Friday 10th November 1916

Winnipeg Camp

The Battalion left Winnipeg Camp at 4 pm; at 5 pm, at Vlamertinghe station, they boarded trains for Ypres and from there they marched out to the front line and support trenches, where they were to relieve 12DLI. The sector to be held ran from I.24.d.8.9.½. to I.24.d.7.2. By 9.15 pm, ‘B’ and ‘D’ Companies had taken up positions in the front line just south of Sanctuary Wood, with ‘A’ in close support at Maple Copse; ‘C’ Company were held some distance in reserve on the north-western edge of Zillebeke Bund. The trenches in this sector were found to be in much worse condition than those which the Battalion had inhabited on their previous tour and the trench stores which were handed over by 12th Durham Light Infantry were also in a bad state.

L.Cpl. Herbert Parkin (see 17^th July) was promoted Sergeant (Shoemaker). 

Ptes. Wilson Allinson and Robert Arthur Watkinson joined the Battalion, having been posted to France a few days previously. Pte. Allinson was a 23 year-old dyers’ labourer from Yeadon; he was married but had no children and had been called up in June. Pte. Watkinson was also a dyers’ labourer from Yeadon; he was 28 years old and was married with one daughter. He had been called up in July.

Pte. Joseph Wilkinson (see 2^nd January) was reported for drunkenness; on the orders of Lt. Col Robert Richmond Raymer, DSO (see 30^th October) he would undergo 14 days’ Field Punishment no.2.

Pte. Harry Briggs (19286) (see 20^th October), who had recently been re-classified as fit only for Base duties, was posted to 5^th Army School of Mortars.

Pte. Fred Hird (see 1^st October) was discharged from 6^th Convalescent Depot at Etaples and posted to 34^th Infantry Base Depot, also at Etaples, en route back to the battalion.

Pte. William Noble (20175) (see 4^th October), who had suffered severe wounds on 4^th October resulting in the amputation of his right leg,  was evacuated to England from 2^nd General Hospital at Le Havre, travelling onboard the Hospital Ship Lanfranc; the details of his treatment in England are unknown.

L.Cpl. Matthew Best (see 2^nd September) who had evacuated to England four months earlier having been wounded in the actions around Contalmaison, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit due to the wounds he had suffered; he was awarded a pension (amount unknown).

L.Cpl. Matthew Best

As ordered by a Medical Board the previous day, Lt. Thomas Beattie, (see 9^th November), who had been wounded in July while serving with 9DWR, reported for light duty with 3DWR at North Shields. Having reported he was then attached to 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion based nearby in Gateshead.

A payment of £14 13s. 4d. was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. William James Jakeway (see 29^th July), who had died of wounds on 29^th July. The payment would go to his mother, Elizabeth.

Image by kind permission of Andy Wade and MenofWorth