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