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 17th 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 17th October) and Joseph
Dent (see 29th June), although no details are given for
either of these.
Pte. John Roebuck
(see 18th December), who
had been on ten days’ leave after being discharged from hospital, joined 83rd
Training Reserve Battalion in Gateshead. Pte. Henry Wood Thrippleton (see 4th
October), who had been in England since having been wounded in October, was
also posted to 83rd Training Reserve Battalion.
Lt. Robert Stewart Skinner
Ingram (see 16th 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 20th 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 26th 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 3rd September),
serving with 3DWR, was declared medically fit for service overseas.
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