Friday 28th December 1917

Front line trenches on the Montello.

There was heavy snowfall through the day.

Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 27^th December) reviewed the recent sentence which had been passed in the case of L.Cpl. John William Mallinson (see 2^nd December); he confirmed the sentence of the court martial, but ordered that Mallinson should not be committed to prison until further notice.

L.Cpl. Ernest Gee (see 23^rd September), who had been in England since having been wounded on 20^th September, was discharged from hospital and posted to Northern Command Depot at Ripon.

Cpl. Thomas Arthur Sturdy (see 3^rd July), who had been in England since having suffered severe wounds to his left leg on 6^th June, appeared before an Army Medical Board at King George Hospital, Stamford Street, London. The Board found him unfit for any further service and recommended that he be discharged.


A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Fred Brown (see 22^nd September), who had been killed in action on 7^th June; his mother, Alice Ann, was awarded 12s. 6d. per week.

Pte. Fred Brown

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Fred Crabtree (see 3^rd May), who had been reported missing in action in May while serving with 2DWR; his mother, Elizabeth, was awarded 11s.per week.

The War Office wrote to Mrs. Florence Church, widow of the late Pte. Edwin Charles Church (see 15^th October), who had been killed in action on 20^th September, requesting that she forward birth certificates for her two children in order that they could process her claim to an army pension.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald reported news of Pte. Edmund Peacock (see 13^th November), serving in France with 9DWR:

IN RECOGNITION OF CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY

Private Edmund Peacock, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, has been highly commended for his bravery at the Front. He has been presented with a tasteful certificate, signed by Major-General Robertson, commander of the 17^th Division, with the following inscription: “Pte. Edmund Peacock, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment, in recognition of conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in conveying messages under fire on 13^th November 1917”. In a letter to the parents, who live at Bentley Street, Nelson, Captain Mackenzie states that the card was awarded Pt. Peacock for having made several journeys over bad ground with messages and keeping up communication between the company and battalion headquarters. He was engaged on this work when wounded and carried on his work, not complaining till next morning of any injury. 

The London Gazette published official notice of the award of the Albert Medal in gold to the late Lt. Arthur Halstead (see 6^th December), who had been killed in a bombing accident at X Corps School. The citation confirmed the circumstances of the incident: “On 31^st July 1917 during instruction in the throwing of live bombs, a bomb was accidentally dropped. Lt. Halstead placed himself between the bomb and the soldier who had dropped it, in order to screen him, and tried to kick the bomb away, but it exploded, fatally wounding him. The soldier was slightly wounded and there can be little doubt that Lt. Halstead’s gallant action saved the soldier’s life.”