Saturday 11th November 1916

Front line trenches south of Sanctuary Wood

Once established in their new positions it became clear that, following the recent heavy rain, the trenches here were in much worse condition than those which the Battalion had occupied on their previous tour and the trench stores which had been handed over by 12DLI were also in a bad state. The men set about improving things as best they could and over the five days much hard work would be put into a range of improvements. The Divisional Trench Mortar Battery also reported that they were having to put much work into improving their positions in the front line as, “owing to rain (positions) are almost unfireable”.

Lt. Daniel William Paris Foster (see 16^th October), Quartermaster, 10DWR, and Sgt. William Proctor (see 6^th October) left the Battalion to proceed to England for 10 days’ leave.

Pte. William Kershaw (18282) (see 10^th October) was admitted to 23^rd Division Rest Station, suffering from entiritis; he would be discharged and re-join the Battalion after two days.

Following one months’ treatment at 2^nd General Hospital at le Havre for the severe injuries he had suffered at Le Sars, Pte. Daniel Brennan (see 6^th October) was evacuated to England, travelling onboard the Hospital Ship Carisbroke Castle; the details of his treatment in England are unknown.

Pte. James Leonard Bloomer (see 18^th July), who had been in England for the previous four months after suffering from pain in the amputation stump of the finger of his left hand, was posted to 3DWR and immediately attached to 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion at Gateshead.