Wednesday 8th January 1919

Billets at Grumolo and Montecchia di Crosara

Ptes. George Bell (see 7^th May 1918), Daniel Mackenzie (see 1^st September 1918), Joe Noons (see 17^th June 1918), Isaac Robinson (see 29^th May 1918) and Walter Umpleby (see 7^th August 1917) departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Pte. Walter Dey (see 15^th December 1918), who was on leave in England, was demobilized.

Pte. William Hissett (see 29^th November 1918), who had been posted back to England from 9DWR six weeks’ previously, was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Pte. Daniel Nicholls was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. He had been an original member of 10DWR but at some point, details unknown, he had been transferred to 2^nd (Garrison) Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man or to establish any more detail about his military service.


An increase was authorised in the pension award which had been made in the case of the late Pte. Thomas Henry Hanson (see 31^st December 1917), who had been killed in action in June 1917; his widow, Sarah, was now to receive £1 3s. 5d. per week, rather than the 18s. 9d. she had received hitherto.

Tuesday 7th January 1919

Billets at Grumolo and Montecchia di Crosara

Pte. Reginald Dayson (see 22^nd November 1918), who had been held in confinement for the previous six weeks, appeared before a Field General Court Martial, charged with being absent without leave. He was found guilty and ordered to serve two years’ imprisonment with hard labour. The guilty verdict would be confirmed by Brig. Genl. Archibald Bentley Beauman DSO (see 14^th December 1918), commanding 69^th Brigade, but the sentence commuted to six months’ imprisonment. However, Dayson was also subject to an earlier sentence of imposed for ‘leaving his post without orders from his superior officer’ in January 1918, which had previously been suspended; it was now ordered that the two sentences should run concurrently.

L.Cpl. Harry Seward (see 1^st September 1918) was reported by A/CSM Middleton Busfield MSM (see 3^rd June 1918; it is not known when he had been promoted) and Sgt. Harold Best (see 8^th November 1918) as having, “dirty bayonet on inspection parade”; he would be reprimanded by Capt. Frederick Lowther Dawson Barker (see 29^th December 1918).

Pte. Charles Sidney Taylor (see 29^th September 1918) was admitted to 71^st Field Ambulance, suffering from scabies; he would re-join the Battalion nine days later.

Pte. Tom Smith (see 15^th December 1918), who was on leave in England, had his leave extended for a further ten days.

Pte. John Henshall (see 5^th December 1918), who had spent the previous six weeks in hospital while serving in India with 1DWR, was discharged to duty from hospital in Rawalpindi.

Sgt. Dan Fretwell (see 20^th September 1917) was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z (see below). L.Cpl. Tom Jackson Tindall (see 9^th December 1916), serving with 3DWR, was also formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

(Class Z was a new class of the Army Reserve which had been created by an Army Order of 3^rd December 1918. There were fears that Germany would not accept the terms of any peace treaty, and therefore the British Government decided it would be wise to be able to quickly recall trained men in the eventuality of the resumption of hostilities).

Pte. William Stephen Nobbs (see 15^th September 1917) was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to wounds suffered in action; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish when he had been wounded or the extent of his injuries.

Capt. Alan G. Tindill, 17^th Northumberland Fusiliers, brother of 2Lt. Lawrence Tindill MM (see 21^st June 1918), who had been officially missing in action since 21^st June 1918, wrote to the Interdepartmental Committee on Prisoners of War:

Re: 2^nd. Lieut. Lawrence Tindill,

After reading your statement published in the Times of Jan. 4^th I wish to bring before your committee the following facts the above officer, my brother.

1. Lt. Tindill was reported missing after a British raid on the Austrian positions on the night of 21^st June 1918, along with Pte. Goodship (Pte. John James Goodship, see 24^th December 1918), of the same regiment, who is now a prisoner of war.

2. The British again raided the Austrian positions in the Ave Sector on the night of August 21^st 1918 (sic.; recte 26^th August), capturing some Austrian officers, one of whom stated in examination that Lt. Tindill was a prisoner in Austrian hands and that they had taken him to observation posts, with a view to getting him to give information.

3. Not a word has been received from Lt. Tindill and I should be glad if you would make enquiries with a view to deciding his fate.

Monday 6th January 1919

Billets at Grumolo and Montecchia di Crosara

Whilst at Grumolo, according to Pte. Harold Charnock (see 25^th December 1918), “The ‘Dandy Dukes’ concert party, organised by Battalion Chaplain, Capt. Rev. Hugh Wilfrid Todd (see 12^th December 1918), did much to relieve the monotony”.

2Lt. Edgar Leyland Mills Lumb (see 22^nd October 1918) left the Battalion, being attached to 43^rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.

Pte. Percy Harry Bentley (see 17^th May 1918) was evacuated to England; he had been suffering from “I.C.T.” (Inflammation of the connective tissue) to his knee, but the details of his treatment are unknown.

Pte. Willie Bradley (see 18^th May 1917) was formally discharged from the Army as no longer fit for service due to wounds suffered in action. He had been an original member of 10DWR and had been wounded in July 1916. He had subsequently served with both 8DWR and 2^nd/5^th DWR and at some point (details unknown) had been severely wounded, leading to the amputation of a leg. He was awarded a pension of 46s. per week.

Pte. Willie Bradley

A number of officers and men of 10DWR were mentioned in The Earl of Cavan’s despatch dated 28^th October, and relating to the crossing of the Piave, which was published in the London Gazette. Those named were Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 26^th December 1918), Maj. James Christopher Bull MC (see 5th January), Maj. William Norman Town (see 24^th December 1918), Capt. James Watson Paterson (see 9^th September 1918), Capt. John Edward Lennard Payne DSO, MC (see 7^th December 1918), Capt. Leonard Norman Phillips MC (see 25^th December 1918), Lt. Vincent Edwards MC (see 22^nd December 1918), Sgts. George Richard Goodchild (see 18^th December 1918), Harry Smith (12240) (see 26^th December), and James Walker MM (see 27^th October 1918). Also mentioned was Lt. Col. Ashton Alexander St. Hill DSO (see 18^th November 1918), C.O., 11^th Northumberland Fusiliers, who had been killed in action on 27^th October 1918; he had been in temporary command of 10DWR in February 1917.  

Sunday 5th January 1919

Billets at Grumolo and Montecchia di Crosara

According to the Brigade War Diary, “Units of the Brigade carried out training during the mornings from 9am until 12 noon. The afternoons were devoted to recreational training. Owing to frequent rain the Training Grounds and Ranges were often flooded and training greatly hampered”.

Maj. James Christopher Bull MC (see 22^nd September 1918) re-joined the Battalion having spent the previous three months on a senior officer’s course in England; returning with him was his servant, Pte. James Albert Garbutt (see 22^nd September 1918).

Ptes. Frank Dunn (see 18^th August 1918), Joseph Hadley (see 11^th December 1918) and George Mather (see 11^th December 1918) were reported by CSM Ernest James Odell (see 11^th August 1918) and Cpl. Martin Reddington (see 26^th December 1918) as having been “absent off 10.25am parade”; on the orders of Lt. Herbert Edwin James Biggs (see 3^rd January) all would be confined to barracks for five days. 

Ptes. George William Ball (see 11^th December 1918) and Richard Henry Harris (see 3^rd December 1918) were posted from the Base Depot at Arquata Scrivia to join 512^th Prisoner of War Company, also based at Arquata Scrivia. Pte. William Ryan (see 13^th November 1918) also joined the same Company; he had been discharged from 16^th Convalescent Depot in Marseilles.

L.Cpl. William Arthur Hutchinson (see 29^th October 1918), who had had his left leg amputated as a result of wounds suffered on 29^th October 1918, was evacuated to England; the details of his medical treatment are unknown.

Pte. Albert Smith (25953) (see 2^nd January) underwent a medical examination at Chisledon Camp, Wilts., prior to being demobilized. He stated that he was suffering from “rheumatism which began in October 1918 through exposure”. On medical examination it was reported that, “Claims to have pain in right shoulder and inability to completely raise right arm. States that he reported sick but was not sent to hospital. In appearance shoulder is normal; little or nothing can be discerned by me to account for the pain. There is some resistance (minimal) to raising the arm above a right angle. No grating in joint; no tenderness on manipulation”. No further examination is recorded and Pte. Smith would be discharged as fit.

Lt. Arthur Poynder Garratt (see 21^st April 1918), serving with the Machine Gun Corps, was formally released from the army from the Dispersal Centre at Wimbledon.

Saturday 4th January 1919

Billets at Morando

The Battalion marched 23 miles north, via Cologna Veneta, Sule, Arcole, San Bonifacio and Monteforte d’Alpone to their former billets at Grumolo and Montecchia di Crosara. On this occasion the Companies were billeted in Grumolo with Battalion HQ and Transport at Montecchia di Crosara.

At some point whilst here the Battalion Transport finished first in the Divisional and third in the XIV Corps Transport competitions. 

CSM Stanley Vyvyan Golledge (see 29^th December 1918) and Ptes. George Chamberlain (see 29^th December 1918), Michael Hannigan (see 29^th December 1918), Martin Luther Harding (see 29^th October 1917), William Hutchinson (see 29^th December 1918), William Little (see 29^th December 1918), William Henry Luke (see 29^th December 1918), Sidney Guy Mealing (see 29^th December 1918), Simpson Phillips (see 29^th December 1918), William Smart (see 28^th December 1918), William Percy Smith (see 29^th December 1918) and Thomas Warburton (see 29^th December 1918) were all posted back to England to be demobilized. 

Pte. Newton Dobson (see 22^nd December 1918) was evacuated to England from 81^st General Hospital in Marseilles; on arrival he would be admitted to hospital in Eastleigh.

Ptes. Harold Draper (see 15^th December 1918), Joseph Barber Taylor (see 15^th December 1918) and Sidney Christopher Hugh Williams (see 15^th December 1918) who were home on leave in England, were officially struck off the strength of 10DWR, as a precursor to being demobilized.

On the expiry of his two week leave in England Pte. Harold Deighton (see 15^th December 1918) reported at Southampton, ready to return to Italy. On reporting, in his own words, “I was sent home to get work with my old employer if it was possible. I was given a single railway warrant home and a ration book for a fortnight. My old employer wrote to the Local Advisory Committee in Scarborough to apply for me”. However, unlike Ptes. Draper, Taylor and Williams, he was not officially struck off the strength of the Battalion.

Pte. George Bernard Hardy (see 20^th December), who was also on leave in England, from 2DWR in France, was also officially struck off the strength of his battalion, as a precursor to being demobilized.

Pte. William Baxter (see 19^th December 1918), serving in France with17^th Prisoner of War Company, Labour Corps, was reported for “Breaking out of camp; being absent from escort duty from 7am to 3.30pm”; he would be confined to barracks for 14 days and would forfeit one day’s pay.

Pte. James Arthur Markinson MM (see 2^nd October 1918), serving in France with 2DWR, departed on two weeks leave to England.

Lt. John Robert Dickinson (see 19^th October 1918), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was despatched to no.1 Infantry Officer’s School for a one-month course in tactics and topography. 

Pte. William Skilton Scott (see 8^th September 1917) was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to wounds suffered in action; in the absence of a surviving service record it as not been possible to establish when he had been wounded, or the nature and extent of his injuries.

Official confirmation was received at the War Office, via the German authorities, of the death and burial of Pte. Ellis Sutcliffe (see 30^th August 1918), who had been taken prisoner in March while serving with 2^nd/5^th DWR, and had died in August 1918.

Friday 3rd January 1919

Billets at Morando

Pte. Cuthbert Dyer (see 24^th November 1918) completed and signed his ‘Statement as to disability’ form, which was a precursor to his being posted back to England. The completed form, which confirmed that he did not claim to have suffered any disability in service, was witnessed Lt. Herbert Edwin James Biggs (see 10^th October 1918).

Sgt. Thomas Bulcock (see 17^th September 1918), serving in France with 2DWR, was posted back to England for demobilization.

Pte. Fred Hird (see 3^rd May 1917), who had been taken prisoner in May 1917 while serving in France with 2DWR, was repatriated to England.

L.Cpl. Joseph Simpson (see 2^nd December 1918), serving in England with 52^nd (Garrsion) Battalion, Notts. and Derbys., was severely reprimanded having been reported as “making an improper reply to RQMS Laycock”.

The Deputy Mayor of Keighley wrote to the Infantry Records Office in York regarding plans for the presentation of the Military Medal and Distinguished Conduct Medal to Sgt. John William Wardman DCM, MM (see 3^rd December 1918), who was serving at the Regimental Depot in Halifax.

“Have you any record of these awards and is it possible for us to get the medals sent to Keighley so that they can be presented to Sgt. Wardman? Our Mayor is arranging a little tea party for all repatriated prisoners in the middle of this month and if I could have the medals to present to Wardman on this occasion it would be very nice”.

Sgt. John William Wardman DCM, MM

Image by kind permission of Paul Bishop

Pte. William John Thomas Hurst (see 18^th December 1918), who was on leave in England, was officially struck of the strength of 10DWR, from the dispersal centre at Crystal Palace.

Lt. John Charles Brison Redfearn (see 19^th June 1918), who was serving with 51^st Battalion King’s (Liverpool Regiment), on attachment from 1^st South Staffs., appeared before an Army Medical Board, which found that he was suffering from TB in his right lung; “General condition remains the same; cough being very persistent; expectoration – copious. General condition very poor”. He was assessed as being unfit for general service. but fit for home service although 30% disabled.


A pension award was made in the case of the late L.Cpl. Leonard Mustill (see 18^th October 1918), who had died of wounds in June 1918; his mother, Mary Ann, was awarded 10s. per week, later (in February) increased to 12s. 6d..

Thursday 2nd January 1919

Billets at Morando

Sgt. Harold Howlett (see 23^rd December 1918) was discharged from 69^th Field Ambulance and re-joined the Battalion.

Pte. Ernest William Gilbert (see 25^th October 1918) was evacuated to England from 81^st General Hospital in Marseilles, travelling oboard the Hospital Ship St. Patrick; on arriving in England he would be admitted to hospital in Birkenhead.

L.Cpl. William Dennison MM (see 27^th August 1918) was posted back to England for demobilization; he would be released from the Dispersal Centre at Ripon.

Pte. Kingsley James Reeve (see 1^st December) was also evacuated to England (details unknown).

CQMS Maurice Harcourt Denham (see 18^th October 1918), and Ptes. Jesse Barker MM (see 4^th November 1918), Joseph Binns (19614) (see 29^th October 1918),  Jesse Richard Cooper (see 6^th November 1918), John Thomas Damant (see 28^th October 1918), Walter Evans (see 27^th October 1918), John Henry Fidler (see 30^th October 1918), Samuel Garside Hardy (see 1^st December 1918), George Allen Holroyd (see 29^th October 1918), Albert Jeffrey (see 27^th October 1918), William Ley (see 26^th November 1918), Harry Simpson (see 20^th November 1918), Albert Smith (25953) (see 10^th November 1918), James Stott (see 24^th October 1918) and Smith Stephenson Whitaker (see 6^th November 1918) were discharged from the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albaro, near Genoa and posted back to England in preparation for being released from the Army. Pte. John Hirst (see 16^th January 1917) was also posted back to England for demobilisation; in the absence of a more detailed surviving service record it has not been possible to establish details of his service with 10DWR but it seems likely, especially given that he would subsequently make a pension claim for symptoms of neurasthenia and neuritis, that he had also been convalescing at Lido d’Albaro, near Genoa. Denham, Barker, Binns, Hardy, Hirst, Jeffrey, Simpson and Whitaker would all be released from the Dispersal Centre at Ripon; Cooper, Ley and Smith from Chiseldon Camp; Damant from Wimbledon; Evans and Fidler from Oswestry; and Stott from Clipstone. 

Pte. Charles William Groves (see 31^st October 1918) was discharged from Derriford Hospital, Devon; he would have ten days’ leave before reporting to 3DWR at North Shields.

Pte. Albert Rowe (see 8^th September 1917) was discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to illness; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish any details of his illness or his service with 10DWR.

The surviving personal effects of the late Maj. Herbert St. John Carr West (see 7^th December 1918), who had died of wounds on 27^th October 1918, were despatched to Messrs. Cox & Co. to be forwarded to his relatives; the package comprised of, “letter, collar, field book, whistle and cord, neck tie, 7 trinkets, 2 Francs”.

A payment of £63 10s. 6d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late 2Lt. Albert Edgar Palmer (see 11^th December 1918), who had been killed in action on 27^th September 1918 while serving in France with 8^th West Yorks; the payment would go to his widow, Clara.