Friday 25th May 1917

Trenches in the Hill 60 sub-sector, opposite the Caterpillar

The weather became very hot.

Although there is no specific mention in the War Diary, another man, Pte. Luther Taylor (16^th January) was killed before the Battalion was relieved by 8^th Yorks and Lancs in the early hours. On completion of the relief at around 4.30am, on a beautiful morning, the Battalion marched seven miles, via Kruistraat, to Brandhoek, from where they were taken by train to Abeele and then marched the final two miles north to billets in the Boeschepe training area, near Watou.  In addition to the sixteen men killed over the course of the six-day tour, a further thirty men had been wounded by the time the Battalion was relieved.

Pte. Harold Precious (see 1^st April) was reported as having “fallen out on the line of march without permission”; Maj. James Christopher Bull (see 18^th May) ordered that he should be confined to barracks for three days.

Pte. George Drake (see below) wrote to the mother of Sgt. John Hudson (see 23^rd May) who had been killed two days previously;

"Dear Mrs. Hudson, - It is my painful duty to inform you that your son was killed on the 22^nd (sic.), along with another six, by an enemy shell which fell in the midst of them. I can assure you that he suffered no pain whatever, his death being instantaneous. He was buried the same night, along with his comrades, in a cemetery halfway between Ypres and the line. In the course of a few days a cross will mark the place. He was a good pal and everyone in the Company liked him; he did his duty nobly and was a brave soldier. It was about five o'clock when he was killed. Had he lived a few more hours he would have gone out of the trenches the same night to seek billets for the battalion. 

Jack Hargreaves (I am, as yet, unable to make a positive identification of this man), who comes from Farnhill, was one of the party who buried him. He told me they were buried decently, and a parson read the Burial Service. All the Company and the non-commissioned officers and men join in tendering you their deepest sympathy in your sad loss. He was my best pal, and I was nearly heartbroken when I heard about it. You have my deepest sympathy, but he has died in fighting for the freedom of Old England and the banishing of Prussianism. We are out of the trenches at present. 

Jack's old pal, George Drake."

George Drake, along with his younger brother John Drake, had enlisted with Hudson and with two other men (names unknown) from Bradley in the early days of the war. All had served initially with 9DWR, but George Drake, having been wounded in March 1916, and Hudson had subsequently been transferred to 10DWR. George Drake had enlisted aged 19 (his brother was a year younger); they were two of seven children of John Thomas Drake and his wife, Annie. The family lived in Bradley, and both of the brothers worked in the local textile mills.

Just a week after being transferred, Pte. Albert Saville (see 17^th May) was reported absent without leave from 298^th Labour Company, based at Ripon.


Pte. John Dalby (see 21^st March), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was posted back to France; he was originally due to join 9DWR but would instead be re-posted to 2^nd/6^th DWR.

Pte. Thomas Bulcock (see 30^th April), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was appointed (unpaid) Lance Corporal.

Pte. Victor Frank Collen (see 6^th October 1916) who had been wounded on the Somme in October 1916 and had been in England ever since, was transferred to the Army Reserve, Class P

L.Cpl. Maurice Bannister (see 21^st November 1916), who had been in England since having been wounded in October 1916, was formally discharged from the army, with the award of the Silver War Badge; he was assessed as having suffered a 30% disability on account of his wounds and was awarded an Army pension of 12s. per week. On leaving the army he resumed his former employment as a fitter with one of the local engineering firms in Keighley.

Pte. Maurice Bannister