Wednesday 21st March 1917

Houtkerque

Starting out at 9.39am on another cold and windy day, the Battalion completed their march back towards the front line, covering eight miles, via Watou and Sint Jan ter Biezen, before arriving near Proven, one and a half miles north-west of Poperinghe, at ‘L Camp’. This was commonly known by the rather more exotic name of ‘Earl’s Court Kaffir Village’. The Battalion took over from 13DLI and found the camp in a very bad state. In the following days much work would be done on improving conditions as well as further training, with an emphasis on bayonet fighting and the use of the Lewis gun.

Capt. Edgar Stanton (see 16^th March) reported for duty with the Battalion. It would appear that he took over command of ‘D’ Company which had previously been commanded by Lt. John Edward Lennard Payne (see 11^th March) who had temporarily been promoted Captain whilst commanding the Company two months earlier, but had recently reverted to Lieutenant.

Pte. Patrick Sweeney (see 2^nd March), who had been under treatment for gonorrhoea at no.51 General Hospital at Etaples, was posted to no.34 Infantry Base Depot at Etaples; it was noted in his record that, in accordance with Army regulations, he would not be paid for the period from 14^th February to 21^st March on account of his having been hospitalised due to venereal disease.

Pte. Joseph Clayton (see 5^th October), serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Gateshead, died at Nuns Lane School, Gateshead; his cause of death was stated to have been ‘valvular disease of the heart’. He would be buried at St. Andrew’s and Jesmond Cemetery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.


Pte. John Dalby (see 28^th February), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was reported as ‘absent from final leave at 11.55pm’; he would not report back until 9.30pm on 26^th March and would be ordered to forfeit six days’ pay and to undertake 144 hours of extra duties.

Capt. Adrian O’Donnell Pereira (see 18^th January), currently serving with 3DWR at North Shields, withdrew his application for a permanent commission in the Indian Army.

Capt. Adrian O'Donnell Pereira

Pte. George Hirst (see 5^th March) was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class W and released to take up munitions work as a furnace man at Low Moor Ironworks in Bradford.

A payment of £7 13s 10d was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late L.Cpl William Rawnsley, MM (see 30^th November 1916); the payment would go to his father, Kendal.