Tuesday 4th September 1917

Billets in the Lederzeele area.

A fine, dry day

The Battalion was engaged in training for the forthcoming attack in an area which had been prepared north of the village of Volckerinckhove to replicate the area over which the Battalion was to attack.

Pte. George Carter (see 5^th July) was reported for ‘falling out on the line of march without cause and without permission’; he would be ordered to undergo seven days’ Field Punishment no.2.

Pte. Stanley Roebuck Hutton (see 24^th July) was reported by Cpl. Hill (unidentified) for “hesitating to obey an order”; on the orders of Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge (see 31^st August) he was sentenced to seven days Field Punishment no.2

Pte. Frederick Sharp (see 4^th April) was reported by L.Sgt. Fred Light Pashley (see 26^th April) as having “dirty small arms’ ammunition whilst mounting guard”; on the orders of Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 22^nd August) he was to be confined to barracks for three days. Pte. George Green (22749) (see 24^th July) was reported by Sgt. William Alfred Walmsley Gaunt (see 31^st August) also as having “dirty small arms’ ammunition on 11am parade”; on the orders of Capt. Adrian O’Donnell Pereira (see 31^st August) he was to be confined to barracks for four days.

Ptes. Herbert Crowther Kershaw (see 10^th August), who had suffered shrapnel wounds to his right thigh on 7^th June; Joseph McDermott (see 9^th August), who had suffered serious wounds to his right leg on 7^th June; Harold Peel (see 4^th August), who had also been wounded on 7^th June; and Ellis Sutcliffe (see 27^th August), who had been wounded in July, all re-joined the Battalion from 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.

L.Cpl. Thomas Bulcock (see 25^th May), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was posted back to France to join 8DWR.

Pte. John Broadbent (see 7^th June) was discharged from hospital in Sevenoaks; he would have ten days’ leave before reporting to 3DWR at North Shields.

Ptes. Herbert Burgess (see 30^th August) and Sydney Exley (see 30^th August), who were currently under sentence of five days Field Punishment no.2 as a result of overstaying their final embarkation leave, were reported “absent from defaulters’ parade at 5.30pm”. As a result both would be awarded an additional seven days Field Punishment no.2.

Pte. Michael Loughlin (see 4^th January), who was serving with 3DWR, having been transferred at some point (date and details unknown) from 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion at Gateshead and having reverted to Private, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service on account of the wounds he had suffered in July 1916. He was assessed as having suffered a 30% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 8s. 3d. per week.

A payment of £10 5s. 7d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Thomas Eastwood (see 9^th March 1916), who had died of wounds, sustained while serving with 11^th West Yorks., on 11^th June; the payment would go to his father, Thomas.

A payment of £2 10s. 10d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. John William Hardcastle (see 12^th June) who had initially been reported missing in action on 7^th June and subsequently confirmed as having been killed; the payment would go to his widow, Ellen. 

A second payment, additional to one which had been made three months previously, of £12 19s. 3d. was authorised, being a further amount due in pay and allowances to the late Sgt. Sam Phillips (see 7^th June); the payment in this case would go to his daughter, Dora. It would appear that he had made provision for a division of his estate of two-thirds to one-third, in favour of his daughter.