Tuesday 28th November 1916

Winnipeg Camp

Rest and the provision of some working parties for the Royal Engineers continued. The weather was again very cold, with misty conditions for much of the day.

Sgt. Robert William John Morris (see 5^th April) was admitted via 3^rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station to 13^th General Hospital in Boulogne, suffering from bronchitis.

Pte. Leonard Nicholl (see 14^th November, who had been wounded two weeks previously, suffering a compound fracture to his right arm, was evacuated to England; on arrival he would be admitted to 2^nd Northern General Hospital in Leeds.

Pte. Albert John Start (see 15^th September), serving at 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples having been declared fit only for Base Dutie, was attached for duty to the heavy branch of the Machine Gun Corps.

A medical examination of Carl Parrington Branthwaite (see 21^st September), who had been permanently discharged from the Army on account of illness contracted in service, found that his condition had again worsened and he was admitted to Leeds General Infirmary.

The War Office made a decision in the case of Capt. George Reginald Charles Heale MC (see 15^th November), who had been under medical care in England for the previous three months. It was decided that “in consequence of his continued unfitness for service, it is regretted that there is no alternative but that Temporary Captain G.R.C. Heale, MC, should relinquish his commission on account of ill-health”.

 

Capt. George Reginald Charles Heale MC

Mrs. Mary Ann Gaunt, mother of Acting Sgt. William Edmondson Gaunt (see 25^th November), died, aged 65, following a short illness; her son had only returned to France from leave three days earlier.

The Derbyshire Courier reported on the recent award of the Military Cross to Lt. Frank Redington who was currently home on leave (see 26^th November):

STONEBROOM OFFICER’S BRAVERY

How Captain F.H.C. Redington won the Military Cross

A fortnight ago it was mentioned in the “Courier” that Captain F.H.C. Redington, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, had been awarded the Military Cross. The official report of the heroic deed which won for him this distinction reads as follows, “Near Le Sars on the morning of 4^th October 1916, when the enemy counter-attacked heavily down a communication trench, causing many casualties, he very gallantly went forward down the trench by himself with a bag of bombs and entirely held up the attack for fully ten minutes until assistance arrived, when he and the party drove the enemy back and established a block. He was previously recommended for immediate reward for gallantry on 10^th July 1916”.

Captain Redington is the son of Mr. and Mrs. T.H. Redington of High Street, Stonebroom. He was educated at Chesterfield Grammar School and Nottingham University College. He was gazetted Second Lieutenant on 12^th December 1914. He was drafted to France a year later and in July of this year he was promoted first Lieutenant, and on 6^th October was made Acting Captain. He was with his Regiment on the Somme and has seen some fierce fighting, being in no fewer than five attacks, through all of which he came unscathed.

He is at home with his parents this week for a short leave and has been the recipient of hearty congratulations from his fellow parishioners, who are justly proud of his gallant exploit. His younger brother, Lieut. J.C.W. Redington (see 23^rd October), who has had eight months in France, is also home on sick leave, whilst one of his sisters, Miss Mabel A. Redington, is a nurse in a military hospital at Falmouth. Capt. Redington has the distinction of being the first Stonebroom soldier to receive any decoration.