Wednesday 12th July 1916

Bivouac north-west of Albert

Just after noon the Battalion began a further nine mile march south-west, via Dernancourt, Buire and Heilly, to Franvillers where they would again spend a single night.

Special orders and complimentary telegrams were received at Brigade HQ. The message from Maj. Genl. Babington. Commanding 23^rd Division, is typical of their content, “The G.O.C. the Division cannot allow the action of the 69^th Brigade on July 10^th to pass without special recognition. Nothing could have exceeded the steadiness and gallantry with which they carried out the attack and bore themselves in the hard fighting that followed. The example of gallantry and devotion to duty they set calls forth the highest admiration of all, and the Division are proud to possess such gallant comrades in their ranks”.  

Pte. Tommy Cartman who had been wounded two days earlier (see 10^th July) died at no.38 Casualty Clearing Station at Heilly Station; he was buried in the cemetery there. Such was the volume of casualties at Heilly Station (111 men had died there between 10^th and 12^th July) that Tommy Cartman, like many others, could not be given an individual grave plot; instead he was interred along with two other men.

Pte. Tommy Cartman

The headstone at Heilly Station which commemorates not only Tommy Cartman, but also Pte. E.J. Hughes (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) and Pte. G.R. Hammond (Sherwood Foresters).

Another men, not from Tunstill’s Company, also died at Heilly Station and was buried there; he was Pte. A. Riley. A second man is officially recorded as having been killed in action on 12^th July, although he had originally been reported missing and was most likely killed on either 10^th or 11^th; he was Pte. Joseph Rowley and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Pte. Herbert Smith (11837) (see 23^rd May), who had been transferred from 10DWR to 69^th Brigade Pigeon Station, wrote to his mother with news of the part he had played in the recent actions around Contalmaison; “You will have read in the papers about the big ‘do’ that is going on … Our Division has done good work. We have taken a line or two of trenches and a village and sent the Germans back a good way. I have been ‘recommended’ for good work with the pigeons. On the 10^th inst. a bullet went through my cap front; so I think myself lucky. I had above one narrow shave that day and I hope I shall have nothing like it again. We were in a hot bombardment and I and my mate were sent out with the birds (pigeons). My pal stayed behind but I passed forward and reached the spot where I had got orders to go. My own officer has congratulated me on my good work and states that he has told the general. They say that I am recommended for the D.C.M. We had just taken a village from the Germans and there was no communication till I got there”. In the event, despite Pte. Smith’s hopes, he would not be decorated for his actions.

Pte. Herbert Smith (11837)

Image from The Halifax Courier, 21st July 1917

Pte. Sam Tinkler (see 10^th July), who had been wounded in action on 5^th July, was discharged from 1^st Southern General Hospital (Dudley Road Section), Birmingham and moved to a convalescent hospital in Eastbourne.

Pte. Sam Tinkler