Wednesday 18th October 1916

Billets in Poperinghe

The day was very wet and the heavy rain would continue through the night. During the morning the Battalion was placed at the disposal of Company Commanders who carried out drill, inspections and other routine tasks. “After dinner the men were at liberty to do so as they pleased” and Poperinghe provided the means for men to relieve some of the stresses which they had experienced in recent weeks.

CQMS Frank Stephenson (see 14^th October) was promoted Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant. His post as Company Quartermaster Sergeant with ‘A’ Company went to Cpl. Maurice Harcourt Denham (see 19^th June). Denham was given the post initially as acting CQMS; he would be confirmed in his new post ten days later.

RQMS Frank Stephenson

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

CQMS Maurice Harcourt Denham

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Having been treated for two weeks at 10^th General Hospital at Rouen, Pte. John Hargreaves (18009) (see 3^rd October), who had suffered a shrapnel wound to his scalp, was discharged and posted to 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, prior to returning to active service.

Pte. George Frederick Ford was posted back to England having been taken ill (details unknown). He was an original member of the Battalion, having enlisted in Halifax in September 1914, at which time he had been 34 years old and working as a labourer. 

A Medical Board was convened at Osborne Hospital, Isle of Wight to consider the case of Capt. Adrian O’Donnell Pereira (see 13^th October) who had been admitted four days previously for treatment for shellshock. The Board found that, “He is already much better – is sleeping well and has no neurasthenic symptoms – should be fit after further rest”. He was granted one months leave, on the expiry of which he would be re-examined.

 

Capt. Adrian O'Donnell Pereira

The award of the Meritorious Service Medal to Sgt. William Edward Gibson (see 5th September 1915) was officially published in the London Gazette; the circumstances under which the award was earned are, as yet, unknown.

 

Sgt. William Edward Gibson, MSM, standing far right

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Messrs. Allcard & Co., stockbrokers, London, wrote to Mrs. Marian Carpenter, mother of the late Capt. Herbert Montagu Soames Carpenter (see 16^th October), who had been killed in action on 5^th July. She had clearly approached them for financial information in support of her ongoing claim to the War Office for a settlement in respect of her late son. They informed her that “We paid your son £200 a year and, from January 1915, £5 a month, in July 1916 and afterwards £2 10s a month. We much regret his great loss and miss him here”.

Capt. H.M.S. Carpenter

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

A payment of £1 8s 5d was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. John Reginald Butterfield (see 22^nd July) who had been killed in action on 7^th July. The payment would go to his father, John.

Pte. John Reginald Butterfield

A payment of £2 3s. 1d. was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. John Edward Whiteley (see 10^th July) who had been killed in action on 10^th July; the payment would go to his father, Isaac.