Saturday 13th October 1917

Brewery Camp, on the road between Dickebusch and Vijverhoek.

A very wet day.

The Brigade War Diary, in very formal fashion, does give some idea of the increasingly dreadful coditions in the line, “During this period the weather conditions were very bad. The mud and wet combined with increased hostile artillery activity entailed great hardship on the troops”. Rather more graphically Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 1^st October), in his personal diary, noted “Condition of roads and ground simply appalling”. The true extent of the conditions was described in the official Divisional History, “The ground was in a terrible condition. Rain and incessant shelling had produced a quagmire through which it was already difficult to drag one’s way; Polygon Wood and Nonneboschen were rapidly becoming impassable. The approach to the line was made along almost obliterated tracks which led through a wilderness of shell-holes, surrounded by all the hideous wreckage of war, and filled with slimy water, which failed to hide the dead bodies of men and mules, which it had not been possible to clear from the field of battle. Men would occasionally sink so deep and fast in the mud that it would take close on an hour for two of their comrades to drag them out; laden mules would sometimes be drowned.”

The Battalion was placed under the command of 68^th Brigade. This was part of a larger move which saw all the Battalions of 69^th Brigade absorbed temporarily into 68^th and 70^th Brigades who were occupying the front line. 10DWR and 8Yorks joined 68^th Brigade, while 9Yorks and 11West Yorks were attached to 70^th Brigade.

Cpl. Harold Best (see 12^th August), was admitted to hospital (details unknown).

Cpl. James Henry Howarth (see 6th October) reported sick (details unknown) and would be admitted via 71^st Field Ambulance and 31^st Casualty Clearing Station to 2^nd Convalescent Depot at Rouen.

Pte. Leonard Briggs (see 1^st June) was admitted to 71^st Field Ambulance, suffering from conjunctivitis.

Pte. James Adams (see 8^th September) was taken on no. 1 Ambulance Train from Godewareswelde to Rouen for medical treatment (details unknown); he was suffering from condyloma (genital warts).

Pte. Henry Jarratt (see 25^th September), who had suffered relatively minor shrapnel wounds to his face on 20^th September, re-joined the Battalion from 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.

2Lt. Albert Joseph Acarnley (see 9^th October), who had arrived in France eight days previously, now reported for duty with the Battalion.

Pte. Willie Cowgill (see 18^th September), who had suffered shrapnel wounds to his left hand, was discharged from hospital and posted to 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, en route to a return to active service.

CSM Harry Dewhirst (see 1^st May 1916), formerly of 10DWR, was posted to the Regimental Depot at Halifax to 3DWR at North Shields.

A payment of £9 2s. 9d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Cpl. Dennis Bradbury (see 10^th June), who had been killed in action on 10^th June; the payment would be divided evenly between his two married sisters, Edith Armitage and Emily Muschamp.

The War Office wrote to the father of the late 2Lt. Samuel Lawrence Glover (see 10^th October) with further information received from the German authorities, via the Netherland Legation in Berlin. The family previously had confirmation of their son’s death (having been reported missing in action) and had received his identity disc; there was now official confirmation that he had been buried at Lomme Communal Cemetery.

2Lt. Samuel Lawrence Glover