Thursday 19th July 1917

Two Companies in the front line, between I.30.b.9.8. and I.30.c.8.4; Battalion HQ and one Company in Hedge Street Tunnels and the remaining Company in Canada dugouts.

A bright day with a strong wind, which dried the ground considerably.

Pte. Mark Ruckledge (see 17^th October 1916) was killed in action and would be buried at Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery, just north of the village of Verbrandenmolen. However, the precise location of his grave within the cemetery was lost in subsequent fighting and he is now commemorated on one of the special memorials in the cemetery.

Pte. William Noel Simpson (see 5^th July), who had only joined the Battalion two weeks previously, was wounded, suffering injuries to his left leg; he was admitted to 70^th Field Ambulance and would be transferred via 2^nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Sidings to 1^st Australian General Hospital at Rouen. Pte. John Edward Bartle (see 7th June) was also wounded; the nature of his wounds are unknown.

On the night of 19/20th the Battalion was relieved by the 9Yorks and moved back into reserve. BHQ mover to Larch Wood at I.29.c.2.9. One Company was at the Dump (I.29.c.2.4); one Company at Battersea Farm (I.23.c.7.2) and two Companies much further back at Scottish Wood near Dickebusch.

L.Cpl. Rennie Hirst (see 11^th May), serving in France with 2DWR, was promoted Corporal.

2Lt. Thomas Arnold Woodcock (see 5^th July), who had served with the Battalion for only three weeks before reporting sick in April, appeared before a further Medical Board at the Officer’s Hospital at Eaton Hall, Chester. The Board found that, “the stomach condition is much improved and his general health is almost normal”. He was granted three weeks leave before then reporting to 3DWR at North Shields.

L.Cpl. Joseph Dunn (see 10^th June), who was back in England having been wounded on 7^th June, was posted to 3DWR at North Shields.

Pte. Albert Saville (see 1^st July), serving with 298^th Labour Company, based at Ripon, was once again in trouble. He had “overstayed his pass from 11.55pm til 10pm 19/7/17”; he was ordered to be confined to barracks for ten days and to forfeit three days’ pay.