discharged from the Royal Infirmary in Sunderland and posted to 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion at Gateshead.

Ptes. Herbert Burgess (see 2^nd August), Walter Charlesworth (see 15^th August), Patrick Conley (see 20^th August) and Tom Nixon (11904) (see 22^nd July) were posted from 11DWR at Brocton Camp, Cannock Chase to 3DWR at North Shields.

A Medical Board meeting at Osborne Hospital on the Isle of Wight considered the condition of 2Lt. Ernest Cyril Coke (see 2^nd August), who had been wounded in the actions around Munster Alley, losing the tip of the middle finger of his left hand; the Board found that, “The wound has now almost healed and there is a good stump”. Coke was discharged from hospital, but declared unfit for any duty for a further month.

Lt. Frank Hird, brother of Lt. Frederick Hird (see 14^th August) who had been killed at Munster Alley, wrote to the War Office regarding his brother’s effects; “My brother, Lieut. Frederick Hird, 10^th DWR and attached to Trench Mortar Battery A69, was killed on 29^th July. I should be deeply obliged if you could let know whether my brother left any directions with the War Office as to the disposal of his effects and any money that may be standing to his credit at Cox’s”. Frank Hird was himself engaged as a “Church Army Commissioner”, attached to VIth Corps Headquarters, BEF.

Sgt. John Davis, serving with 7^th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment was posted back to England to begin his officer training; once commissioned, he would serve with 10DWR. John Davis (born January 1895) was the eldest of seven children of John Henry and Selina Davis and had been born and brought up in West Bromwich where his father worked as a whitesmith for a typewriter manufacturer. John junior had himself worked as an assistant cashier for J. Brockhouse & Co. and then for the City of Birmingham gas department. He was also a territorial soldier, having joined 7^th Worcesters on 18^th April 1912, aged 17. He was called up for service on 5^th August 1914 and appointed Lance Corporal, being promoted Acting Corporal on 4^th December. He embarked for France with his Battalion on 31^st March 1915 and was formally promoted Corporal on 24^th April; by 7^th January 1916 he had been promoted three times more, attaining the rank of Sergeant.

Patrick Sweeney signed his enlistment papers at the West Riding Regimental Depot in Halifax and was posted to 3^rd Battalion at North Shields; he would later serve with 10DWR. Patrick Sweeney was 32 years old and had been living in Ormskirk, Lancs. and working as a marine fireman. He had a long and chequered military career behind him. Sweeney had first joined the Army in September 1904, aged 20; he had served for over seven years with 1DWR, including more than six years spent in India. However, he had a series of brushes with military discipline, notably spending ten days in detention in 1910 for “using obscene language and attempting to strike an NCO” and a further 28 days detention in 1911 for being asleep whilst on sentry. He had been transferred to the Reserve in March 1912 and had, within two months, been convicted on two charges of assault and served time in prison. It was following this that he had taken up his job as a marine fireman and had been granted ‘sea leave’ from the Army Reserve for two years from November 1912. However, on the outbreak of war he had been called up from the Reserve and posted to the Regimental Depot at Halifax on 5^th August 1914. He was then transferred to 3DWR on 6^th November and was, briefly, promoted Lance Corporal, before reverting to the ranks after just a month on account of misconduct. He was posted to France on 27^th January 1915 to join 2DWR. Within ten days he had been wounded while the Battalion was occupying trenches near Dranoutre, south of Ypres and was evacuated to England on 8^th February. He was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit on 8^th July 1915. Despite this, he now re-joined and was declared fit for service.