Monday 1st January 1917

Trenches east of Armagh Wood, I.24.d.7.1½. to I.30.a.4.0

Between 5pm and 6.30pm the Germans opened heavy trench mortar fire on the front line and artillery fire on the reserve and support positions, causing considerable damage and several casualties, including two men killed. The men killed were Pte. Harold Anderton (see 12^th November 1916) and Pte. William Butterfield (see 19^th December 1916), who had been with the Battalion for only two weeks. Both men were buried at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground. Among those wounded was Pte. James Duncan Foster (see 29^th November); he suffered severe wounds to his thigh and was evacuated to 8^th Stationery Hospital at Wimereux. Also wounded was Pte. Arthur Gill who had been posted to 10DWR having recovered from wounds suffered on 1^st July while serving with 2DWR (see 1^st July). Gill was wounded in the left leg and right arm, but the wounds were relatively minor and he appears to have been treated in France and not evacuated back to England.

Pte. Arthur Gill

The Divisional Trench Mortar Battery fired 145 rounds in reply “with good effect”.

Lt. James Oag, RAMC, was temporarily transferred from 69^th Field Ambulance to stand in as RMO for the Battalion; presumably this was in the absence of Battalion Medical Officer Capt. Cecil Berry (see 25^th November 1916).

Battalion Adjutant Lt. Hugh William Lester (see 26^thNovember 1916) was awarded the Military Cross in the King’s birthday honours list. Another recipient of the same award was 2Lt. George Reginald Percy had (see 9^th November 1915) who had been among Tunstill’s original company but had been granted a commission with the Royal Engineers in June 1915.

Image by kind permission of the Trustees of the DWR Museum

2Lt. George Reginald Percy (back left), pictured in early 1915 with other NCOs of 10DWR

2Lt. Bob Perks, DSO (see 23^rd December), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, went home on leave.

2Lt. Bob Perks DSO

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

2Lt. George Henry Roberts (see 7^th December 1916), formerly of 10^th Battalion, but currently serving with 3DWR at North Shields, suffered compound fractures of his left tibia and fibula; “while playing at football was kicked causing above injuries. Was taken to North Shields Infirmary to operate upon and then transferred to Military Hospital, Newcastle and again operated upon”. He would remain in hospital until June.

Wilfred Frederick John Thomson joined the Inns of Court OTC; he would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR. Wilfred Thomson was 27 years old (born 1^st June 1898) and the fourth child of William and Isobel Thomson and the family lived on the Strand in London, with William working as a bookseller and printer. William had died in 1898 and Wilfred had been working as an office manager for a firm of insurance brokers and underwriters. He had attested under the Derby Scheme on 3^rd December 1915 and had been on the army reserve for more than a year.

Sunday 31st December 1916

Billets in the Cathedral, Hospice and Cavalry Barracks in Ypres

The Battalion returned to the same sector of the front line they had occupied over Christmas, relieving 11^th West Yorks. The relief was completed at around 9 pm and the night passed quietly. Three Companies were in the front line and one in support at Halifax Street.

Pte. Elijah Sudworth (see 19^th December), who had joined the Battalion less than two weeks earlier, was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance suffering from suspected pneumonia. Pte. Milton Sutcliffe (see 19^th December), who had joined the Battalion in the same draft, was admitted to hospital suffering from bronchitis.

Following two weeks’ treatment for influenza, Pte. Cuthbert Dyer (see 18^th December) was discharged from hospital and re-joined the Battalion.


Pte. Ferrand Wilkinson (see 17^th October), who had been at the St. John VAD Hospital in Cheltenham since having suffered severe wounds to his right arm and leg in October, underwent an operation for a further re-amputation of his right leg, this time at the level of the mid-thigh.

Dr. Stacey Southerden Burn, MRCS, of Tudor House, Richmond, Surrey, provided a statement of the fitness for service of Capt. George Reginald Charles Heale MC (see 22^nd December), who had recently been compelled to relinquish his commission on grounds of ill-health. Dr. Burn stated that, “I have examined Captain Heale and, with the exception of a cold, he is now in good health and fit for duty. As he has spent sixteen years in South Africa and the West Indies, he is not likely to stand active service in a cold climate well”.

The family of Pte. James Edward Haley (see 29^th August), who had been taken prisoner on 29^th July, wrote the War Office informing them that their son had been moved to a new camp at Friedrichsfeld.

69^th Brigade War Diary recorded casualties for the Brigade for the month of December:

Killed                                        3 other ranks

Accidentally killed                  0

Died of wounds                      0

Wounded                              14 other ranks

Accidentally wounded          2 officers and 3 other ranks

Missing                                     0

10DWR’s casualties were recorded as:

Killed                                       1

Accidentally killed                 0

Died of wounds                      0

Wounded                                4 (The Battalion War Diary records 7 wounded)

Accidentally wounded          1

Missing                                    0

These official casualty figures do not take account of the deaths of Ptes. Priestley and Hanson, both of whom had been wounded but had died subsequently from their wounds.

The official cumulative casualty figures for the Battalion since arriving in France were now:

Killed                                        143

Accidentally killed                     4

Died of wounds                          7

Wounded                               721

Accidentally wounded           48

Missing                                   116

Saturday 30th December 1916

Billets in the Cathedral, Hospice and Cavalry Barracks in Ypres

Working parties continued as did the German shelling of Ypres. A 5.9-inch German shell landed in the courtyard of the Hospice, where one Company was billeted, killing Sgt. Sam Phillips; he had originally served with 2DWR, arriving in France first on 30^th November 1914. It is not clear when, or under what circumstances, he joined 10DWR. Sam Phillips was married with one daughter. He was buried at Menin Road South Military Cemetery in Ypres. 

Just two weeks after joining 8DWR Pte. Herbert Kitley (see 15^th December) was taken ill, suffering from diarrohoea; he would be admitted first to 33^rd Field Ambulance, and from there transferred to 44^th Casualty Clearing Station at Puchevillers and eventually to 4^th General Hospital at Camiers.

Pte. Francis Wilson Stockell (see 8^th July), who had been in England since having been wounded on 8^th July, was transferred to 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Gateshead.

L.Cpl. Ronald Ferguson (see 27^th November), in training with the Inns of Court OTC, was promoted Corporal; once commissioned he would serve with 10DWR.

Percival Victor Thomas completed his attestation papers to join 28^th Battalion London Regiment (Artists Rifles) which was an officer training battalion, based at Richmond Park. He was 22 years old, living in Shepherd’s Bush and working as a ‘seal engraver and gem sculptor’. He would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR. He was one of eight children (two of whom had died) of John and Alice Sophie Thomas.

The Halifax Courier published a list of names of men from whom letters had been received in acknowledgement of Christmas gifts; among those listed was Pte. William Henry Jones (see 6^th October 1915), writing from North Shields, where he was most likely serving with 3DWR. In the absence of a surviving service record the date and circumstances of his posting back to England are unknown, but he would subsequently be transferred to the Labour Corps before being discharged from the Army ‘sick’, suffering from ‘chronic sycosis’ (facial inflammation).

Friday 29th December 1916

Billets in the Cathedral, Hospice and Cavalry Barracks in Ypres.

The Battalion continued to be employed on working parties for the Royal Engineers and German shelling of Ypres continued.

The Brighouse Echo published a letter which had been written by Pte. Harry Squire (see 17^th July 1916); “It is a great pleasure to the chaps out here to know that the people of your old town are thinking of us at such a time. The parcel reflected great credit on the generosity of the town and also very good taste on the part of those responsible for packing them. I arrived in France in time to take part in the great advance in which our Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s has played a great and creditable part. Now we are in the grip of winter and it is very cold and wet and the trenches are not the most comfortable places. We are having a short rest now but shall be in the trenches for Christmas so it will not be a very merry Christmas for us. We have just heard of Germany’s peace proposals so the time may not be long before we can once more have ‘peace on earth’. The pipe which our Mayor and Mayoress have so kindly sent will assist to pass the time on very nicely”. Amongst the other letters which had been received had been ones from Ptes. John James Cowling (see 17^th October) and Joseph Dent (see 29^th June), although no details are given for either of these.

Pte. John Roebuck (see 18^th December), who had been on ten days’ leave after being discharged from hospital, joined 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion in Gateshead. Pte. Henry Wood Thrippleton (see 4^th October), who had been in England since having been wounded in October, was also posted to 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion.

Lt. Robert Stewart Skinner Ingram (see 16^th September), who had been one of the original officers of Tunstill’s Company, but had transferred to the RFC, was posted, as Flying Officer (Observer) to 24th Training Squadron, based at Netheravon, Wiltshire.

2Lt. Tom Pickles (see 20^th December), formerly of Tunstill’s Company, but currently ill while on home leave from 9DWR, appeared before a Medical Board at Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, Whalley. Having been examined he was given a report certifying him unfit on the grounds of ‘muscular rheumatism of the lumbar and mid stomal region and weakening of the pectoral and erector-spinas muscles’. He was declared unfit for duty for one month after which his case would be re-examined. Pickles duly sent a copy of the report to his Battalion and again saw his own doctor.

The War Office confirmed that the amount of 11 shillings payable on the account of the late Lt. Harry Harris (see 26^th December) from his service with the Middlesex Regiment prior to his being commissioned had now been credited to his account.

Lt. Harry Harris

Pte. Albert Hoggarth (see 3^rd September), serving with 3DWR, was declared medically fit for service overseas.

Thursday 28th December 1916

Billets in the Cathedral, Hospice and Cavalry Barracks in Ypres

The whole Battalion was employed daily on working parties for the Royal Engineers, either in the line or in Ypres itself. There was shelling of the main square every day by the Germans.

Pte. Ernest Wilson (11751) (see 5^th December) was ordered to undergo 14 days’ Field Punishment no.1 (the nature of his offence is unknown).

Pte. Cain Rothera (see 12^th December 1916) was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance suffering from tonsillitis; he would be discharged to duty on 6^th January.

2Lt. Arthur Halstead (see 2^nd September) wrote to the mother of the late Pte. Edwin Isherwood (see 27^th October), who had been killed in action at Le Sars.

Dear Mrs Isherwood

I write to tell you how sorry I was to hear, on my return to the Battalion from Hospital the other day, of the death of your son in action. He was in my platoon and I always found him a very good man and a willing soldier.

Unfortunately I was in Hospital when he was killed, and can only say that he lies near Le Sars. If you require any further particulars and I can get them I shall be very pleased to send them to you.

Yours very sincerely

A. Halstead

Exactly when, and for what reason 2Lt. Halstead had been in hospital has not been established.

Pte. Edwin Isherwood

2Lt. Frederick Millward (see 4^th December), who had been in hospital in England for the previous three weeks, having been severely injured during the trench raid carried out in November, appeared before a Medical Board at 2^nd Northern General Hospital in Leeds. The Board found that “He is quite well. The stump is now fit for an artificial limb for right leg. It is possible that this officer may be fit for some form of military duty when he has been fitted with an artificial leg”. He was instructed to return home and await further orders.

2Lt. John Keighley Snowden (see 20^th October), who had been wounded at Le Sars, appeared before a Medical Board; he was declared unfit for duty, with his case to be reviewed in another month.

A payment of £1 2s. 2d. was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Charles Holgate (see 29^th July 1916), who had been killed in action in July; the payment would go to his father, Joe.

Wednesday 27th December 1916

Trenches east of Armagh Wood

On a colder, frosty day, the Battalion was relieved by 11^th West Yorks, but on their return to Ypres, the Battalion was not billeted at the Infantry Barracks as before, but instead two companies were housed in the Cathedral and one each at the Hospice and the Cavalry Barracks; Battalion HQ was at the Hospice. The relief was complete by 8pm.

(It is not clear whether the ‘Hospice’ refers to the ‘Hospice Belle’ or Women’s Asylum, or to the ‘Hospice Notre Dame’; both were located in the centre of Ypres, just off the Grande Place. The Cavalry Barracks were just south of the Infantry Barracks, close to St Peter’s Church).

Pte. Arthur Walton (see 12^th December) was reported ‘absent without leave’ having failed to return from two weeks’ leave to England.

More men went back to England on ten days’ leave; among them were LCpl. Christopher Longstaff (see 6^th October) and Ptes. Thomas George Coates (see 11^th September 1915), Louis Feather (see 14^th December), George King (16475) (see 10^th December 1915) and Alfred Edward Wybrow MM (see 8^th December).

L.Cpl. Christopher Longstaff

Pte. Jacob Carradice Green (see 22^nd July) reported sick, suffering from ‘ICT’ (inflammation of connective tissue) in his leg; he was admitted, via a Casualty Clearing Station, to one of the local hospitals (details unknown). 

Pte. Jacob Carradice Green

CSM Alfred Lodge (see 31^st October), who had been in England since July, having been severely wounded in the actions around Horseshoe Trench, and was now serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Gateshead, received formal confirmation of the award of the Military Cross. Shortly afterwards Capt. Gilbert Tunstill (see 26^th December) hosted a dinner in his honour, attended by a number of Lodge’s comrades who were also now serving with 83^rd Training Reserve. During the dinner Tunstill presented Lodge with his medal ribbon. The events were reported in a newspaper article (see below, exact date and publication unknown) which was kept in Tunstill’s personal album.

Company Sergeant Major A.J. Lodge, MC, has a splendid soldier’s record. He served 16 years in the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in India and South Africa, obtaining three medals, two in the South African War and one for dangerous segregation work in India at the time of the bubonic plague. He left the Army with the rank of Sergeant and was employed at Standon Mill and later at Chingford. When war broke out, he responded at once to his country’s call and rejoined his old regiment on August 8^th 1914. He quickly rose to be Company Sergeant-Major, giving him the rank of Warrant Officer. In September 1915 he went to the front and had practically eleven months in the trenches.

He was recommended for the Military Cross for the following deeds of heroism: On March 11^th 1916 at Souchez he succeeded in bringing in fourteen wounded men under heavy machine gun fire, and, after dressing their wounds, sent them to the dressing station. On the same date, also under machine gun fire, he brought in fourteen other men suffering from frost bitten feet. His plucky action at Contalmaison on July 9^th 1916, redounded to his courage and absolute absence of physical fear. The machine gun fire could hardly have been heavier, yet he courageously brought in Lieutenant Taylor, who had been wounded in the head. The gallant officer died and his rescuer was unfortunately wounded in the back during the operation, and buried. As he had sustained some injury to the spine it led to his being invalided home. 

He was a good shot, in fact he was a musketry instructor. After leaving the Bath hospital he returned to his regiment at Newcastle, and on December 27^th he received word that he had been awarded the Military Cross. His Company Officer, Captain Tunstill, gave a dinner in his honour and pinned the white ribbon with the purple stripe on his breast amidst the delighted cheers of his comrades. His only regret is that he has to leave the Army owing to the disablement caused by his wounds. He is, however, hoping to do useful work for his country in a munition factory. He has a wife and two children residing at Puckeridge. He comes of a soldier family as seven of his brothers fought in the South African War and four in the present war, one of whom was killed. Undaunted in courage, cool in danger, resolute and resourceful, this brave soldier has well earned his laurels. 

CSM Alfred Lodge

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

This image from the personal album kept by Gilbert Tunstill may show Tunstill himself (centre) with an unknown officer (right) and CSM Lodge (left). The image is not captioned in the album and the identification of Lodge is not certain, though there is a strong resemblance and the man wears the ribbon of the Military Cross; Warrant Officer rank insignia; and a wound stripe on the lower left sleeve; all of which would apply to Lodge.

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton.

Tuesday 26th December 1916

Trenches east of Armagh Wood

There was a sharp increase in trench mortar activity from the Germans and the trenches in Winnipeg Street in particular were said to be “a good deal knocked about”. The Divisional Trench Mortar Battery fired “15 rounds retaliation”.

There was a sharp increase in trench mortar activity from the Germans and the trenches in Winnipeg Street in particular were said to be “a good deal knocked about”. The Divisonal Trench Mortar Battery fired “15 rounds retaliation”. Pte. Fred Heppinstall (see 17^th October) suffered a minor wound to his right arm; he was admitted, via 3^rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, to 69^th Field Ambulance, where he would be treated for ten days before returning to duty.

Capt. Gilbert Tunstill (see 21^st November), currently on light duty 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Brighton Road Schools, Gateshead appeared before a Medical Board assembled atTynemouth. The Board found that, “he states that occasionally he feels that something gives way in the joint and then is sore for a day or two. There is no swelling of the joint, creaking or evident injury”. He was deemed unfit for general service for a further month, but fit to continue duties at home before being examined again in a months’ time.

Capt. Gilbert Tunstill

Image by kind permission of Henry Blton

Pte. Reginald Jerry Northin (see 21^st December), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was reported as ‘willfully absenting himself from parade at 9am until 5pm’; he would be confined to barracks for seven days.

Pte. Irvine Clark (see 21^st October) serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Gateshead, was reported absent without leave. 

2Lt. Harry Widdup (see 20^th December), who had reported sick ten days earlier while serving with 9DWR, was evacuated to England for further treatment. He travelled via Rouen to Le Havre and embarked at Southampton onboard the hospital ship, St Andrew. Having arrived in England he was admitted to 1^st Southern General Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham.

A pension award was made in respect of the late Pte. Edward Tetlow (see 31^st July), who had been killed in June whilst attached to 181^st Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers; his mother, Eliza, was awarded 5s. per week. 

The identity disc and chain belonging to the late Lt. Harry Harris (see 19^th December) were forwarded to Messrs Cox & Co. for them to then send them on to the Harris family.

 

Lt. Harry Harris

Monday 25th December 1916

Trenches east of Armagh Wood

Christmas Day passed without remark in the Battalion War Diary, and the Diary of the Divisional Trench Mortar Battery noted simply, “No firing at all; Fritz heard singing in his trenches”.

Capt. Henry Kelly VC (see 8^th December) left the Battalion having reported sick; the nature of his illness and treatment have not yet been established.
As a result, he relinquished his temporary appointment as Captain and reverted to Lieutenant.

Capt. Henry Kelly VC

Pte. William Ackroyd (see 8^th December), who had been in England since having been wounded in July, was discharged from Keighley War Hospital; the details of his immediate posting are unknown but he would subsequently (date and details unknown) be posted back to France and would join 2DWR.

Sunday 24th December 1916

Trenches east of Armagh Wood

Conditions remained generally quiet. 

A/Sgt. Charles Marsden (see 13^th December), who had recently returned from leave, as now confirmed in his rank of Pioneer Sergeant.

On Christmas Eve the thoughts of many men must have turned, even more than usually, to home and family. Late in the evening Cpl. Fred Swale (see 21^st December) wrote to his Mother:

My Dear Mum

It is Xmas Eve, so I must write to you. We are a long long way apart in person, but I am sure that while I am writing this, you will be wondering where I am and what I doing etc, so after all we are quite close to each other.

Xmas Day will be here in about an hour, but although it is so late, no-one seems inclined for sleep on the night of all nights. In one of my letters I promised to tell you where we were on Christmas Day. Well, we are in the trenches, but we had our Xmas Dinner two days before coming in. The dinner was quite a success, and the menu was pork, beef, potatoes, cabbages, apple sauce, beer, plum pudding, sweets, cigarettes, etc etc, and after dinner we had a concert. A special band, on tour from ‘Blighty’, was the star turn.

Your two letters and the card reached me quite safely, and I thank you so much for them. Please thank Bernie for his letter too. About a fortnight ago I got a parcel from someone beginning with ‘B’. There was no name or letter in, so I think it is from Willan’s. The parcel had been re-packed by the P.O. authorities. Let me know when you write if you have heard anything about it from Brierfield.

Just at present our ‘Quarter Bloke’ (Q.M.S. Frank Stephenson, see 17^th December) and is on leave, so I am quite a busy (to say nothing of important) fellow.

Now for your letters. It is not at all selfish of you to be always looking for letters. It pleases me to think my letters are such a comfort to you, and who else has the right to claim my spare time but you.

Tommy Harding (see 16^th December) has got back here after having a fine old time in England. Just as he was going towards home he met his Father, going to post a parcel off to him. Being Sunday, he could not get a telegram through to let them know he was in England. Fancy Tom Pemberton being in the same lot as Harold. Quite lucky eh? I have just recently found out that we have a nephew of Margit Spedding’s with us. His name is Walker (L.Cpl. James Walker (see 8^th December) and he used to live in Gargrave.

Don’t send me any parcels (eatables) after the one with the ink bottle in, for I have eatables etc. from all over the globe.

I am pleased you like the Christmas card so much. Everyone was so disappointed when the Colonel went.

Let me know as soon as you hear from York again. Where is Wilson (Sgt. Wilson Pritchard see 8^th December) now? Nellie told me he was back again in hospital at London, so I don’t quite understand where he is.

‘Fritz’ is singing, but whether he is singing hymns or songs I cannot say.

I must stop now, so Good Night (11.45) and best wishes for a Happy New Year to all.

With heaps of love and kisses.

Your loving son.

Fred

(I am greatly indebted to Joan Rigg and family for their kind permission to quote Fred Swale's letter).

Cpl. Fred Swale

Image by kind permission of Joan Rigg and family

Fred Swale’s letter is, of course, a single surviving example, but there must have been many more exchanges of letters, cards and gifts between men of the Battalion and their families and friends at home. Fred’s reference to his mother liking his Christmas card may refer to the Battalion Christmas card which was produced and doubtless sent home by many. An example survives among the papers of Capt. Leonard Norman Phillips (see 8th December).

Images by kind permission of the Trustees of the DWR Museum

The Addingham recruits in the Battalion each received a Christmas greetings card from their home village; and example of which survives among the papers of Pte. Reuben Smith (see 17^th November).

A short extract has also survived from a letter home written by Pte. Percival James (Percy) Pemberton. He had received a Christmas parcel from a collection raised in his home own of Menston and he wrote to offer his thanks, “There are shells bursting all around and they make me jump every now and again. I have a candle by my side. I wish to thank the Menston people very much for the parcel. I was just in form for cake as I had no bread left. Your kind gift came just in time and I was very pleased with it. It is still raining and we are up to our necks in mud”.

Percy Pemberton was born in late 1880 (he was baptized on 9^th January 1881 at Menston Parish Church); he was the third child of William Rhodes Pemberton and his wife Mary Ann (Thompson). 

William worked for his father-in-law, James Thompson, who was a partner in the firm of Thompson & Sons, coal merchants. In 1881 the family were living in New Road, Guiseley, next door to Albion House, which was the home of James and Sarah Thompson. Percy’s mother, Mary Ann, died in the autumn of 1883, aged just 28, and his father, William, died in 1890. The three children thus came into the care of their maternal grandparents, the Thompsons, who, by 1891, were living at Highfield House, Menston. The two grandsons were taken into the family coal merchants’ business but in 1901 Percy (aged 20) enlisted to serve with the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, having already been a member of the Regiment’s volunteer battalion. He was passed medically fit on 3^rd July 1901 at Halifax, standing five feet five inches tall, weighing 115 lbs, with brown hair and hazel eyes. However, just two months later, his brother Henry wrote to the Colonel in command of the Regiment, asking that his brother be released from the Army on the grounds that he was not capable of serving on account of “an injury to his head when a little more than a year old, which had affected his brain”. Percy was duly discharged from the Army on payment of a sum of £10. 

Percy returned to his job with Thompson’s coal merchants and on 19^th May 1904, at Menston Parish Church, he married Alice Clarke. Their first child, Mary, was born the same year (she was baptized on Christmas Day 1904), and a second daughter, Sylvia, was born in 1910. The family lived at first in Guiseley, but were at Roseberry Villas, Farmley Road, Menston, by 1911. Percy’s grandfather, James Thompson, had died in 1907 but Percy continued to work in the business, as did his elder brother Henry. Indeed Henry, married and with five children, continued to live with his grandmother at Highfield House.

On the outbreak of war in 1914, Percy Pemberton again volunteered to serve with the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment. In September 1914 he was one of eight men from Menston who joined the recruits raised by Gilbert Tunstill.

Pte. John Onion (see 14^th December), who was under treatment for ‘trench foot’ while serving in France with 2DWR, was transferred from 8^th Stationary Hospital at Wimereux to 1^st Convalescent Depot at Boulogne.

Pte. Harold Schofield Hanson (see 18^th November) who had spent the previous five weeks being treated in 2^nd Western General Hospital in Manchester, died of “shrapnel wound to the right arm and pleurisy”. He would be buried at St John’s Church, Golcar, near Huddersfield.

Saturday 23rd December 1916

Winnipeg Camp

The Battalion began their return to the front line. They marched first to Vlamertinghe, where they boarded a train, along with 8^th Yorks, at 4.24pm. Having completed the short journey back into Ypres they met their guides at the Lille Gate at 4.45pm and were led to their positions in the front line, relieving 11^th Northumberland Fusilers in positions from I.24.d.7.1½. to I.30.a.4.0. The relief was completed about 9.45 pm with three companies in the lines just east of Armagh Wood and the fourth in support at Rudkin House.

There was a marked improvement in the weather following the gale-force winds of the previous day; according to Brig. Genl. Lambert, commanding 69^th Brigade (see passim) “It was a regular Spring Day and quite charming”. However, heavy rain and strong winds returned overnight 23^rd/24^th.

(I am greatly indebted to Juliet Lambert for her generosity in allowing me to reproduce extracts from Brig. Genl. Lambert’s letters).

Less than three weeks after re-joining the Battalion following a two-month stay in hospital, Pte. Harry Simpson (see 6^th December) reported sick, again suffering from “ICT” (inflammation of the connective tissue), on this occasion affecting his legs; he was again admitted to hospital.

 

Pte. William Hissett (see 25^th April), serving in France with 9DWR, was admitted to 5^th General Hospital at Rouen, suffering from “P.U.O” (pyrexia, or high temperature, of unknown origin). After eight days he would be transferred to 2^nd Concalescent Depot, also at Rouen, before being further transferred, on 6^th January, to 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.

2Lt. Maurice Tribe MC (see 14^th November), who had been severely injured at Le Sars, wrote to the War Office from Watermouth Castle, an officer’s convalescent home near Ilfracombe, Devon. He confirmed that he had been wounded on 5^th October 1916 and requested that they ‘be good enough to send particulars of any wound gratuities to which I may be entitled having had my left eye removed and a wound in my skull’.  

2Lt. Bob Perks, DSO (see 10^th December), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, wrote to his Father, with further news about his health. It appears that, whilst on leave at home recently, Perks’ Mother had raised concerns about her son’s health. After concerns had been raised about his fitness he had been assessed by a Medical Board which had declared him fit for home service, with a further review in a month’s time:

My Dear Dad

I am in faint hopes this will wish you anything on Christmas day but it wishes you every happiness on every day.

After an extraordinary six weeks of changes for my future I am now fixed till Jan 19 (my next board) and almost sure to be in England till end of next month at least and should have another leave before I go out.  Moreover, though I never believe anything now till it happens, I am in orders to go to Otley on Jan 4 for a fortnight’s course.  Whether the present leave restrictions will allow the weekend leaves to you otherwise possible I don’t know. I fear not and the next possibility is paying my own fare for a Sunday but you and your station master pals know more than I do whether with the new railway ideas will allow that.  By the way, old Lloyd George is getting a move on isn’t he?! Does the national service stunt look like affecting you?  I wonder about Martin (Bob’s brother, who had originally been rejected for a commission on account of his eyesight).  I expect he will find himself in a govt. office, though the children must be educated I suppose.

You will be interested to know that in my opinion the medical board gave me my home service because I had the D.S.O. They were awfully bucked about it and asked how long I was out etc. etc.  Especially where was I last Christmas.  After a lot of “humming and hawing” they were still too honest to say my heart was bad but persuaded themselves that as both my regimental doctor and home doctor had thought they heard something and did not appear too well (which was hardly likely as I had been correcting “Little Mary” by starvation treatment!) a month at home might be advisable.

Here I am and v pleased too.  Again best wishes Dad

Your son Bob

My very best wishes to Miss Johnson

(I am greatly indebted to Janet Hudson for her kind permission to quote from Bob Perks’ correspondence).

 

2Lt. Bob Perks DSO
Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

Sgt. Frederick Griggs MM (see 13th  December), who had been one of Tunstill’s original Company but was now serving with 2DWR, re-joined his Battalion after ten days’ leave in England.