Sunday 4th November 1917

Billets in the Zudausques area

The Battalion continued its training and range practice.

Ptes. Joseph Henry Haywood (see 28^th May) and William Hay Murdock (see 5^th July) were both appointed (unpaid) Lance Corporal.

Pte. Daniel Mackenzie (see 31^st October) was reported by Sgt. James Henry Howarth (see 30^th October) and Cpl. William Hutchinson (see 18^th May) for being “improperly dressed on defaulters’ parade and having a dirty rifle”; on the orders of Capt. Henry Kelly VC (see 31^st October) he was to be confined to barracks for seven days.

Pte. Abraham Sunderland (see 30^th October) re-joined the Battalion from 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.

Sgt. John William Dickinson (see 31^st October), who had been wounded on 20^th September, was admitted to the camp hospital at 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, suffering from ‘debility and neurasthenia’; he would be subsequently be transferred to 14^th Convalescent Depot at Trouville (on 9^th November) and 6^th Convalescent Depot at Etaples (on 14^th November).

Pte. James Arthur Heap (see 9^th October),  serving in France with 63^rd Labour Company, Labour Corps, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Sgt. Harry Raistrick (see 24^th September), who had been in England since having been wounded on 20^th September, was discharged from hospital and posted to Northern Command Depot at Ripon.

From her home in Gosberton, near Spalding, Elsie Alice Prestwood, widow of the late Pte. Arthur Prestwood (see 4^th October), who had died of wounds on 22^nd September, again wrote to the War Office regarding her late husband’s affairs:

“I received your letter informing me that you hadn’t the birth certificates of my children. I have got the one for my baby which I am sending but you have the one for my little boy. I sent it at the same time I sent my marriage lines. It has Eric Henry Briggs on it as he was born before marriage and that was my maiden name. Hoping you come across it and I must again tell you I should be much obliged if you would let me have my husband’s death certificate as the Superintendent of the Prudential Insurance is wanting it. And if you have received anything belonging my late husband I should be very pleased as he had several things which I should like to have or anything belonging him. Trusting you will oblige.”