Saturday 4th August 1917

Billets between Zudausques and Boisdinghem.

The weather continued to be very wet, with heavy rain throughout the day.

Lt. Sydney Charles Ernest Farrance (see 7^th July), who had been with the Battalion for only a month, left to join 8DWR.

Ptes. George Towler Brown (see 5^th July) and David Doughty Glossop (see 5^th July), both of whom had been with the Battalion for less than a month, were admitted to 70^th Field Ambulance suffering from influenza.  Brown would be transferred to 58^th General Hospital at St. Omer and Glossop to 2^nd Canadian Stationary Hospital at Outreau.

Pte. Gott Fielding (see 5^th July) reported sick and was diagnosed as suffering from shellshock; he would be treated in France, but the details are unknown.

Ptes. Joseph Livesey (see 7^th June) and Smith Stephenson Whitaker (see 12^th July), both of whom had been wounded on 7^th June, re-joined the Battalion from 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples. 

Pte. Harold Peel (see 30^th June), who had been wounded on 7^th June, was discharged from 6^th Convalescent Depot at Etaples and posted to 34^th Infantry Base Depot, en route to a return to active service.

Pte. Percy France (see 10^th June) was discharged from 4^th Stationary Hospital at Arques and posted to 1^st Convalescent Depot at Boulogne; he would subsequently (date and details unknown) be transferred to the Labour Corps.

Pte. Edwin Baldwin (see 18^th December 1916), serving with the Motor Transport Section of the Army Service Corps, departed for England on ten days’ leave.

Capt. Leo Frederick Reincke (see 23^rd June) was posted back to France to join 48^th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps as an observer.

Cpl. Harold Best (see 28^th July), back home in England on leave, was married to Alice Haste.

Pte. Cecil Stanley Pitblado (see 1^st December 1916), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was transferred to 89^th Training Reserve Battalion, based at Catterick; he was also promoted Sergeant.

The Halifax Guardian reported the death of Lt. Arthur Halstead (see 31^st July) who had worked for the newspaper before enlisting.

HALIFAX OFFICER KILLED

Lieutenant A. Halstead MC - Former Member of the “Guardian” Staff

We deeply regret to state that Lt. A. Halstead, youngest son of Mrs. Halstead and of the late Mr. Elijah Halstead of 8 Buxton Street, Lee Mount, has passed away. A War Office telegram, dated August 1^st, has been received as follows: “Deeply regret to inform you that Lt. A. Halstead, West Riding Regiment, died at 12.40 on August 1^st, of bomb wounds right leg multiple, wounds left leg, accidental. The Army Council expresses their sympathy. Secretary, War Office”.

Lt. Halstead was only 23 years of age. In pre-war days he was on the staff of the Halifax Daily Guardian and warmly esteemed by all his colleagues. It was only a few weeks ago that we recorded the fact that he had been awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in the field. The facts were officially stated thus: “During the attack south of Hill 60 on 7^th June 1917, although wounded in the knee, he personally led an attack with great bravery and promptitude, against a hostile machine gun, capturing the gun and team of four men”.

He was later transferred from the front line to the base in order that he might act as bombing instructor to new men out, and, although the War Office message is brief, it seems clear that it was in this important work that he met his death. He was a capital type of young officer, with a full knowledge of what duty meant and the responsibilities which followed on promotion. He has been in France almost from the outbreak of hostilities, only returning for a short period of training when raised to commissioned rank.

He is the fourth “Daily Guardian” man to lay down his life in the way; those who have also answered the supreme call being: Private Norris Marshall, WRR, Private Harry Preston, West Yorkshire Regt, and Private Laurie Hargrave of the Royal Fusiliers. Others have been wounded, and, in fact, have suffered severely, out of the twenty-five men whom the “Guardian” office has supplied for military service.

A payment of £2 10s. 8d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Michael Edward McCuen (known as ‘Teddy’) (see 24^th April), who had had died of wounds on 24^th April; the payment would go to his father, Daniel.