Thursday 28th June 1917

Le Coq de Pailie, close to Berthen

There was heavy rain in the early morning, but bright sun later, although it remained thundery, and became very hot and stuffy.

After their two week stay at Le Coq de Pailie the Battalion began a move back towards the front line. They marched first to Chippewa Camp, via Godewareswelde and Reninghelst. One night would be spent here. Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 25^th June) noted that,  “10^th WR marching rather badly but remainder well”. Among the men who were reported as having fallen out on the march without permission was the recently-arrived L.Cpl. Gilbert Swift Greenwood (see 25^th June); he was deprived of his Lance Corporal’s rank and reduced to Private. Ptes. Stanley Broadbent (see 11^th February), Thomas Caton (see 6^th April), George Chamberlain (see 28^th May), Albert Edward Everitt (see 12^th June), Louis Hodgson (see 9^th February), Lewis Lunn (see 16^th January), Albert Moore (see 12^th May), Harry Simpson (see 11^th January), William Percy Smith (see 19^th December 1916), Leonard Beaconsfield Turner (see 19^th December 1916), Thomas Ward (see 9^th June) and Joseph Henry Woodcock (see 13^th May) were all reported as having fallen out by CQMS Hubert Charles Hoyle (see 14^th January), and, on the orders of Maj. Charles Bathurst (see 19^th June), were ordered to forfeit two days’ pay and undergo seven days’ Field Punishment no.2. Ptes. Charles Frederick Riddial (see 6^th May) and Fred Slater (see 10^th May) of ‘C’ Company were both reported by Cpl. George Heeley (see 19^th April) for “drinking on the line of march”; on the orders of Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 27^th June) both would be confined to barracks for three days.

Acting Sergeant John Stephenson (see 18^th April) was now confirmed in his rank of Sergeant and Acting Cpl. George Heeley (see above) was confirmed in his rank of Corporal.

2Lt. John Keighley Snowden (see 26^th February), who had been wounded at Le Sars, appeared before a further Medical Board; the Board found that “This officer is fit for general service. He states that he has some tinnitus but the aural specialist at the no 1 GH Newcastle says that he can find very little wrong with his ears”. He was instructed to re-join his unit.

After spending eight days at Woodcote Convalescent Hospital, Epsom, Pte. Mark Beaumont (see 20^th June) was discharged and granted ten days’ leave before reporting to the Northern Command Depot at Ripon.