Wednesday 17th October 1917

Front line trenches west of Polygon Wood. A and B Coys in the front line from J.11.d.7.5. to J.12.a.5.5, with C and D Coys in the Support Line from J.11.c.5.6 to J.11.b.1.5. HQ at The Butte (J.10.a.7.9).

A fine day.

Four men were reported killed in action; Ptes. Herbert Briggs (see below), Frederick James Farthing (see 8^th September), Harry Jackson (10796) (see below) and James Mullock (see 5^th October). A fifth man, L.Cpl. Arthur Dyson (see 20^th September) was reported missing in action; he had been recommended for the Military Medal for his conduct on 20^th September. Four of the men are now commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing. The remains of Pte. Farthing were recovered from a battlefield grave in 1921 and re-interred at Aeroplane Cemetery, north of Ypres. 

Pte. Herbert Briggs, aged 22 and from Gomersall, had been an original member of the Battalion.

Pte. Harry Jackson (10796) was 21 years old. He had originally served with 2DWR under the name ‘Harry Jackson’, but was in fact Morris Kayles, the son of Israel and Annie Kayles, who were Russian immigrants who had been working in the tailoring trade in Leeds. He had first served in France from November 1914 and had suffered wounds to his right hand and arm in March 1915 while serving with 2DWR, but the date and circumstances of his transfer to 10DWR are unknown.

Pte. Leonard Watling (see 15^th September) was wounded and died at 10^th Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Sidings and was buried at the adjacent Lijssenthoek Miitary Cemetery. Pte. Arthur Samuel Potter (see 20^th September) also died of wounds at one of the Casualty Clearing Stations at Remy Sidings and was buried at Lijssenthoek Miitary Cemetery. He had been recommended for the Military Medal for his conduct on 20^th September.

Among those wounded on the day was Pte. Leonard Wilby, who suffered shrapnel wounds to his buttocks and thighs; he would be admitted via 11^th Casualty Clearing Station at Godewaersvelde, east of Poperinghe, and no.24 Ambulance Train to 18^th General Hospital at Camiers. He was a 24 year-old textile worker from Halifax and had originally served with 8DWR; in the absence of a surviving service record it has not been possible to establish when or under what circumstances he had joined 10DWR.

Cpl. Albert Hoggarth (see 20^th September) was promoted Lance Sergeant.

Cpl. Lionel Vickers (see 20^th September), who had been wounded on 20^th September, and was still away from the Battalion under medical treatment, was promoted Sergeant. 

Sgt. George Richard Goodchild (see 26^th May) and Pte. Alfred Ellis (see 17^th October 1916) departed for England on ten days leave.

Sgt. John William Dickinson (see 20^th September), who had been wounded on 20^th September, was discharged from hospital in Etaples and posted to 3^rd Convalescent Depot at Le Treport.



Pte. Wilfred Wood (see 10^th July 1916), serving with 52^nd Trench Mortar Battery in 17^th Division, was admitted via 51^st Field Ambulance at Solferino Farm, near Proven, to 63^rd Casualty Clearing Station at Bandaghem, suffering from “I.C.T.” (inflammation of the connective tissue) to his legs; the further details of his treatment are unknown, but he would, at some point (date and details unknown) be transferred to ‘D’ Company, 17^th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps.
Ptes. Fred Morrell (see 18^th August) and John William Procter (see 22^nd August), both of whom were serving with 3DWR, were reported absent off final pass before returning to France. Morrell would report back at 8pm on 19^th October and would be ordered to undergo three days Field Punishment no.2. Procter would return at 9pm on 20^th October and would undergo four days Field Punishment no.2.