Friday 9th March 1917

Eperlecques

The weather was again cold and windy with some snow falling. All units of the Brigade were given training in precautions against phosgene gas and gas shells.

Pte. Michael Henry Rourke (see 3^rd June 1916) was reported for “smoking while on the march”; he was reported by Cpl. George Wallace Fricker (see 6^th March) and on the orders of Capt. Alfred Percy Harrison (see 8^th March) he was to be confined to barracks for four days.

Pte. Fred Heppinstall (see 26^th December 1916) was admitted, via 69^th Field Ambulance, to 4^th Stationery Hospital at Arques, suffering from scabies.

Three months after being deprived of his rank, Pte. Stephen Grady (see 21^st December 1916), serving with the Brigade Trench Mortar Battery, was re-appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal.

Official notification from the War Office reached the family of Cpl. James Shackleton MM (see 26^th February) that he had been severely wounded and was now being treated at 8^th Stationary Hospital, Wimereux.

Cpl. James Shackleton MM

Cpl. George Richard Goodchild (see 3^rd January) was promoted (Acting) Sergeant.

Cpl. George Richard Goodchild

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Despite his recent correspondence with the War Office regarding the instruction he had received to resign his commission on grounds of ill health, official notice was posted in the London Gazette that 2Lt. Howard Thurston Hodgkinson (see 23^rd February), had relinquished his commission.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried news of the father of Pte. Harry Killeen (see 11^th February 1916), who had been wounded in January 1916:

BOLTON BY BOWLAND

POLICE CHANGES

This week Inspector Killeen, who has been stationed at Bolton by Bowland Police Station for the past three years, has been transferred to Barnoldswick. During his stay here he has always, as far as duty would allow, identified himself with the social life of the village. In the administration of his duty, kindness and firmness went together and the people of the Bowland division wish him the best of luck in his new place.