Saturday 20th May 1916

Billets at Sains-en-Gohelle (Coron Fosse 10)

There was a further increase in German artillery fire; this was most noticeable further south, beyond Souchez, against the portion of the British line held by 47^th Division, but the Battalion War Diary also recorded that, “The enemy artillery is showing a marked activity and is ranging upon various places with a high velocity gun of small calibre. This gun can easily be distinguished from others”. Shelling was also directed against Sains-en-Gohelle and on the pithead area of Fosse 10. During the morning one heavy shell demolished one of the houses in the village, killing a French civilian and seriously wounding Pte. John Smith (see 11th December 1915); he was evacuated to 22^nd Casualty Clearing Station at Lapugnoy. His wounds were very serious, as reported in a letter written by Pte. William Knox (see 15^th May), “We have had a chap out of our Platoon hit very bad. The Doctor gives no hope for him. He is an Officer’s servant and he only came back off leave last Sunday. He comes from Halifax and he is the only son”. He had been officer’s servant to 2Lt. Harry Harris (see 10^th April).

Pte. Sam Shuttleworth (see 25^th April) again found himself in trouble, having again been found to be drunk; he was ordered to be confined to barracks for three days.

Pte. Vernon Barker (see 24^th February) departed on one week leave to England.

After a month’s treatment for influenza and two weeks at 23^rd Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, Pte. Albert John Start (see 4^th May) re-joined the Battalion.

The incident involving Pte. John Smith was one of a number of things referred to in a letter written over the course of two days by Pte. William Knox (see 15^th May) (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters);

“… It is very hot here with ourselves. I am writing this letter taking cover behind a great big coal tip. You know what I mean. Like them round the Nunnery Pit. We are forced to be there as the Germans have shelled us out of our billets and it is a perfect Hell. We have lost over fifty men. All killed but eighteen. And ever so many civilians.

I can tell you it touched me on Friday afternoon (19^th) as I saw two little kiddies, only about five year old, blown to pieces. We had to put them in sandbags. I never want to witness another scene like it. It is bad enough grown-up people getting killed but when it comes to innocent children it is a rotten shame.

We have had a chap out of our Platoon hit very bad (Pte. John Smith, 13487, see above). The Doctor gives no hope for him. He is an Officer’s servant and he only came back off leave last Sunday. He comes from Halifax and he is the only son. …

You ask me how long it will be before I get my pass. I cannot say but I am afraid it will be at least another three months yet as they are always stopping it. But we have heard a rumour that our Colonel is going to let all married men come first. But it will cause a lot of grievance with the single men who have been with the Battalion since it was first formed.

I wish I could transfer to another lot as I am getting fed up with this one. They mug us about too much. When we are out of the trenches they are not satisfied unless they are drilling us all day long. Yes Dear I was forced to go bombing and I came out with two first class certificates Dear. It is not a dangerous job if you are only careful and you can trust me to be that. I take every precaution for safety for I am thinking of the day when I come home for good and we get settled down in a home of our own …

Well Dear it is Sunday morning (21^st) and I am finishing this letter before we go to Church. You would be surprised how keen most of us are to go when we get a chance. We are having it in the open. They are just burying a young man that got killed with a shell on Friday. He was a French chap, only eighteen years old. Six of our men are acting as bearers.

We saw an awful sight last night (20^th). About eight o’clock a German shell weighing 110lbs. hit a house and it knocked it right down to the ground and the furniture was all over the road. Two French women were killed.

They have issued smoke helmets out to the civilians here now in fear of the Boshes sending gas over. It is a shame to see little kiddies about four year old wearing them. They have twenty minutes drill every day so as to know how to go on when gas does come. I have been through it once when I was at the bomb school. We were in for about ten minutes and it is an awful experience. You are nearly suffocated with the chemicals from the helmet. You will be able to have one on when I come home on leave.

You remember that satchel you sent me before I left Lichfield? If you remember I thought I had lost it when that shell hit our dugout and I lost my coat (see 10^th November 1915). It appears that I had been using it the night before and it was on the boards and a chap of ours picked it up and put it in his pocket and forgot all about it. And he went into hospital with pneumonia and he came back to us yesterday, Saturday (20^th), and as soon as ever he saw me he gave it to me with everything in it. Your photo and little Lizzie and Grace’s and Edith Mitchell’s. So I can tell you I am right pleased. I gave him the other one you made me. I will let you have one of yours home again as soon as I can and you can say you have been on a battlefield. I had it that day when we saw the Germans coming over to our lines just before Xmas and we went out and met them in No Mans Land, on the land in between our trench and old Fritz. …

PS We go back into the trenches tomorrow afternoon, Monday (22^nd), until Saturday night”.

Maj. Genl. Babington, commanding 23^rd Division, having received the recommendation of Brig. Genl. Lambert in the case of 2Lt. William Neville Dawson (see 19^th May), who had been reported as being unfit to continue as a platoon officer, issued his own recommendation that Dawson should be posted to an administrative position, considering him unfit for employment with a labour battalion.

L.Cpl. Maurice Harcourt Denham (see 5^th April), who was still at 23^rd Infantry Base Depot at Etaples following recent medical treatment, was promoted Corporal.

The original commander of Tunstill’s Company, Maj. Harry Robert Hildyard, (see 11^th April) was transferred to 1^st (Home Service) Garrison Battalion, Leics. Regt.

Sgt. James Leach (see 26^th December 1915) was transferred to the Army Gymnastic Staff as a Sergeant Instructor.

Friday 19th May 1916

Billets at Sains-en-Gohelle (Coron Fosse 10)

Another fine, clear day. The Germans sent a number of shells into the village, killing a French man and a boy and wounding a young woman. The rest of the day then passed quietly until 9pm when the British artillery opened a bombardment against the German lines. As the evening progressed the bombardment became more intense and the Germans responded in kind. The details are described in the Battalion War Diary: “Our artillery commenced a bombardment upon the enemy lines. It commenced just to the left of the Arras road and was confined to a small portion of the front and continued for ½ hours; the portion bombarded was ablaze with Very lights. The bombardment was then extended to the left considerably and became most intense; the enemy replied with some weight. About 10pm it decreased in violence and developed into a big gun duel, our machine gun sending a few shots probably with the intention of harassing work, the smaller guns sending salvoes at irregular intervals. As far as can be judged the duel is over a 2½ to 3 mile front. The operation continued until midnight though occasional shots were exchanged throughout the night”.  

Pte. George William Keeling (see 6^th March) was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance suffering from trench foot; he would be discharged to duty five days later.

Pte. Albert Saville (see 1^st June 1915) suffered what would subsequently be recorded as a “trivial injury” whilst carrying rations; it was formally recorded that Saville was not to blame and the injury, though “it occurred while he was in the performance of military duty … will not interfere with his future efficiency as a soldier”. Though considered trivial the injury would see him admitted (24^th May) admitted to 4^th Stationary Hospital at Arques for treatment for ‘synovitis to right knee’.

69^th Field Ambulance took over the medical arrangements in the sector and their report on conditions gives an insight into conditions:

Medical arrangements

Main dressing station at Fosse 10.

Three large schools capable of holding 500 patients easily. HQ, A (less bearers) and B sections there; A section open; B section packed. Cellars to hold 100 patients.

Advanced Dressing Station at house in Bully Grenay.

Personnel: 1 officer; 2 NCO’s, 26 men.
Accommodation:
Unprotected: Two receiving rooms on ground floor; three rooms on first floor; large room (soldiers’ club) in adjacent building which could be taken if required; large yard.
Protected: cellars in basement; bad approach, impossible for stretchers; could hold 6 lying or 20 sitting. In adjacent buildings, cellars to hold 45 sitting.
Transport: 1 Daimler ambulance and 2 wheeled stretchers.
Notes: the protected accommodation is bad.

I propose to add: 1 MO; 1 Ford car for urgent cases; 1 wheeled stretcher as soon as possible.

Advanced Post no.1: Morocco South

Personnel: 1 NCO; 4 men
Accommodation: Dugout; 2 good entrances but facing front line; could hold 8 lying or 20 sitting; splinter proof but not shell proof, even from small stuff.

Advanced Post no.2: the Rat Pit in Bovril Alley

Personnel: 3 men by day; 2 by night.
Accommodation: 3 sitting; impossible for stretchers; splinter and light shell proof.

Regimental Aid Post: between Bully Alley and Algiers Trench

Owing to bulging of sandbags entrance cannot be used; exit trench is not deep enough and therefore exposed. I made arrangements with OC 9^th Yorks to have these defects remedied at once.
Accommodation: 2 lying or 6 sitting; splinter proof.

Trenches

Up trench: Bully Alley; good going, wide enough for stretchers whole way.

Down trench: 1. Bully Alley from RAP to Morocco, as above; 2. Morocco North; bad going, awkward corners; 3. Bovril Alley; good going most of way but too narrow in many places, necessitating carrying of stretchers over shoulder high.

Time required for evacuation from RAP to ADS

Quick walking from ADS to RAP by Bully Alley occupies 40 minutes; back by Morocco and Bovril Alley, 60 mins. I estimate therefore time required for carrying, 90 mins by Bully Alley and 120 to 150 by Bovril Alley, owing to difficulty. Owing to Bovril Alley being the down trench and Bully Alley the up trench, the former must be used at present as the normal route. From a medical point of view it would be much better to have Bully Alley as the down trench: the one-wheel stretchers could be used all the way and a patient would be got from RAP to ADS in it in 60 mins. I doubt if this stretcher can be used in the present down route owing to the narrowness of Bovril Alley, but I propose to try today. Another advantage of using Bully Alley as a down trench is that extra protected accommodation could be obtained in Mechanics Trench (about 1/3^rd of the way back).

The one-wheeled stretchers were a solution which had been improvised in the Divisional workshops during the rest period, and they were illustrated in the Field Ambulance War Diary.

Brig. Gen. Lambert, commanding 69^th Bde., made a further report to Division in the case of 2Lt. William Neville Dawson (see 18^th May), who had been reported as being unfit to continue as a platoon officer. Following the recommendation by Lt. Col. Hayne that Dawson should be sent home, Lambert commented, “I have seen 2Lt. Dawson again. I am not purposed to recommend that his services be dispensed with at a time when every available man is needed. 2Lt. Dawson was an undergraduate at Oxford and has done his best to qualify as an officer but is not by nature fitted to take command of men in action. He has not specialized in any subject, military or otherwise, but was studying history and law and has had some experience, though not of any extended nature, in law work”. Lambert requested that Division find some suitable employment for Dawson in which to continue his service.

Pte. John Etchells (see 16^th March) was transferred from Northern Command Depot at Ripon to the Regimental Depot at Halifax.

Lance Sergeant Cyril Edward Agar, (see 10^th May), who had recently re-joined 9^th Yorkshires, after a period in hospital, was promoted Colour Sergeant and appointed Company Quartermaster Sergeant. He would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR.

Cyril Edward Agar, pictured while serving with 10DWR
(Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton)

Cpl. John Robert Dickinson, (see 16^th March) serving in France with 18^th Royal Fusiliers, left his Battalion to return to England to begin his officer training with no.4 Officer Cadet Battalion, based at Oxford. Once commissioned, he would serve with 10DWR.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried news of one of Tunstill’s Company who had been home on leave:

Home from the Front

Pte. S. Hoar (see 9^th May) has been spending a well-earned leave at home from the Front. He enlisted with Capt. Tunstill’s men in 10^th Duke of Wellington’s shortly after the outbreak of the war. Since going to France some ten months ago he has been engaged in transport work. He returned to the Front on Tuesday last.

Thursday 18th May 1916

Billets at Sains-en-Gohelle (Coron Fosse 10)

The weather remained good and conditions were generally quiet, although it was noted that there was, “much aircraft activity also a desultory kind of bombardment”.

J.B. Priestley wrote home to his family, and his reference to the awful conditions recently endured and his hope for a ‘blighty’ wound, give a telling insight into what may have been the prevailing mood of many of the men: “We came out of the trenches last night after spending five days in the firing line, and we shall be going in again in a day or night (sic). Our trenches around here are very close to the Germans and in consequence, every form of death and destruction abounds. Rifle grenades, trench mortars (minnenwerfers or “sausages” – bombs bigger than a Rugby football), aerial torpedoes, are sent over into our trenches at regular intevals, and underneath there are mines ready to be blown at any minute. A rifle grenade caused my wound (referring to his having been wounded in January; see 22^nd January); it dropped right into the bay of the trench I was in, and killed one and wounded four. I’ve had some very narrow escapes from them this last day or two, and since I got wounded, they’ve made me rather nervy. The part of the line we hold now is absolute ‘hell’; the French said it was the worst part of their line, not counting Verdun at the present time.

As I told you, the battalion had been about fifteen to twenty miles back for a fortnight’s “rest”, and then we came back in the train to a little town about six miles from the firing line (see 11^th May). Our train was just steaming into the station when the Germans started shelling it, because it is the railhead – the furthest point the railway reaches. Enormous 12 inch shells dropped all about us – the engine driver bolted, so we were left about twenty minutes in the train, every minute expecting a shell to hit it. But not one did, though the carriages were well battered with shrapnel, and eventually we backed out of the station and were landed a couple of miles back.

One night while I was at the Base (see 16^th April for Priestley’s account of his stay at Etaples), a Zeppelin dropped four bombs on the camp, killing and wounding a few. The Zepp bombs make a nice hole and a tidy noise, but as an experience it’s small beer. I’ve given over thinking about passes. Never mind, I shall be home with a ‘blighty’ soon … We were near the first aid Dressing Station this morning and there I saw the body of a young lad of 18, who came into the trenches last night for the first time, and was shot through the head. Fate seems to have a grim and gruesome humour of her own, and out here she sometimes exercises it. There were two Derby men with the battalion on our left in the trenches – I mean amongst others of course – and these two, not used to the hard conditions out here, complained bitterly of cold feet. The same day a shell came and whipped both feet off one man and one off the other.” 

Having been asked for his recommendation in the case of 2Lt. William Neville Dawson (see 17^th May), who had been reported as being unfit to continue as a platoon officer, Lt.Col. Hayne, commanding 10DWR, made a swift and direct reply: “I do not consider this officer suitable for employment in the field, I therefore recommend his services being dispensed with on being sent home”.

Ptes. Thomas Grady (see 14^th May) and John William Smith (11986) (see 14^th May) were discharged from no.4 Stationary Hospital, Arques, following treatment for ‘dental caries’, and posted to 23^rd Infantry Base Depot at Etaples. Both men would subsequently be classified fit only for Permanent Base Duties and would serve in various capacities with 8^th Division.

Pte. Henry George Headings (see 21^st December 1915), who had been serving with 11DWR at Brocton Camp, was posted back to France and would re-join the Battalion.

Payment of the amount due from his army pay was made to the relatives of Pte. Ernest Varley (see 20^th March) who had been killed in action on 20^th March. In accordance with the will he had made in September 1915, two of his brothers, James and Joseph were each paid £4 7s 10d, both of his parents having died before the war.

A pension award was made in respect of the late Sgt.Charles McCusker (see 28^th January), who had been killed in an accident at the Brigade bomb school in November 1915; his widow, Lilian, was awarded 16s. per week.

Sgt. Charles McCusker

L.Cpl. Sam Benjamin Farrant was transferred from 23^rd Division Cyclist Company to join 2^nd Battalion East Lancs. Regiment; he would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR. Born 18^th September 1894, he was one of three surviving children of Alfred and Martha Farrant (three other children had died). Alfred was a coal miner and both Sam and his older brother Alfred jnr. followed their father into the pits. Sam had enlisted on 2^nd September 1914, initially joining 8^th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, before being transferred, in January 1915, to 23^rd Division Cyclist Company, with whom he disembarked in France on 25^th August 1915, by which time he had been promoted Lance Corporal.

2Lt. Eric John Lassen arrived in France en route to join 10DWR. Eric was born at Mount Royd, Manningham, Bradford on 2^nd April 1894. He was the youngest of four children of Albert William Lassen and Louise Agnes (Phillip). His father was a yarn, wool, tops, and stuff merchant and Eric and his siblings joined the family business. He had applied for a commission on 8^th December 1914, citing two months with the Oxford University OTC as his sole military experience. He was formally commissioned on 20^th December and posted to the West Riding Regiment on 2^nd January 1915. He had remained in England since then and had clearly become especially proficient in signals, as, on 3^rd April 1916, he had been appointed Temporary Captain (though without the pay and allowances of that rank), whilst employed as a Brigade Signals Officer.

Wednesday 17th May 1916

Front line trenches west of Angres

The weather was much improved – “a beautiful day” – as noted in the War Diary. ADMS 23^rd Division met with Battalion Medical Officer, Capt. Cecil Berry (see 11^th March); they discussed “general points … especially arrangements for handing over of trench medical stores”. Orders were received for the Battalion to be relieved in the evening by 11^th West Yorks. Through the day, “nothing of importance transpired on our front, though both to our right and left there have been heavy artillery duels”. The relief began around 4.30pm and was completed without incident or casualties by 9pm, with the Battalion returning to their billets in Sains-en-Gohelle.

The town (Sains-en-Gohelle) had suffered little from German shelling but there was an increasing danger of shells, from long-range German artillery, directed at the pit-head, close to where some of the men were billeted and where they also visited to take advantage of the bathing facilities. Reflecting many years later, J.B. Priestley described the effect this shelling had,

“Far away, behind the ridge they held, the Germans had a great naval gun that had the range of this village. The shell it fired was of such a monstrous calibre that you could easily hear it coming, like an aerial express. We would be hanging about, smoking and talking, enjoying the sunshine and the quiet, when suddenly we would hear this monster coming. There was only one safe place, behind the slag-heap, and everybody would run for it pell-mell. Shirrr-brirrr-bump! There it went, and we would come from behind the slag-heap and see the smoke clearing and another six houses gone. Fortunately that gun did no night-work, and we did not really mind it during the day”.

Pte. Albert Davis, who was serving on attachment to the 23^rd Division Salvage Company, was injured when a wall collapsed on him as a result of German shelling; he suffered a a fracture to his right humerus. He would be evacuated to England on 25^th May and admitted to Bagthorpe Military Hospital, Nottingham. Albert Davis had been an original member of the battalion having enlisted at the Regimental Depot in Halifax in January 1915; he was from Bolton Woods, Bradford and had given his age on enlistment as 19 but had in fact been only 16 when joining.

Another attempt was made to progress the case of 2Lt. William Neville Dawson (see 10^th May), who had been reported as being unfit to continue as a platoon officer. Following a request by 23^rd Division, 69^th Bde. wrote to Lt.Col. Hayne, commanding 10DWR: “can you please furnish any further suggestions as to how this officer should be disposed of: viz. what other employment in the field, if any, he may be suitable for or whether he should be sent home and his services dispensed with, or utilised for training purposes”.

A payment of £3 5s. 9d. was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Harry Briggs (16040) (see 23^rd March), who had been killed in action in March; the payment would go to his widow, Ada.

---

Tuesday 16th May 1916

Front line trenches west of Angres

With the weather somewhat improved, the day was again largely quiet. Some long-range German artillery activity was observed but there was little else to report. The Divisional Trench Mortar Battery reported that they had fired five rounds in the evening, “in retaliation for sausages and rifle grenades; succeeded in restoring peace and quiet”.

Pte. William Walton (see 30^th January) was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance suffering from influenza; the following day he would be transferred to 23^rd Casualty Clearing Station. On 22^nd May he would be further transferred to 8^th General Hospital in Rouen.

Following the recent conviction in a civil court of John Henry Hitchin (see 14^th May), and having received a copy of the report of his Medical Board, the War Office began an enquiry of its own into the circumstances of Hitchin’s case. A request was directed to GOC, London District, asking, “in what circumstances, and by whose permission, he was admitted into Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital”, given that he had been removed from the Army for absence without leave, which decision had been published in the London Gazette on 24^th February.

Following the recent appeal for information by the mother of 2Lt. Samuel Lawrence Glover, (see 17^th April) who had been reported missing in action on 13^th January, enquiries began to be carried out into the circumstances surrounding Glover’s disappearance. A statement was taken from Pte. John Driver (see below) at no.16 General Hospital, Le Treport, he confirmed that, “He (Glover) was in ‘B’ Company. We were at Armentieres. He went on patrol with Cpl. Lawton and two Privates to inspect the German wire. They ran into a party of Germans and Mr. Glover told Cpl. Lawton and one Private to go back for help. Cpl. Lawton was killed going back and the Private got back in a very exhausted state and had to be taken away. Another party went out to look for Mr. Glover and the Private and they saw Mr. Glover dead on the German wire, but could not get to him. Lt. Waite of ‘B’ Company would be able to obtain more details”.

Pte. John Driver was an original member of 10DWR; he was a 27 year-old loom fitter from Keighley and had married Mabel Masters early in 1915. The reason for his being in Hospital at this point are unknown, but he would subsequently re-join the Battalion, via both 9^th and 2^nd Battalions.

2Lt. Samuel Lawrence Glover

Image by kind permission of Andy Wade and MenOfWorth

Monday 15th May 1916

Front line trenches west of Angres

On another cold, dull day the War Diary reported “a considerable increase in the use of rifle grenades is noticed to be used by the enemy”. This calm and measured comment belied the effect such weapons could have on the men. The proximity of the front lines meant that these short-range weapons were especially difficult to defend against. The cumulative effect of this constant exposure to danger can be seen in J.B Priestley’s letter to his family, “Our trenches around here are very close to the Germans and in consequence, every form of death and destruction abounds. Rifle grenades, trench mortars (minnenwerfers or “sausages” – bombs bigger than a Rugby football), aerial torpedoes, are sent over into our trenches at regular intevals, and underneath there are mines ready to be blown at any minute … I’ve had some very narrow escapes from them this last day or two, and since I got wounded, they’ve made me rather nervy. The part of the line we hold now is absolute ‘hell’; the French said it was the worst part of their line, not counting Verdun at the present time”.


Pte. William Knox (see 15^th January) also again wrote to his wife, Ethel (I am most grateful to Rachael Broadhead and family for allowing me access to William’s letters).

“… Well Dear we are in the trenches again once more. Came in on Friday night. We had a nasty day Saturday as it rained nearly all day long and with the ground being very chalky you may guess what it is like. Just like a lot of whitewash. And it is a very hot place too as we are only about forty five yards away from the Boshes front line trench and we have to be as quiet as possible or else we get a few rifle grenades over. I am a bomber now and have got a very good job. There are four of us picked out of our Company and all we have to do is stay in our dugout until the Boshes attacks our sap. So if he keeps quiet we shall have nothing to do but sleep. But the worst of it is we cannot get anything warm to eat or drink as we dare not have a fire. And we are only allowed one pint of water per man per day as we have to fetch it in stone bottles and it is six miles to go for it. So you can tell what it will be like when the weather is right hot. I have not tasted a drop of tea since Friday morning and it is Sunday afternoon now. And I don’t expect I shall get any until Thursday when we are relieved. … I have just had my dinner; Bully Beef and bread. So don’t you think I shall have enjoyed it? How I long for a good substantial meal like I used to have, Yorkshire Pudding etc. But we will have to put up with it. We must think ourselves very lucky to get a decent bit of bread. You said in your letter that you had some marmalade to send me. For God’s sake don’t for we are all tired of seeing it. We have nothing else this last two months now for tea. It was all jam once on a time but now it is all marmalade. (A week previously, at Divisional level it had been noted that, “marmalade has now been issued for a long time and is not eaten by the troops”).

PS … I think we are in the trenches for seven days, out for seven and likewise again, making a month altogether. I will let you know what that powder is like as I am going to have a chat hunt".

Lt. Dick Bolton (see 11^th May), writing many years later, also recalled the dangers of this sector, “Recollections of this front are of the constant firing of rifle grenades, trench mortars, including the variety known as “rum jars”, and artillery by the enemy, with very little response from our side. Of the extremely long communication trenches, which were not improved by the cavalry working parties, which were supposed to lay an even duckboard floor in them.”

The Battalion finally received its new, if temporary, second-in-command, following the departure, some three months earlier, of Major Buchanan. In the interim the post had been held by T/Maj. Robert Harwar Gill (see 16th March), who now reverted to the rank of Captain. (Temporary) Major Christopher Galbraith Buckle (known as ‘Garry’) was the son of Brigadier General Christopher Reginald Buckle, and himself had nine years’ experience in the regular army. He had spent the first months of the war on secondment with the Colonial Office in West Africa but had returned in June 1915 and had been wounded, and awarded the Military Cross, at Vermelles in August, while serving with 1^st Northants. He had more recently served with 2^nd Northants, along with Lt. Col. Hayne (see 20^th April) and was temporarily transferred to 10DWR, presumably on Hayne’s request.

Capt. Robert Harwar Gill

(Temporary) Major Christopher Galbraith Buckle

Pte. Tom Lister Ellison was admitted to 69th Field Ambulance at Fosse 10 having suffered a sprained right ankle; he would be discharged to duty two days later. He had joined the Battalion while in training in England after enlisting in Keighley on 22^nd January 1915. He had joined up aged 26 and had been working as a warp twister. He was from Sutton-in-Craven and was married with two daughters.

Pte. John Whitham (see 3^rd May) was discharged from 23^rd Division Rest Station and re-joined the Battalion

Pte. Bertie Legg (see 11^th April), who had been in hospital since having been wounded a month previously, was evacuated to England onboard the Hospital Ship Newhaven; on arrival in England he would be admitted to 1^st Eastern General Hospital in Cambridge.

Pte. Charles Horace Golding (see 24^th April), who had been suffering from rheumatic fever, was evacuated to England from 12^th General Hospital at Rouen. He travelled onboard the Hospital Ship St. George; on arrival he would be admitted to Clopton House War Hospital in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Pte. Lawrence Tindill, serving with 1^st/5^th Yorkshires was promoted (unpaid) Lance Corporal; he would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR. Lawrence Tindill (born 11^th July 1893 at Milford Junction, Yorks.) was one of five children of Robert and Annie Tindill. His father, who had died in 1909, had been a railway station master and Lawrence himself worked as a railway clerk. He was also a member of the Territorial Army before the war and had been called up on 8^th September 1914 and had been in France with his Battalion since 18^th April 1915.

It was confirmed that the DSO was to be awarded to Capt. Thomas Lewis Ingram (see 10^th September 1915), RAMC, attd. 1^st Shropshire Light Infantry for his conduct in recent actions; he was the elder brother of Lt. Robert Stewart Skinner Ingram (see 7th December 1915), one of the officers of Tunstill’s Company. The subsequent citation detailed Ingram’s actions: “He collected and attended to the wounded under very heavy fire, and set a splendid example. Since the commencement of the war he has been conspicuous on all occasions for his personal bravery”.

A payment of £3 4s. 9d was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances for the late Pte. Harry Ambler (see 5th April), who had died of wounds on 25^th March; the payment would go to his widow, Louisa. She would also receive a package of her late husband’s personal effects (details unknown).

Sunday 14th May 1916

Front line trenches west of Angres

The weather remained cold, though dry. There was again little to report; however, a number of rifle grenades were fired against ‘A’ Company’s positions, with one man reported wounded. The man wounded was Pte. George Edward Western (see 4^th April); he suffered wounds to his abdomen, chest and right arm and would be treated at one of the local Casualty Clearing Stations where an operation would be carried out (details unknown).

L.Cpl. James Gordge (see 3^rd February) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance at Fosse 10 and 23^rd Casualty Clearing Station at Lozinghem (16^th May) to 11^th Stationary Hospital at Rouen (17^th May), onboard no.9 Ambulance Train; he was suffering from influenza.


L.Cpl. Matthew Best (see 12^th May) and Ptes. Thomas Grady (see 12^th May), John William Smith (11986) (see 12^th May) and Fred Wainman (see 12^th May) were transferred from 22^nd Casualty Clearing Station at Lapugnoy to 4th Stationary Hospital at Arques, onboard no.9 Ambulance Train; they were suffering from ‘dental caries’.

L.Cpl. Matthew Best

A report of the court appearance of the previous day of John Henry Hitchin (see 13^th May) was published in The Sunday Chronicle:

PROMOTION LEADS TO DOWNFALL

Prisoner to be Given a Chance of Re-Enlisting

At Tower Bridge Police Court yesterday, John Henry Hitchin (26), bank clerk, of Long Preston, Yorkshire, was charged on remand with forging and uttering cheques at the Waterloo Hotel, York Road, Lambeth, and further, with obtaining credit by false pretences. On the last occasion, Mr. Percy Robinson, who defended, made a strong appeal for special leniency. The prisoner, who was well connected, joined the army as a private, but was given a commission, and this promotion lead to his downfall. He mixed with persons of a higher rank in life and of extravagant habits, and eventually he was discharged from the army for being absent without leave. Mr. Robinson now said he had made enquiries and found that there would be no difficulty in the prisoner re-enlisting as a private, if the magistrate took a certain course. The magistrate dealt with the case as one of stealing by a trick, and placed the prisoner on probation for twelve months.

John Henry Hitchin, pictured while serving with Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders