Saturday 10th February 1917

Trenches near Observatory Ridge

A largely quiet day, though with some shelling but no casualties; the weather again bitterly cold.

Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 8^th February) visited the front line trenches; he described his route in his diary, “Hard frost and cold wind but sun bright. Went round trenches 9am. Walked from Lille Gate to south end of the Bund. Across frozen lake and up Zillebeke Street. Found front lines being shelled. Some casualties. Went down Dawson St. and Hedge St., along front line and back by (trench name unclear) and Winnipeg St. to the Bund”.
(I am greatly indebted to Juliet Lambert for her generosity in allowing me to quote from Brig. Genl. Lambert’s diary and letters).

Pte. George Allen Holroyd (see 17^th October 1916) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 23^rd Division Rest Station, suffering from impetigo; whilst there he would also receive additional treatment for dental caries. He would return to duty on 19^th February.

Capt. Alfred Percy Harrison (see 1^st February), who had been returned to France ten days’ earlier now re-joined the Battalion.

The father of Aidan Nicholson (see 3^rd February), who had, a week earlier, been called up for service with the RFC, wrote to War Office regarding two letters received at the family home appointing Aidan to a cadet unit; but, as his father now pointed out, he had “been called for service with the colours and is now 2^nd Airman A. Nicholson, 56724, stationed at Turnberry, Ayrshire. Since the papers refer only to civilians I would be grateful if you would see your way clear to transfer him to a cadet unit and beg the documents necessary for the transfer”.

Image by kind permission of the Trustees of the DWR Museum

Lt. Thomas Beattie, (see 10^th January), currently serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion in Gateshead, appeared before a further Medical Board convened in Newcastle. The Board found that, “though the scar tissue is firmer, the position of it over the left shoulder prevents him from wearing any form of equipment. His general condition is good”. He was to be re-examined in a further two months.

William Neville Dawson (see 30^th July 1916), who had been ordered to relinquish his commission  following extended proceedings regarding his capacity to hold the post of Second Lieutenant, was married, at Willesden Parish Church, to Annie Odell Tribe. She was the older sister of 2Lt. Maurice Tribe MC (see 23^rd December 1916), who had been severely injured at Le Sars. Dawson and Tribe had been in the OTC together at Radley College and had trained and then served together as subalterns with 10DWR. One of the witnesses to the marriage was Annie and Maurice’s mother, Annie Tribe. On the marriage certificate Dawson stated his occupation as “student at the Inner Temple”; he had been training as a lawyer before volunteering in November 1914.