Monday 15th October 1917

Brewery Camp, on the road between Dickebusch and Vijverhoek.

A bright and sunny day.

The Battalion moved into reserve positions at Railway Dugouts and Zillebeke Bund. This was part of a larger move which saw all the Battalions of 69^th Brigade absorbed temporarily into 68^th and 70^th Brigades who were occupying the front line. 10DWR and 8Yorks joined 68^th Brigade, while 9Yorks and 11West Yorks were attached to 70^th Brigade.

Capt. Henry Kelly VC (see 11^th October), who had returned to France four days previously, re-joined the Battalion.

Capt. Henry Kelly VC

Pte. Michael Hannigan (see 27^th September) was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance, suffering from bronchitis; he would be discharged to duty three days later.

Pte. Thomas George Coates (see 20^th September), who had suffered wounds to his left shoulder on 20^th September, was evacuated to England from 47^th General Hospital at Le Treport, travelling onboard the Hospital Ship Australia; on arrival he would be admitted to the military hospital in Eastleigh.  

Pte. Richard Swallow (see 18^th August), who had been serving in France with 2DWR, was evacuated to England from 2^nd Convalescent Depot at Rouen; he would travel onboard the Hospital Ship Carisbrooke Castle, and, on arrival, would be admitted to Royds Hall Hospital in Huddersfield.

Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 20^th September), who had suffered a bullet wound to his left thigh on 20^th September, appeared before a Medical Board assembled at 2^nd Western General Hospital in Manchester. The Board found that “wound mainly healed. Recommended for three weeks leave. Not necessary to again appear before the Medical Board”. At the expiry of his leave he would be fit for home service and was to join 3DWR at North Shields. Perks accordingly departed for the family home, sending a telegram that he expected to arrive at Grassington Station at 3.40pm. Over the next three weeks he would visit family and friends in Abingdon, London, Guildford, Kingston and Maidstone, before returning to Grassington on 3^rd November.

(I am greatly indebted to Janet Hudson for her kind permission to allow me to quote from Bob Perks’ correspondence).

Capt. Bob Perks DSO

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

Lt. Philip Howard Morris (see 14^th September), who had been wounded on 7^th June and was now serving with 3DWR at North Shields, appeared before a further Army Medical Board assembled at Tynemouth. The Board found that “the wound is healed; he still has stiffness in the arm”; they found him fit for home service for a further month, with another Board to follow in a months time. 

Mrs. Florence Church, widow of the late Pte. Edwin Charles Church (see 20^th September), who had been killed in action on 20^th September, wrote to the War Office. She had received notice of her husband’s death, but the correspondence received had quoted the new service number which he had been allocated on transfer to 10DWR, rather than the one with which she was familiar. As a result she asked, “Can there be any mistake? Will you please investigate for me?”. There was a similar appeal from the widow of the late Pte. David Lindsay (see 20^th September), who had died of wounds on 20^th September; like Church, he had also been allocated a new regimental number which his widow was querying. Mrs. Lindsay added, “it is very unpleasant to me to have this apparent muddle and of course adds to my worry and anxiety”.

A payment of £9 2s. 9d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Cpl. Dennis Bradbury (see 10^th June), who had been killed in action on 10^th June; the payment would be divided evenly between his two married sisters, Edith Armitage and Emily Muschamp. 


A payment of £2 17s. 1d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Donald Stewart (see 17^th December 1916), who had been killed in action on 7^th June while serving with 69^th Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps, was killed in action; the payment would go to his mother, Sarah Jane.