Thursday 14th December 196

Infantry Barracks in Ypres

Further working parties were provided overnight for the Royal Engineers.

Pte. Ernest Arthur Carter (see 4^th December), who had been slightly wounded in the trench raid conducted on 20^th November; and Pte. Louis Feather (see 17^th November) who had been taken ill in October, both re-joined the Battalion from 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.

Pte. Tom Midgley (see 27^th November) re-joined the Battalion from hospital (the cause and details of his admission are unknown).

Capt. H. Williams of the ASC reported for duty with the Battalion; it has not yet been possible to make a positive identification of this officer.

Five new officers arrived in France en route to join the Battalion; all had previously been with 3DWR at North Shields. They were Lt. Arthur Poynder Garratt (see 15^th November); and 2Lts. John Robert Dickinson (see 25^th September); Herbert Middleton (Bob) Hands (see 26^th October); Arthur Calvert Tetley (see 25^th September) and William George Wade (see 13^th November). 

L.Cpl. George Henry Hansford (see 1^st November), serving in France with 2DWR, was admitted via 101^st Field Ambulance and 34^th Casualty Clearing Station to 13^th General Hospital in Boulogne, suffering from rheumatism and a recurrence of ‘trench foot’; he would be evacuated to England three days later (the details of his treatment in England are unknown).


Pte. John Onion (see 26^th October), serving in France with 2DWR, was admitted via 121^st Field Ambulance, 34^th West Lancs Casualty Clearing Station and No.2 Ambulance Train to 8^th Stationary Hospital at Wimereux; he was suffering from ‘trench foot’.

Pte. James Bradley (18319) (see 13^th October) was discharged from Huddersfield War Hospital, following treatment for ‘trench fever’.

Lt. Cecil Edward Merryweather (see 7^th December), currently on home service with the RFA, appeared before a further Medical Board at the Military Hospital at Ripon. The Board found that, “He is in the same condition as at his last Board. He should report to his M.O. for treatment for his headaches”. They regarded him as still fit only for home service and ordered that he be re-examined in another month.

Wallace Gill, father of Maj. Robert Harwar Gill (see 10^th December), died, aged 69.

Maj. Robert Harwar