Friday 22nd June 1917

Le Coq de Pailie, close to Berthen

It began to rain around 7am and continued until about 4pm.

As he had anticipated in his recent letters home, 2Lt. Bob Perks DSO (see 16^th June), now in command of ‘C’ Company, was promoted Captain. 2Lt. Joseph Crocker (see 26^th October 1916) was promoted Lieutenant.

Capt. Bob Perks DSO

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

Cpl. Edwin Lightfoot (see 3^rd June) was confirmed in his rank and began to be paid, having previously held the rank unpaid.

Pte. Cuthbert Dyer (see 31^st December) left on ten days’ leave to England.

Pte. Harry Beaumont (29306) (see 9^th June) was was evacuated to England from 1^st Canadian General Hospital at Etaples, travelling onboard the Hospital Ship Stan Antwerpen; the details of his treatment in England are unknown.

Pte. Basil Middleton (see 7^th June), who had been wounded two weeks previously, was evacuated to England (details unknown).

Pte. Sydney Exley (see 12^th June), on completion of the ten days’ leave he had been granted following his discharge from hospital, joined 3DWR at Tynemouth.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried reports concerning three original members of Tunstill’s Company:

GRASSINGTON LAD RECOMMENDED FOR A COMMISSION

After nearly three years in the Army, and two on the Western Front, Lance-Corporal Christopher Longstaff (see 3^rd May), younger son of Mr. J. Longstaff of Grassington, has been recommended for a commission as Second-Lieutenant. He enlisted on the outbreak of war, and, after a year’s training, proceeded to France with the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. Since then he has seen much hard fighting, taking part in the Battle of the Somme, but has luckily so far escaped without injury. He is at present at home in Grassington and is awaiting orders to begin his training.

WOUNDED

Mrs. Thos. Darwin has received news that her husband, Pte. Thos. Darwin (see 9^th June), Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, is in hospital in France suffering from shrapnel wounds to his left shoulder. He is, however, improving nicely. Pte. Darwin only returned to France five weeks ago, after having been invalided to England last June (sic.) suffering from effects of gas and shell shock. His brother, Trooper Claude Darwin, of the Anzac Mounted Division, has been suffering from blood-poisoning in both hands, but has happily recovered. He is at present in Egypt.

L.Cpl. Christopher Longstaff (inset) and Pte. Tom Darwin (back row, third from right)

EARBY - KILLED IN ACTION

Private Tom Greenwood (see 7^th June), son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Greenwood, Cherrydene, Rostle Top Road, Earby, was killed in action on June 7th. He was 24 years of age, and had been in France nearly two years, having enlisted soon after the outbreak of war. An Earby comrade, who is home on leave, states that Pte. Greenwood was struck on the head by a piece of shrapnel and died instantly. He was formerly employed by the Earby Manufacturing Co. as a weaver, and was one of the leading spirits in the Wesleyan Guild.

 

Pte. Tom Greenwood