Wednesday 31st January 1917

Front line trenches in Sanctuary Wood (I.24.b.2½.8½ to I.24.b.8½.3½)    

The recent bitterly-cold weather continued. Another generally quiet day, with no casualties.

Pte. George King (16475) (see 9^th January) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 23^rd Division Rest Station suffering from ringworm to his scalp; he would be discharged to duty after five days.

Pte. Erwin Wilkinson (see 19^th December 1916) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 23^rd Divisional Rest Station, suffering from influenza; he would be treated for a week before returning to duty on 7^th February.

Pte. Fred Riddiough (see 26^th January), suffering from scabies and impetigo, was transferred from 50^th Casualty Clearing Station to 25^th General Hospital at Hardelot.

Former member of Tunstill’s Company, Acting Sgt. George Clark (see 24^th October 1916), now serving with ASC, Motor Transport Section in England, having been diagnosed with Raynauds Disease, reverted to the rank of Acting Corporal. This was on account of ‘misconduct’, although the detail was not specified.

2Lt. Harry Widdup (see 11^th January), currently on sick leave in England, reported his present address as being, c/o Mrs Barrett, 39 Castle View, Clitheroe.

In Huddersfield, Florence Hogley, wife of Pte. Herbert Farrand Hogley (see 11^th January), who had been posted to France three weeks previously, gave birth to the couple’s first child; he would be named Charles Herbert.

69^th Brigade War Diary recorded casualties for the Brigade for the month of January:

Killed                                       10 other ranks

Accidentally killed                   1 other rank

Died of wounds                        0

Wounded                                69 other ranks

Accidentally wounded          23 other ranks

Missing                                      0

10DWR’s casualties were recorded as:

Killed                                       6 (The Battalion War Diary records 11 killed)

Accidentally killed                0

Died of wounds                     0

Wounded                              34 (The Battalion War Diary records 35 wounded)

Accidentally wounded         1

Missing                                   0

These Brigade casualty figures do not take account of the deaths of five men who had been wounded but had died subsequently from their wounds. However, they were accounted for in the figure quoted in the Battalion War Diary.

The official cumulative casualty figures for the Battalion since arriving in France were now:

Killed                                       154

Accidentally killed                     4

Died of wounds                         7

Wounded                               756

Accidentally wounded            49

Missing                                    116