Monday 4th September 1916

Close reserve trenches in Ploegsteert Wood

At 8 am Lt. Dick Bolton (see 23^rd August), accompanied by an NCO from each Company, set off by bicycle to secure the new billets about one mile south-east of Bailleul. At 5 pm, in pouring rain, the remainder of the Battalion was relieved by 7^th South Lancs. The men then began their nine mile march. For the first three miles, as far as Pont d’Achelles, they marched by half companies, maintaining a distance of 200 yards between, before closing up to companies, with 100 yards between for the remainder of the march. The final company arrived at 9 pm.

  

Lt. Dick Bolton

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

L.Sgt. William Proctor (see 30^th July) was admitted to 2^nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, suffering from “P.U.O” (pyrexia, or high temperature, of unknown origin).



Pte. Henry Edgar Grass (see 28^th August), who had suffered an accidental bayonet wound to his left leg, was evacuated to England from 13^th General Hospital in Boulogne, travelling onboard the Hospital Ship St. David; on arrival in England he would be admitted to the County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury, near St. Albans.

A Medical Board meeting in Sheffield considered the case of Lt. Cecil Edward Merryweather (see 31^st August) who had been wounded on 5^th July, and subsequently treated in England; he had been on leave for the previous month. The Board found that, “The wound on the right thigh is quite healed and causing no disability. The general condition not quite satisfactory”. Their deliberations would likely have taken account of the diagnosis of neurasthenia which had been provided a few days earlier. Merryweather was declared fit for light duty at home and instructed to join 11^th (Reserve) Battalion DWR at Brocton Camp, Staffs., where he duly reported for duty next day.

Ex-Tunstill’s Man, Dvr. Arthur Overend (see 1^st September), now serving with the ASC at Cirencester, was formally confirmed as having qualified as a “cold shoer”.

Solicitors, Torr & Co., wrote to the War Office on behalf of the mother of Capt. Herbert Montagu Soames Carpenter (see 27^th July), who had been killed in action on 5^th July. They appealed that the case should be exempt from payment of death duties, given the circumstances and that the estate would amount to around £256, all of which would go to his mother.

 

Capt. Herbert Montagu Soames Carpenter

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton