Tuesday 8th May 1917

Halifax Camp, south of Vlamertinghe

Another very warm Spring day. The danger of German shelling of Halifax Camp and the consequent request made by Lt. Col. Robert Raymer (see 6^th May) saw the Battalion move, at 5pm, a few miles further south to Chippewa Camp, which was situated between Reninghelst and Kemmel. Meanwhile, the final of the Divisional football competition (see 28^th April) was held on the football ground at Poperinghe with 69^th Brigade defeating 70^th Brigade 2-1, “after a very cose game”, with extra being played after the game was 1-1 at full time. 10DWR had four representatives in the Brigade team.

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 4^th May) visited the Brigade school, at which training in bombing and other specialisms would be carried out.  This had been established at Steenvorde and was under the control of Maj. Robert Harwar Gill (see 4^th January); it has not been established exactly when Gill left 10DWR to take up this appointment.

L.Cpls. Wilson Allinson (see 5^th March) and Harold Best (see 16^th February) were promoted Corporal. Pte. Harold Bray (18231) (see 19th December 1916) was appointed (unpaid) Lance Corporal.

L.Cpl. George William Keeling (see 13^th January) was reported for “losing by neglect his field dressing”; on the orders of Capt. Alfred Percy Harrison (see 7^th May), he was to pay for a replacement.

Pte. Thomas Riding (see 7^th October 1916) was reported by L.Cpl Albert Earnshaw (see 11^th February) as having “an untidy bed”; on the orders of Capt. Alfred Percy Harrison (see 7^th May)  he was to be confined to barracks for five days.

2Lt. Arthur Neill (see 7^th March) left the Battalion having reported sick (details unknown).

Capt. Gilbert Tunstill (see 29th March), currently serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Brighton Road Schools, Gateshead, appeared before a further Medical Board assembled at Newcastle. The Board found that, “his right foot is very flat and weak. It is much swollen and tilts over inwards badly when any weight is placed on it. He is quite unfit for any marching and some kind of support for the plantar arch is advised”. He was declared fit for light duty at home for the next month, at which point he would be re-examined.

Capt. Gilbert Tunstill

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

A payment of £2 3s was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. William Mitchell (see 19^th March), who had been reported missing in action near Contalmaison on 5^th July 1916. The payment would go to his father, Ernest.

Pte. William Mitchell

A payment of £6 14s 4d was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. George Wilson Thompson (see 22^nd January), who had died in January. The payment would go to his mother, Susan.


A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Thomas Berry (see 10^th July 1916), who had been officially missing in action since July 1916; his mother, Clara, was awarded 8s. 6d. per week.