Wednesday 18th April 1917

Trenches in the Hill 60 sub-sector, opposite the Caterpillar

There was heavy snow in the early hours. In the evening an intra-Battalion relief was carried out with ‘B’ and ‘D’ Companies moving into the front line and ‘A’ and ‘C’ retiring into support and reserve positions.

Cpl. John Stephenson (see 2^nd March) was promoted Acting Sergeant.

L.Sgt. John William Dickinson (see 5th April) was admitted to 23^rd Division Rest Station, suffering from bronchitis.

After being treated for a week for myalgia Pte. Charles Smith (29004) (see 12^th April) returned to duty from the Divisional Rest Station at Waratah Camp, south-east of Poperinghe.

Having received a reply to his earlier letter, Frederick Ernest Green, who was the uncle of 2Lt. Maurice Tribe MC (see 11^th April), again wrote to the Labour M.P. and member of the War Cabinet, Arthur Henderson;

Barings Field

Newdigate

Surrey

To Rt. Hon. Arthur Henderson MP

Thank you for your prompt and sympathetic reply.

The name of my nephew who has lost his eye is Maurice Odell Tribe, 2nd Lieut (Military Cross). His Battalion, 10^th Duke of Wellingtons. He would be sent after his leave to the reserve 3^rd Battalion at North Shields. The Medical Board which examined him was the No.2 Special at Caxton Hall.

As far as I can gather the Board did not actually pass him for General Service, but gave him six weeks’ leave; from the 9^th of May, putting him down for two months Home Service and verbally informed him that he could not be passed for any other branch of the Regular Army; that two eyes were a luxury (this may have been a joke) and that he would certainly go to the front line. He now says that he shall apply for another Medical Board (“because it looks from the leave paper they sent me rather as if they intended me to do so”).

The CO of the Radley OTC (his old school) is applying to the WO to have him as adjutant for the two months of Home Service. What he is really suitable for is the continuation of a job such as that of a Machine Gun Instructor at a Base Camp but for nothing more as far as I can see, for his fighting days are over.

The mother of 2Lt. Roland Herbert Wyndham Brinsley-Richards (see 4^th April), who had been officially reported ‘missing in action’ following the action at Munster Alley in July 1916, again wrote to the War Office:

“In your letter of 4^th April you said you would take no action regarding official acceptance of the death of my son, Second Lieutenant R.H.W. Brinsley-Richards, of the West Riding Regiment, until you received a further communication from me. I regret to say that the rumours which reached me of the possibility of his being a prisoner on being investigated has proved to be without foundation. I must now relinquish all further hope of his being alive and leave you to take the official action you mention in your letter regarding the winding up of his accounts.

I thank you for the leaflet you enclosed about the Enquiry Department of the Red Cross at 18 Carlton House Terrace. I had already applied to that Department who gave me all the information and help at their disposal for which I was most grateful.”

2Lt. Roland Herbert Wyndham Brinsley-Richards