Wednesday 22nd August 1917

Billets near Moulle.

The recent fine and sunny weather continued.

L.Cpl. Thomas Ward (see 28^th July) was drowned whilst the Battalion was bathing in the river near Moulle. The circumstances were described in detail in submissions to the Court of Enquiry which would be held the following day. The Enquiry would be chaired by second-in-command, Maj. Edward Borrow (see 5^th August), sitting with Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 11^th August) and 2Lt. Charles George Edward White (see 12^th August). The three witnesses called before the Enquiry were Capt. Adrian O’Donnell Pereira (see 9^th August), Sgt. William Alfred Walmsley Gaunt (see 25^th April) and Capt. Stanhope Bayne Jones (see 21st August), who had been attached to the Battalion as Medical Officer the previous day in the absence on leave of Capt. Cecil Berry (see 21^st August).

Capt. Pereira reported that, “At 2pm 22/8/17 I marched my “B” Company to the river at Moulle, guided by a L/Cpl. who knew the recognised bathing place. I divided the Company into two parties – swimmers and non-swimmers. I was uncertain of the depth of the pool for non-swimmers and gave orders to Sgt. Gaunt that no one unable to swim should get into the water until the depth had been tested. I was going across to fetch three good swimmers to test the depth of the non-swimmers pool when I heard a shout and, on returning, saw L/Cpl. T. Ward in the water swimming towards the bank and shouting for help. A man who was already in the water swam to L/Cpl. Ward to help him but L/Cpl. Ward sank and did not reappear. Within half a minute four men were in the water searching for L/Cpl. Ward; his body was found about three quarters of an hour later”.

Sgt. Gaunt told the Enquiry that, “At about 2.45pm on 22/8/17 I was with “B” Company at the bathing place at Moulle. On arrival there Capt. Pereira issued the order for all men who could not swim to fall out; and pointed out a pool where they might bathe and issued an order that no one was to enter the water until the depth had been tested. No.17389 L/Cpl. T. Ward came to me; I asked him if he could swim, warning him that he must not enter the water unless he could swim. He then told me he could swim and entered the water, walking out till the water was up to his chest; then he swam about six strokes, turned round and started to swim back to the bank. He had only taken about six strokes when he shouted for help; another man was swimming near him and and swam within a foot of L/Cpl. Ward but L/Cpl. Ward sank without struggling and did not reappear. Within half a minute Capt. Bolton (see 20^th August), OC “A” Company, and about four other men had plunged into the water to search for L/Cpl. Ward”.

Capt. Bayne-Jones stated, “At about 3pm 22/8/17 I was in attendance at the bathing place at Moulle to examine Companies of 10^th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment for scabies. On my arrival I heard a man had been drowned; his body was found about 3.30pm. I saw him as soon as he was brought ashore and under my direction artificial respiration was continued for two hours, when oxygen was obtained from St. Omer and applied without avail. At about 6pm I had the body removed to the mortuary at No.10 Stationary Hospital at St. Omer. I formed the opinion during the time that artificial respiration was being applied that death was due to primary heart failure, possibly consequent on the man entering the water in a heated condition after a big meal”.

The Enquiry found that “the death of L/Cpl. T. Ward was due to drowning from heart failure; that it was purely accidental; that all due precautions had been taken; that no one is to blame; and that it occurred whilst in the performance of his duty”. The findings were endorsed by both Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge (see 18^th August) and Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 18^th August).

Thomas Ward’s older brother, Robert, serving with the Seaforth Highlanders, had been killed in action just three weeks previously.

L.Cpl. Frank Mallinson MM (see 16^th August) and Ptes. Samuel Garside Hardy (see 5^th August) and William Kershaw (18282) (see 11^th November 1916) departed to England on ten days’ leave. 

L.Cpl. Ernest Wilson (11751) (see 27th January) was admitted to 4^th Stationary Hospital at Arques suffering from scabies.

Pte. James Thomas Sagar (see 13^th August), who had been in England since suffering fractured ribs in an accident in October 1916, was posted to 3DWR at North Shields, en route to a return to active service.

Cpl. Dennis Waller (see 11^th June), who had been wounded on 7^th June and had been treated in England, was also posted to join 3DWR. However, he was reported as having deserted.

Mrs. Geraldine Tunstill (see 17^th May), who had organised and managed a ‘Comforts Fund’ in support of the Company raised by her husband, Capt. Gilbert Tunstill (see 10^th August), and had subsequently established a ‘Soldier’s Rest Camp’ at Usworth while her husband was serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Brighton Road Schools, Gateshead, organised a fund-raising concert at the Alexandra Theatre, New Washington. This may also have been the occasion of the visit of a senior officer (unidentified) who is pictured in a 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

CSM Alfred Lodge MC (see 27^th July) was formally discharged from the Army on account of his wounds. He was awarded the Silver War Badge and a pension of 15s. per week, to be reviewed in six months.

CSM Alfred Lodge MC

A payment of £2 11s. 6d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Harold Illingworth Cawthra (see 23^rd May); the payment would go to his father, Joseph.