Thursday 31st May 1917

Boeschepe training area, near Watou

Training continued on another hot day. 

Capt. Dick Bolton (see 21^st May) re-joined the Battalion following ten days’ leave in England. However, given that he had not been involved in the extensive preparations and planning for the coming attack, active command of ‘A’ Company remained with 2Lt. Bob Perks, DSO (see 21^st May).

 

Capt. Dick Bolton

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

2Lt. Bob Perks DSO

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

Ptes. John Blackburn (see 23^rd May) and Martin Reddington (see 21^st May) were discharged from 23^rd Division Rest Station at Waratah Camp, south-east of Poperinghe, and re-joined the battalion on light duties. 

Pte. Jacob Carradice Green (see 29^th May), who had been wounded on 20^th May and had died on 29^th was buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.

Pte. Jacob Carradice Green

Pte. Stanley Basil Studd (see 20^th April), serving in France with 9DWR, was discharged from 5^th Convalescent Depot at Cayeux and re-joined his Battalion.

Pte. Frank Jowett (see 16^th May), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was again reported absent, this time from his final embarkation leave; he would report back at 6am on 4^th May and would be ordered to be confined to barracks for five days.

10DWR’s casualties for the month were recorded as:

Killed                                     14

Accidentally killed                0

Died of wounds                    2

Wounded                            30

Accidentally wounded        1

Missing                                  0

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

Killed                                   172

Accidentally killed                4

Died of wounds                    9

Wounded                           809

Accidentally wounded       51

Missing                               116

Pte. William Hissett (see 16^th January), serving in France with 9DWR, was admitted to 3^rd Canadian Stationary Hospital at Doullens, suffering from an abscess in his left groin. After two weeks’ treatment he would be transferred to 20^th General Hospital at Camiers.

Lt. Paul James Sainsbury (see 18^th May) appeared before a further Medical Board. The Board confirmed his fitness for light duty, but found him still unfit for normal home service for a further month and for general service for at least three months.

Lt. Paul James Sainsbury

A payment of £10 10s 7d was authorised, being an amount found to be still outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Clifford George Unwin (see 13^th April); the payment would be divided equally between his married sister, Blanche McEnnerney, and Miss Ivy Brayshaw, who may have been his ‘sweetheart’. A payment was also authorised to the family of Pte. Fred Greenwood (29340) (see 15^th February); the payment of £2 6s 2d would go to his father, William.

Pte. Clifford George Unwin

Wednesday 30th May 1917

Boeschepe training area, near Watou

Training continued.

Pte. Harold Clarkson (see 22^nd February) was reported ‘killed in action’. The circumstances of his death are unclear. In a letter to Clarkson’s mother 2Lt. Charles George Edward White (see 9^th May) told her that, “Your son was killed at 8am this morning, May 30^th, by the concussion of a shell. I cannot speak too highly of him. He always did his duty without a murmur and took everything as it came”. The most likely explanation, especially given that Clarkson was buried close to the front line at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground, seems to be that he was killed whilst on a working party in the front line.

Pte. Harold Clarkson

Image and additional information by kind permission of Edward Wild

L.Cpl. Harold Bray (18231) (see 5^th May) began to be paid according to his rank having previously held the post unpaid.

2Lt. Frank Wilkinson (see 22^nd April) who had been with the Battalion for six weeks, left, having reported sick; I am, as yet unable to make a positive identification of this officer.

Pte. Joseph Barnes (see 19^th May) was discharged from 1^st Convalescent Depot at Boulogne and posted to 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples; he had been under treatment having been wounded eleven days previously.

Sgt. Edward Isger (see 26^th April), who had been in England for the previous month, was discharged from hospital; he would have one weeks’ leave before reporting to Northern Command Depot at Ripon.  

Spr. Alfred John Davis (see 2^nd September 1916), who had been in hospital in England since having been taken ill in September 1916 while serving with 176^th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers, was discharged from hospital and granted a period of leave before re-joining his unit.

2Lt. Harry Widdup (see 1^st May), who had been in England since being taken ill in December 1916, was formally transferred from 9DWR to 3DWR, having been declared fit only for sedentary employment.

An official at the War Office replied to the recent letter from Mrs. Marion Atkinson, mother of Capt. John Atkinson (see 15^th May), who had been declared unfit for further service overseas as a result of trench fever. Mrs. Atkinson had requested a gratuity for her son, but she was informed that, “wound gratuities are not issuable in respect of sickness contracted on active service”.

Payments were authorised to the families of the two men who had been killed in action on 20^th February. A payment of £3 9s 3d was authorised, being an amount found to be still outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Herbert Bayfield (see 20^th February); the payment would go to his widow, Alice. The payment in respect of Pte. Robert Cheshire (see 20^th February) amounted to £4 19s 5d and would be divided in four equal shares between three of his brothers and a married sister.


A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. John Richard Thornton (see 19^th February) who had been killed in action in October 1916; his mother, Clarissa, was awarded 10s. 6d. per week.

Tuesday 29th May 1917

Boeschepe training area, near Watou

The weather was somewhat cloudier but still fine and warm as training continued with the whole Brigade practising a trench attack.

Brigade orders were issued dealing with the provision of water during the forthcoming offensive. All were reminded that, “The urgency for salvaging water tins and returning them to the nearest water point must be impressed on all ranks. In addition to the present supply each battalion will be issued with 100 petrol tins which will be stored at Battalion Headquarters for consumption on three days preceding Z day (Z day being the day of the attack). They must, however, be filled on the night of Y/Z and be carried forward, filled, to the objective of the unit”.

Specific orders were also in hand dealing with the clearing of the battlefield and the disposal of the dead. These duties for the whole of 69^th Brigade were entrusted to 2Lt. Andrew Aaron Jackson (see 23^rd May) of 10DWR. He would have charge of 2 NCO’s and 28 men and he and his men were to “on receipt of orders, report at the time and place then mentioned, for duty”.

Ptes. Arthur Lund (see 11^th January), Willie Nichols (see 11^th January) and Luther Pickles (see 16^th January) were all promoted (unpaid) Lance Corporal.

Pte. Jacob Carradice Green (see 23^rd May), who had been wounded nine days previously, and had undergone an operation died from his wounds and from septicaemia at 3rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne. In a letter to his mother, Major A.L. Burch, chaplain, stated, "I exceedingly regret to have to write that your son died here today at 6 o'clock. He will be buried with military honours on the 31^st in the military cemetery at Boulogne."

Pte. Jacob Carradice Green

Pte. Thomas Manuell (see 22^nd May), who was under treatment for ‘trench foot’, was transferred from 23^rd Division Rest Station at Waratah Camp, south-east of Poperinghe, to 2^nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding, Lijssenthoek; he would then be transferred, next day, onboard No.14 Ambulance Train to 3^rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne.

Pte. James Allen (see 28^th May) who, because of doubts about his health, had been retained at 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples when the rest of his draft had joined 10DWR, was now admitted to 51^st General Hospital at Etaples.

CSM William Jones MM (see 10^th March), having completed his officer training, was granted a commission as Temporary Second Lieutenant and posted to 3^rd Battalion, Border Regiment.

Monday 28th May 1917

Boeschepe training area, near Watou

Another hot day as training continued.  

A draft of forty men joined the Battalion. Among this draft was Pte. Mark Butler; he was a 21 year-old labourer from Darlington. He had joined the 1^st/6^th (Territorial) Battalion in April 1914 and had spent two periods in France between April and December 1915 and September and December 1916; both times he had been invalided home suffering from trench foot. Pte. George Chamberlain was a 20 year-old labourer from Seaton Burn. Pte. John Oldfield Greenwood had attested in November 1915 but had not been called up until March 1917. He was 20 years old, from Skipton, and had been working as a “carriage washer” on the railways. Pte. Harry Hancock was a 22 year-old cotton piecer from Royton, near Oldham; he had served in France with 9DWR for three months before being evacuated to England in February 1917, suffering from ‘trench foot’. Pte. Joseph Hartley was a 20 year-old ‘finisher’ from Golcar. He had attested in January 1916 and had served in France with 9DWR from May 1916 until being evacuated to England, suffering from rheumatism, in November 1916. He had been posted back to France on 11^th May and had been due to join 2DWR before being re-posted to 10DWR. Pte. Joseph Henry Haywood was a 23 year-old miner, originally from Worcestershire, but had been living in Barnsley; he was married and his wife was pregnant with their first child. He had joined the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in September 1914 and had served briefly in France in September 1915 before being wounded and invalided back to England. He had a string of disciplinary offences whilst in England before being posted back to France in June 1916, where he spent several months at 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples. He had then been posted to 178^th Tunnelling Company. Whilst on leave in England in January 1917 he had been hit by a motor car and had spent two months in hospital being treated for his injuries. He had been transferred to the West Riding Regiment and posted back to France. Pte. Harold Raymond Hebdon was a 30 year-old book-keeper from Kirkburton. Pte. John William Kirby was a 28 year-old barber from Barnoldswick; he was married with one daughter. Pte. John Mooring was a 32 year-old grease extractor from Keighley; he was married with four children. He had attested in December 1915 and had been called up in June 1916. After training with 3DWR he had been posted to 2DWR in October 1916 and had been evacuated to England in December suffering from trench foot. He had been due to re-join 2DWR but had instead been posted to 10DWR. Pte. Herbert Ridley (see 11^th May) was re-joining the Battalion more than fourteen months after being wounded. Pte. John Edward Scott was a 20 year-old woolcomber from Shipley. He had married Ethel Gibbs in January 1915 and their son, Marshall, had been born six months later. Scott had attested in December 1915 and had been posted to France in September 1916, joining 8DWR. He had been posted back to England in January 1917, suffering from broncho-pneumonia, and had spent a month at the Southern General Hospital in Bristol. Once recovered he had been posted to 3DWR at Tynemouth and had twice been reported absent without leave before departing for France.   Pte. Elijah Sudworth (see 11^th May) was re-joining the Battalion after a period in England following a bout of influenza. Pte. Joseph William Sutcliffe was a 21 year-old mule spinner from Elland. He had attested in February 1916 and had been called up two months later. He had been posted to France to join 9DWR in September 1916 but had served only a month before being hospitalised due to ‘trench foot’. He had then been posted back to England in November and had only returned to France on 11^th May, being originally destined to join 2DWR before being being re-directed to 10DWR. Pte. Jacob Sweeting (see 20^th May) also re-joined the Battalion, which he had left having been wounded in action on 29^th July 1916. Pte. Harry Willey was 20 years old and from Laisterdyke, Bradford. He had attested under the Derby Scheme in December 1915 and had been called up in April 1916. In August 1916 he had been posted to France to join 2DWR and had been wounded in October, suffering wounds to his back and right leg. He had remained in England until being posted back to France on 4^th May. Pte. Herbert Willoughby was a 31 year-old painter and decorater from Shipley; he was married with two children. He had joined 9DWR in France on 10^th December 1916 but had evacuated to England after just three weeks, suffering from trench fever. 

Also among this draft had been Pte. James Allen; he was a 33 year-old clerk from Camberwell. He had served eight years with the the Regiment from 1902 to 1910 and had been called up from the Army Reserve on 29^th January. He was married, but had no children. Like the rest of the draft he had arrived in France on 24^th May, but in his case there had been some doubt about his fitness and he had remained at 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples. Pte. Henry Richardson Oddy also arrived in France with this draft but was not immediately posted to 10DWR; in his case the reason for his delayed posting is unclear. He was a 32 year-old cotton spinner from Brighouse. Like both Allen and Oddy, Pte. James Lister Petty had arrived in France with this draft but did not join the Battalion immediately; as with Oddy, the reason for his departure from Etaples is unclear. He had been called up on 19^th January but had appealed against his call-up on the grounds that he had already volunteered to join the Honourable Artillery Company. After some investigation Petty appeared before an Appeals Tribunal in Bradford. It was reported that “Mr. Petty put up a very poor fight and the result was the Tribunal disallowed his claim”; a further (private) note added, “this man has been so exceedingly troublesome and is such a horrible snob that I think no choice (as to the Regiment to which he would be posted) should be allowed him … Incidentally, he is a liar!”. Petty was duly posted to DWR, rather than to the HAC.

L.Cpl Albert Earnshaw (see 8th May) was promoted Corporal.

Pte. Victor Alexander Wildman (see 5^th April) again found himself on a charge; on this occasion he was found to have been “unshaven on 8am parade”. He was reported by Sgt. Smith (unidentified)and sentenced by Capt. Adrian O’Donnell Pereira (see 14^th May).

Pte. Samuel Wilson (see 9^th April) re-joined the Battalion, having spent the previous seven weeks in hospital.

In a letter home to his wife Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 21^st May) told her, “I have just been told by General Babington (commanding 23^rd Division) that they have given me the Legion of Honour! So I have to go over to be kissed by the French C-in-C in a day or two I expect! Perhaps it is quaint that my only honour should be a French one! I know you will be pleased.”

(I am greatly indebted to Juliet Lambert for her generosity in allowing me access to Brig. Genl. Lambert’s diary and letters).

Pte. Harold Dale (see 15^th May) was transferred from 10^th Convalescent Depot at Ecault back to 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.

After spending five days at 32^nd Stationery Hospital at Wimereux, having been wounded in action, Ptes. Fred Morrell and William Postill Taylor (see 22^nd May) were evacuated to England onboard the Hospital Ship St. Andrew; on arrival in England they would be transferred to hospital in Bradford. 

Sgt. Norman Roberts MM (see 6^th April) was commissioned Temporary Second Lieutenant with the Machine Gun Corps; it has not yet been established exactly when he had left 10DWR.

2Lt. Norman Roberts MM

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Harry Braithwaite (see 6^th October 1916) who had been killed in action in October 1916; his widow, Eliza, was awarded £1 8s. 9d. per week.

Sunday 27th May 1917

Boeschepe training area, near Watou

On another glorious day only the Church Parade was allowed to interrupt training, and even then training was resumed at the conclusion of the service.

L.Cpl. Christopher Clapham (see 23^rd February) was promoted Corporal.

L.Cpl. James Henry Howarth (see 5^th May) was confirmed and paid in his rank, having previously held it unpaid.

Capt. Hugh William Lester MC (see 12^th March), who had spent the previous few months away from the Battalion on attachment to both 69^th Brigade and 23^rd Division Headquarters, re-joined.

Image by kind permission of the Trustees of the DWR Museum

Pte. Alfred Whittaker (see 15^th May) was discharged from 23^rd Division Rest Station at Waratah Camp, south-east of Poperinghe and re-joined the Battalion.

Pte. Fred Addy (see 22^nd May), who was under treatment at 2^nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding, Lijssenthoek, having been wounded on 22^nd May, ‘developed a cough of air in left side; chest aspirated and 500cc of fluid drawn off’. On further investigation it was reported that Pte. Addy had ‘had a cough since March and has been losing weight’; it would subsequently be confirmed that he was suffering from TB. He would be transferred, next day, to 14^th General Hospital at Wimereux and from there, on 29^th, evacuated to England onboard the Hospital Ship St. David.

Two former members of 10DWR, Ptes. John Cork and James Duncan Foster (see 11^th May) joined 2DWR from 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.

Saturday 26th May 1917

Boeschepe training area, near Watou

A beautiful Summer day. Over the next week the Battalion was to be occupied in intensive training for the coming Messines attack, using trenches built to replicate the German defences in the area of Hill 60 and the Caterpillar with which the Battalion was already so familiar from their previous tours and which would be the objective of their assault on 7^th June. In their training they were assisted also by a scale model, based on maps and aerial photographs, which had been constructed by Lt. Oakley of 8^th Yorkshires. The meticulous nature of the planning for the attack has been highlighted as one of the key reasons for the success of the operation.

Detailed orders for the attack to be made by 69^th Brigade as part of the opening of the Battle of Messines had been first issued on 19^th May and revised five days later. These orders would form the basis of the rehearsals and instruction which were to take place over the following two weeks. The need for secrecy was impressed in the opening of the orders which stated that, “Officers, NCO’s and men are strictly forbidden to enter into any conversation on the subject in public places or at any time excepted when required by duty”. The Division had been allocated the far left (north) of the British Second Army attack. The divisional assault was to be conducted by two brigades across a frontage of around 2,000 yards astride the railway line in the Hill 60 sector. 70^th Brigade had the far left flank, attacking north-east of Hill 60 and was also charged with holding the defensive flank which would be created by the limit of the British advance. To their right (south) was the section of front allocated to 69^th Brigade, from Windy Corner (I.35.a.0.2) to The Snout (I.29.d.3.7). They would be attacking across the German defences at Hill 60, the Caterpillar and on through Battle Wood toward, and ultimately beyond, the Ypres-Commines Canal. 10^th Battalion were responsible for the far right sector of the Divisional front with 11th West Yorks and 8th Yorkshires to their left.

The orders laid out the plans for a five-day preliminary bombardment, building on existing artillery barrages intended to destroy the German wire, and for the detonation of a series of mines along the German front line. Following the detonation of the mines there would be a ‘creeping barrage’, advancing successively from the German front line at specified intervals to support and shield the advancing infantry. The infantry assault was to commence fifteen seconds (the plan had originally specified two minutes) after the detonation of the mines, with the assault “to be carried through without halt as close up to the barrage as possible”. Prior to the detonation “all dugouts and subways will be evacuated and assaulting troops formed up lying down in front of their trenches”.

The ultimate objective was to penetrate the German lines to a depth of around 1,400 yards, to what was known in the plan as the black line. This advance was to be conducted in two phases. In phase one the advance would be firstly to the red line (roughly the line of the German support trenches) and then, after only a short delay, straight on to the intermediate objective (the blue line). For 10^th Battalion this was towards the southern edge of Battle Wood. At this point there was to be an extended pause in the assault of around three hours to allow for consolidation and reinforcement of the ground won and for fresh troops to pass through and carry the attack forward. There would then be a further advance to the black line, beyond the original German defences and located so as to give a commanding position over the plain to the east. In 10^th Battalion’s case this black line lay beyond the southern edge of Battle Wood and across the Ypres-Commines Canal.

Plan of 69th Brigade positions and three lines of objectives.

10DWR was designated 'A' Battalion

The specific plan for 10DWR provided for the first wave of the attack to be carried out by ‘D’ Company on the left and by ‘A’ Company on the right advancing in extended order and to press on, without delay, through the red line objective and on to the blue line, where they were to halt and consolidate. Immediately behind this first wave was to be a second wave, of one platoon each from ‘C’ and ‘B’ Companies. Their task was to clear and consolidate the German support and reserve lines, leaving clear indications (by the use of coloured flags) as to which dugouts had been cleared of the enemy. Behind these ‘moppers up’ (as the second wave was designated) were two further waves, comprising the rest of ‘C’ and ‘B’ Companies who were to clear and consolidate the red and blue lines and also to ensure passage between the two lines through the communication trenches. The timing of the British barrage allowed for three minutes from zero hour before it would lift from the German front line; seventeen minutes later the barrage would lift from the red line and finally, at zero plus 45 minutes, the barrage would lift from the blue line, allowing the troops to advance to their final first phase objectives.

There was a clear statement in the orders of the need to secure the first phase objectives before the final advance to the black line, to be carried out by fresh troops from 9^th Yorkshires and 12^th DLI, was attempted. Two key strongpoints were to be established as soon as possible in the old German support line; each of them manned by two machine guns and twenty riflemen. Battalion HQ would also be moved forward as soon as the blue line was secured. The planning for the transmission of ammunition, equipment and other essentials to the new positions was meticulous, down to an individual level. Troops in the fourth wave had the principal responsibility and in each platoon specific sections were to be responsible for the delivery of wire and stakes; sandbags; bombs (grenades); and small arms ammunition. Having deposited their initial loads these carrying parties were given strict instructions as for their return journeys:

“Carrying parties on return journeys must bring back salvage or prisoners. If there are none of these, rifle and equipment from casualties nearby must be carried back. Parties must never return empty-handed. The NCO in charge of each section must keep his men closed up together.”

These carrying parties were to wear distinctive yellow armlets to ensure their passage through the lines as:

“No NCO or man is allowed to move back from the front (except wounded) unless he is wearing a distinctive armlet. Any men so found are likely to be arrested by Battle Police. … Wounded men must not be allowed to discard their arms and equipment unless their wounds are so severe as to render the men incapable of carrying them. Slight wounded walking cases who have disobeyed this order will be sent back by Battle Police to fetch their rifle and equipment.”

The minutiae of these orders serves to confirm the meticulous nature of the planning.

A similar level of detail was transmitted to the men with regard to the arrangements for the passage of information. The captured German positions were to be clearly marked with signboards indicating their new identification (‘blue line’, ‘red line’ etc). Large quantities of very lights for use in signalling were to be carried by all Companies and comprehensive instructions were given for the precise manner in which runners were to be used in the despatch of messages. All messages were to be issued in duplicate and carried by two runners, to be despatched fifty yards apart, carrying the messages in their top right hand pocket. Details were made clear as to exactly how the messages were then to be relayed back to Battalion HQ. A forward signals party was to advance with the fourth wave (the carrying parties) so as to “miss the enemy barrage but must not take any part in the fighting”. This party would then establish communications (by runner) from the front line back to Battalion HQ. There was also a stern reminder in the orders regarding any failure to press home the attack:

“It must be impressed on all ranks that the word of command "RETIRE" does not exist. The enemy use it frequently as a ruse. It is only in very exceptional cases that men should be ordered to withdraw. In such cases the order will be "WITHDRAW". Anyone using the "RETIRE" will be treated as an enemy.”

The prescribed ‘fighting kit’ for the men was to be steel helmet; haversack on back; water bottle filled; entrenching tool; waterproof sheet; one large tool on back of every other man in proportion of 5 shovels to 2 picks; tube helmet; box respirator; field dressing; two sandbags per man; two grenades, one in each top pocket of jacket, to be collected by section commanders on reaching objective and used to form a reserve; 120 rounds small arms ammunition; two flares every other man, one in each bottom pocket of jacket; one iron ration; one day’s preserved meat and biscuits”. It was also ordered that, “All Infantry Officers must be dressed and equipped the same as their men. Sticks are not to be carried”; clear lessons had been learned about the capacity of the Germans to identify and target officers during attacks.

With time to reflect on recent events, a number of the colleagues of Pte. Arthur Gill (see 22^nd May) who had been killed a few days earlier, wrote home to his family. Pte. William Boodle (see 22^nd May) had been with him at the time and had himself been injured; "I am sorry to tell you that your son was killed on May 22^nd, about 2-50 a.m. He had just got into a dugout to have a sleep after being on patrol all night, and he had not been in it an hour when the Germans opened a very heavy bombardment upon us. The first shell knocked the dugout in and buried five of us. We got out all right, but suddenly found that your boy was still under, being covered with the remains of the dugout. I at once started to dig him out, and after working for an hour succeeded. I then got him on to a stretcher and saw him out of shellfire, as I was for hospital myself. His last wish as we parted was that I should write to you. We have been chums ever since we came to the Battalion, and I shall miss him very much. I can quite understand your feelings at the sad news which this letter brings you, and if ever I have the good luck to get over again I will come and see you and explain how it happened, as I live in Leeds myself." Pte. John William Atkinson MM (see 22^nd May) had been one of the stretcher bearers who had attended to Gill; “You will no doubt have heard about the death of your loving son Arthur, as I wrote to my wife and mother to let you know. Well, the Germans gave us a terrible bombardment on the 22^nd inst. I am sorry to say Arthur was in a dug-out which they knocked in with a shell, and he was very badly wounded and died nearly right away. It is with deepest sympathy that I am writing this letter, but I thought it my duty to let you know as early as possible. He was very well respected by all, and I am sorry to say we have lost such a good soldier. He, however, died a hero doing his duty to the last. I hope our Heavenly Father will be a comforter to you in this awful hour of trial and trouble." 2Lt. Robert Oswald Milligan (see 6^th November 1916) was Gill’s platoon officer; “You have probably by this time been informed officially of the extremely sad death in action of your son. Gill had been in my platoon from the time he joined this battalion and was always a favourite amongst his fellows. His cheery spirit made him popular wherever he went, and he was one of the men on whom I could always depend. Some months ago I chose him as my 'runner,' that is, my constant attendant in action, and it was his lot to be by my side during many a lonely watch and in many an exciting hour. He received his unfortunate wound whilst resting. Only a few hours before his death, during a very heavy bombardment, we both escaped miraculously from a shell which burst within six feet of us. And so, having my self realised his worth, I can in some small way realise how great is your loss. Please convey to his mother my deep sympathy, and be assured that I hope and pray that you all may have strength to bear your great loss, and to feel the pride of having sacrificed so much for the great cause." Sgt. Alfred Dolding (see 10^th May) also wrote; “I am writing to let you know how sorry the lads and myself are at having lost your son Arthur. He was loved by everyone in the platoon, and he died doing his duty. He was always cheerful, and had a good word for everybody. He never once gave me an anxious moment, as his Platoon Sergeant. I can speak as I found him. I know it seems very hard for so young a boy to be cut off - but I believe he will receive a just reward for the good life he lived. I hope you will accept our deepest sympathy. Your, son was a good boy."

Sgt. George Richard Goodchild (see 28^th March) was appointed Orderly Room Clerk.

Sgt. George Richard Goodchild

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Pte. John Killerby (see 5^th May) again found himself on a charge, this time for being “improperly dressed on parade”; he was ordered to be confined to barracks for three days.

Pte. Fred Heppinstall (see 21^st April), who had only returned to duty a month earlier following treatment for scabies, again reported sick with the same complaint; he was admitted to 70^th Field Ambulance at Landbouver Farm, north-west of Reninghest before being transferred, two days later, to 50^th Casualty Clearing Station at Mont des Cats.

Pte. Harold Peel (see 3^rd May) re-joined the Battalion from 50^th Casualty Clearing Station at Hazebrouck having been treated for three weeks for scabies.
Cpl. John Stewart (see 16^th May) who had spent the previous ten days at 23^rd Division Rest Station at Waratah Camp, south-east of Poperinghe, suffering from ‘Pyrexia, NYD’ (high temperature, not yet diagnosed), was now discharged to duty.

Pte. Thomas Wood joined the battalion; he was a 24 year-old packer from Bethnal Green and married with one daughter. He had been due to join some weeks earlier, having been posted to France in late March. However, on arrival in France he had reported sick, suffering from an inguinal hernia. He had been admitted to 4^th General Hospital at Camiers for treatment and had then been posted to 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples where he had spent five weeks.

After spending a week at 13^th General Hospital at Boulogne being treated for shrapnel wounds, Pte. Walter Pedley (see 16^th January) was evacuated to England onboard the Hospital Ship St. Denis; it is not clear to which hospital he was admitted once in England.

Pte. Thomas Legg (see 4^th April) was discharged from the Lord Derby War Hospital in Warrington; he would have ten days’ leave before reporting to Northern Command Depot at Ripon.

Cpl. James Shackleton MM (see 17^th March), who was in England having been seriously wounded in February, was married, at Ingrow Church, to Edith Davies.

Cpl. James Shackleton MM

Pte. George Slater (see 29^th August 1916), who had been back in England since being wounded on the Somme in July 1916, appeared before an army medical board. The board found him unfit for active service and ordered that he be transferred to the Army Reserve, Class P; this classification of the reserve had been introduced in October 1916 and applied to men “whose services were deemed to be temporarily of more value to the country in civil life rather than in the Army”.  

William Neville Dawson (see 10^th February), who had been ordered to relinquish his commission  following extended proceedings regarding his capacity to hold the post of Second Lieutenant, re-enlisted in the army at Barnard Castle, joining 16^th (Transport Workers) Battalion York and Lancasters.

Friday 25th May 1917

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

The weather became very hot.

Although there is no specific mention in the War Diary, another man, Pte. Luther Taylor (16^th January) was killed before the Battalion was relieved by 8^th Yorks and Lancs in the early hours. On completion of the relief at around 4.30am, on a beautiful morning, the Battalion marched seven miles, via Kruistraat, to Brandhoek, from where they were taken by train to Abeele and then marched the final two miles north to billets in the Boeschepe training area, near Watou.  In addition to the sixteen men killed over the course of the six-day tour, a further thirty men had been wounded by the time the Battalion was relieved.

Pte. Harold Precious (see 1^st April) was reported as having “fallen out on the line of march without permission”; Maj. James Christopher Bull (see 18^th May) ordered that he should be confined to barracks for three days.

Pte. George Drake (see below) wrote to the mother of Sgt. John Hudson (see 23^rd May) who had been killed two days previously;

"Dear Mrs. Hudson, - It is my painful duty to inform you that your son was killed on the 22^nd (sic.), along with another six, by an enemy shell which fell in the midst of them. I can assure you that he suffered no pain whatever, his death being instantaneous. He was buried the same night, along with his comrades, in a cemetery halfway between Ypres and the line. In the course of a few days a cross will mark the place. He was a good pal and everyone in the Company liked him; he did his duty nobly and was a brave soldier. It was about five o'clock when he was killed. Had he lived a few more hours he would have gone out of the trenches the same night to seek billets for the battalion. 

Jack Hargreaves (I am, as yet, unable to make a positive identification of this man), who comes from Farnhill, was one of the party who buried him. He told me they were buried decently, and a parson read the Burial Service. All the Company and the non-commissioned officers and men join in tendering you their deepest sympathy in your sad loss. He was my best pal, and I was nearly heartbroken when I heard about it. You have my deepest sympathy, but he has died in fighting for the freedom of Old England and the banishing of Prussianism. We are out of the trenches at present. 

Jack's old pal, George Drake."

George Drake, along with his younger brother John Drake, had enlisted with Hudson and with two other men (names unknown) from Bradley in the early days of the war. All had served initially with 9DWR, but George Drake, having been wounded in March 1916, and Hudson had subsequently been transferred to 10DWR. George Drake had enlisted aged 19 (his brother was a year younger); they were two of seven children of John Thomas Drake and his wife, Annie. The family lived in Bradley, and both of the brothers worked in the local textile mills.

Just a week after being transferred, Pte. Albert Saville (see 17^th May) was reported absent without leave from 298^th Labour Company, based at Ripon.


Pte. John Dalby (see 21^st March), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was posted back to France; he was originally due to join 9DWR but would instead be re-posted to 2^nd/6^th DWR.

Pte. Thomas Bulcock (see 30^th April), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was appointed (unpaid) Lance Corporal.

Pte. Victor Frank Collen (see 6^th October 1916) who had been wounded on the Somme in October 1916 and had been in England ever since, was transferred to the Army Reserve, Class P

L.Cpl. Maurice Bannister (see 21^st November 1916), who had been in England since having been wounded in October 1916, was formally discharged from the army, with the award of the Silver War Badge; he was assessed as having suffered a 30% disability on account of his wounds and was awarded an Army pension of 12s. per week. On leaving the army he resumed his former employment as a fitter with one of the local engineering firms in Keighley.

Pte. Maurice Bannister