Tuesday 11th September 1917

Billets in the Lederzeele area.

Another hot day.

The Battalion was engaged in training for the forthcoming attack.

Cpls. William Foulds (see 9^th August) and George Alfred Giles (see 6^th January), L.Cpl. Albert Edward White (see 21^st July) and Pte. James Stott (see 4^th October 1916) departed to England on ten days’ leave.

Pte. Charley Culley (see 5^th July) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 23^rd Division Rest Station, suffering from “pyrexia NYD” (high temperature, not yet diagnosed). Pte. Victor Hillam (see 5^th July) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 58^th General Hospital at St. Omer suffering from pleurisy. Pte. Clarence Smith (see 16^th January) was admitted to 71^st Field Ambulance, suffering from inflammation of his right knee; he would be discharged to duty five days’ later.

Ptes. Arthur Cerenza King (see 26^th August) and Thomas Manuell (see 1^st September) re-joined the Battalion from 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.

L.Cpl. Joseph Dunn (see 30^th July) and Ptes. Harry Exley (see 30^th August) and Sydney Exley (see 4^th September), all of whom had been in England since being wounded and were currently serving with 3DWR at North Shields, returned to France. However, they would not re-join 10DWR but would instead be posted to 2^nd/6^th DWR.

Sgt. Harry Waller MM (see 28^th August) was commissioned Second Lieutenant with the Machine Gun Corps.

2Lt. Harry Waller MM

Pte. John Edward Atkinson (see 11^th August), who, a month previously, had been re-classified as fit only for Base Duties, due to “age and debility”, was transferred to 17^th Labour Company, Labour Corps.

Pte. William Postill Taylor (see 22^nd July), who had been in England since having been wounded in May, was posted from Northern Command Depot at Ripon to 3DWR at North Shields, en route to a return to active service.

Sgt. Bob Maunders (see 10^th March) married Mary Elizabeth Ellis in Settle Parish Church. Bob Maunders had been wounded in October 1915 but the absence of a surviving service record makes it difficult to be clear on what had happened to him in the intervening months. It is not clear whether he had been evacuated to England or had been treated exclusively in France. However at some point prior to March 1917 he had returned to the Battalion. He had been promoted Corporal by March 1917 and subsequently Sergeant. He had also, at some point, been wounded for a second time; the date of this second incident has not been established but it seems that this certainly was sufficient to have Bob invalided back to England. It seems likely that it was whilst being cared for at a hospital in England that Bob met his future wife; she had worked as a supervisor at a munitions factory and also did voluntary work in war hospitals.

Bob and Mary Maunders on their wedding day. Note that Bob has two wound stripes on his lower left sleeve, indicating he has been twice wounded.

Image by kind permission of Dennis Maunders

Pte. Arthur Lumb (see 21^st August), who had had his right leg amputated following an accidental gunshot wound suffered in April, was formally discharged from the Army. He was granted the Silver War Badge and an army pension (amount unknown).

In Rotherham, Ellen Draper, wife of Pte. Harold Draper (see 11^th August), gave birth to the couple’s first child (Ellen had been pregnant when Harold had been posted to France in July); the baby girl would be named Doris.

Oldfield Hodgson, father of Pte. Louis Hodgson (see 28^th June), wrote from his home in Bradford requesting that his son be allowed home on leave as “his sister is very ill”; it is not clear what was the response to the request and whether Hodgson was allowed leave.

Capt. Gilbert Tunstill (see 10^th August), currently a patient at Hammerton VAD Hospital in Sunderland while serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Brighton Road Schools, Gateshead, appeared before a further Army Medical Board. The Board found that, “Pain in foot almost gone; no limp; cannot rise on to his toes while standing on right foot. It is steadily improving”. He was declared fit for light duty at home and instructed to re-join his Battalion; he would re-examined in a further month.

Capt. Gilbert Tunstill

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Maj. James Christopher Bull (see 31^st July), who had been wounded on 7^th June, appeared before a further Army Medical Board. The Board found that he was now fit for active service. He would have a period of leave before returning to 10DWR.

A payment was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Jacob Carradice Green (see 8^th June), who had died of wounds on 29^th May; in accordance with the terms of his will, £4 14s. 4d. would go to his mother, Elizabeth, with the balance being distributed in equal shares of 11s. 11d. to each of his five brothers, Albert, Fred, James, John and William. However, James, John and William all requested that their individual shares be paid instead to their mother. A package containing his personal effects was also sent to his mother; this consisted of, “photos, religious book, cards, cigarette case, badge, reference, mirror, 2 buttons, 3 pencils, cigarette cards, watch key, silver lever watch no. 94263 and case, watch chain, silver medallion, fork and spoon combined, pencil, bag, protector, bullet, unopened letter”.

Pte. Jacob Carradice Green