Wednesday 18th July 1917

Two Companies in the front line, between I.30.b.9.8. and I.30.c.8.4; Battalion HQ and one Company in Hedge Street Tunnels and the remaining Company in Canada dugouts.

Another wet and misty day. By now the trenches were sodden and, in place, almost impassable.

A fighting patrol, led by Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 9^th July) went out on the night of 18/19th but, as noted by Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 7^th July) in his diary, “Raid by 10DWR at 1.30am, Perks in charge, no success, being wet and foggy; no enemy found”. Lambert also, “Saw Raymer at his HQ after a night in trenches”.

Capt. Bob Perks DSO

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

Pte. Ernest Ashness (see 2^nd July), was admitted to 71^st Field Ambulance suffering from “ICT” (inflammation of the connective tissue) to his neck; he would be discharged to duty after two days’ treatment.

Having, a week earlier, received a copy of a from 2Lt. Stanley Belshaw, 2DWR, an official at the War Office wrote to the father of Capt. George Reginald Charles Heale MC (see 17^th May) who had been reported wounded and missing while serving with 2DWR in May:

“I am commanded by the Army Council to inform you with regret that a letter dated 19^th May 1917, concerning Captain GRC Heale MC, West Riding Regiment, has been received from 2^nd Lieutenant SA Belshaw, a Prisoner of War in Germany, stating “Two of our Captains, Heale and Cunningham, who will have been reported missing, both died from wounds”.

From the particulars given in the letter there can be no doubt that this statement refers to Captain GRC Heale MC. The Army Council are in consequence regretfully constrained to conclude that this officer died on 3^rd May 1917 of wounds received in action and I am to express their sympathy with you in your bereavement. I am to add that publication will be made in an early casualty list.”

Capt. George Reginald Charles Heale MC

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Arthur Edward Windsor (see 27^th February) who had been killed in action in October 1916; his mother, Clara, was awarded 6s. per week.

A review of the pension award which had been made in respect of the late Pte. Bertram Stanley Temperton (see 10^th May) who had been killed in action in July 1916, resulted in the weekly pension payable to his widow, Alice, being increased to 19s. 3d. per week.