Tuesday 12th September 1916

Billets at Coisy

The Battalion remained just one night at Coisy and at 8.20am they began a 12 mile march, via Rainneville, Molliens au Bois, Montigny, Behencourt and Baizeux, to Henencourt Wood. An advance party of five NCOs, led by 2Lt. Henry Kelly (see 21^st August), had departed by bicycle twenty minutes ahead of the main body in order to secure their new billets and by 3pm the whole Battalion had joined them; it was reported that “the Battalion marched well, only a few cases of men falling out on the line of march”. The new billets comprised of huts for the men, with the officers accommodated in bell tents.

2Lt. Henry Kelly

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Pte. Fred Riddiough (see 1^st September), who had been suffering from rheumatism, was discharged from 109^th Field Ambulance at Remy Sidings, Lijssenthoek, and returned to duty.

Pte. John Russell (see 8^th July), who had been in England since having been wounded in July, was discharged from hospital and posted to 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Gateshead.

Lt. Cecil Edward Merryweather (see 4^th September) who had been wounded on 5^th July, and subsequently treated in England before being transferred to 11DWR, applied for a transfer to the Royal Field Artillery.

At home in Keighley, Edith Ackroyd, wife of Pte. William Ackroyd (see 29^th July), who had been wounded in July, gave birth to the couple’s third child, a daughter who would be named Sarah Jane.


A pension award was made in respect of the late Pte. Albert Edward Lawton (see 10^th October 1916), who had been killed whilst on patrol in January; his widow, Jane, was awarded 15s. per week.