Thursday 17th May 1917

Scottish Camp, south-west of Brandhoek

The weather remained cold and there was rain throughout the day. Large working parties were again provided overnight. The relief planned to take place overnight (see 16^th May) was postponed for 24 hours. This may have been due to an intensive German bombardment which was noted in the War Diary of the 11^th Northumberland Fusiliers.

Pte. Patrick Sweeney (see 16^th May), who had been absent without leave since 1.30am the previous day, returned at 8.30pm.

Pte. Harry Robinson (see 15^th May) was discharged to duty from 23^rd Divisional Rest Station at Waratah Camp, south-east of Poperinghe.

Pte. Albert Saville (see 7^th March) was transferred from 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion at Gateshead to 298^th Labour Company, based at Ripon.

Pte. Edwin Wood (see 14^th April), who was in England having been wounded, was posted to Northern Command Depot at Ripon.

Mrs. Geraldine Tunstill (see 9^th February), who had organised and managed a ‘Comforts Fund’ in support of the Company raised by her husband, Capt. Gilbert Tunstill (see 8^th May), began a new initiative. Since November 1916 her husband had been serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Brighton Road Schools, Gateshead, and Geraldine had followed him to the north-east. She now opened a ‘Soldier’s Rest Camp’ at nearby Usworth. The purpose of the Camp was to support the men of 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, most of whom were recovering from wounds or illness contracted whilst on active service. I know little about the organisation and workings of the Camp, other than what is revealed in series of images from the photograph album kept by the Tunstills themselves (images by kind permission of Henry Bolton).

Geraldine Tunstill, seated centre with the dog on her lap

A/Sgt. Harry Smith (13781) (see 3^rd August 1916) was discharged from the Army with the award of the Silver War Badge as a result of wounds received on the Somme in the Summer of 1916. He had been one of Tunstill’s recruits from Waddington but I am, as yet, unable to make a positive identification beyond this.

2Lt. Stanley Belshaw, 2DWR, wrote to his family from a prison camp at Karlsruhe to reassure them that he was alive and well. He had been taken prisoner during the assault on the Chemical Works at Fampoux in which Capt. George Reginald Charles Heale MC (see 9^th May) had been reported wounded and missing. As well as telling his family about the circumstances of his own capture, Belshaw also confirmed that Heale “had his leg practically blown off and bled to death”. Heale’s remains were never recovered and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial.

 

Cpt. G.R.C. Heale MC

A payment of £3 4s 6d was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Richard Greenwood (see 6^th October 1916) who had been killed in action in October 1916; the payment would go to his brother, John.

A payment of £11 2s 6d was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. William Holdsworth (see 1^st February); the payment would go to his widow, Elizabeth.