Saturday 16th December 1916

Winnipeg Camp

Two NCO’s and fifty men and two NCO’s were attached for eight days to work with the Royal Engineers.

More men departed for England on leave; among them was Pte. Tommy Harding (see 8^th September 1914). On his arrival back at home, according to his pal Cpl. Fred Swale (see 3^rd November), “Just as he (Tommy) was going towards home he met his Father, going to post a parcel off to him”.

 

Cpl. Fred Swale

Image by kind permission of Joan Rigg and family

Pte. Arthur Sutcliffe (see 17^th October) was found to have been “absent from camp at roll call”; he was reported by Cpl. Henry Markham (see 15^th April) and ordered, by for Capt. Frank Redington MC (see 16^th December) to be be confined to barracks for four days.

Pte. John William Henry Bower Clark (see 5^th July), serving in France with 8DWR, was killed in action; he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.

2Lt. Harry Widdup, (see 11^th December), serving with 9DWR near Meaulte on the Somme, was taken ill, suffering from ‘myalgia’ (general debility), with specific reference to pain in both lower limbs and wrists. He was evacuated to 14th Casualty Clearing Station.

Pte. Patrick Sweeney (see 12^th December), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, underwent his medical examination to confirm his fitness for service overseas.

Pte. Walter Robinson (15117) (see 4^th October), who had been in England since having been wounded in October, was posted to 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion at Gateshead.