Sunday 30th December 1917

Front line trenches on the Montello.

Pte. Herbert Holt (see 5^th October 1917) was admitted to 2^nd General Hospital in Le Havre (the details of his prior treatment in Italy are unknown), suffering from a whitlow (an infection) to his right index finger; after three days treatment he would be posted back to England onboard the Hospital Ship Essequibo. Pt. John Joseph Liddle was also admitted to the same hospital, suffering from boils to his back and legs; he would be treated for nine days before he too would be evacuated onboard the same hospital ship. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of Pte. Liddle; he had previously served with the Northumberland Fusiliers and would subsequently be transferred to the Army Service Corps.

Pte. Joseph Hirst (29641) (see 28^th November) re-joined the Battalion from 23^rd Division Rest Station.

L.Cpl. Reginald James Nosworthy (see 15^th November) was discharged from 11^th General Hospital in Genoa and posted to the base depot at Arquata Scrivia, en route to a return to active service.

One of Tunstill’s original recruits, Cpl. John Henry Hitchin (see 16^th November) was killed when the troopship Aragon was torpedoed just outside Alexandria Harbour. Also killed in the sinking was Cpl. Harry Wilkinson of the ASC; he was the brother of James Wilkinson jnr. (see 9^th November), who had also originally volunteered with Tunstill’s Company. The Aragon had sailed from Marseilles for Malta in the company of an escort group and was carrying some 2,500 bags of Christmas mail, 160 Nursing Sisters, 150 military officers, 2,200 troops, plus ship's officers and crew. The ship had arrived safely in Malta and remained there for four days before proceeding on to Alexandria. By all accounts the trip had been uneventful and, upon arrival, the ship had been allowed to enter the Port of Alexandria early on the morning of 30^th December but had then been ordered back out of the port due to either there being no berth available, or that the harbour was mined (the story varies). Nonetheless, the Aragon had departed the harbour and stood off approximately ten miles from port when a submarine was sighted which had then fired a torpedo. Efforts to avoid the torpedo had been unsuccessful and the Aragon had been hit on the after port side of the ship and immediately began sinking. HMS Attack, which had also been in the convoy, had immediately come alongside the ship and had taken on as many personnel as was possible before being forced away from the sinking ship. As HMS Attack stood off rescuing men in the water, she had also been struck by a torpedo and had sunk as well. 610 lives were lost in total. Both Hitchin and Wilkinson are among 380 men killed in the disaster who are now commemorated on the Chatby Memorial, Alexandria.

Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 14^th December), having just returned to 3DWR at North Shields following his Christmas leave, wrote to his father with news of a problem which had arisen in his absence and which would see him re-deployed to different duties with the Battalion. The precise nature of the events is unknown.

“Thanks very much for the wonderful writing case which is in use at the moment and looks like standing overseas use with great ease. My future address will be 52 Percy Gardens, Tynemouth. It is the mess for that Company and I am to live in the same house which is rather convenient for one so good at getting up as I am. I am sorry to leave Shields and “Auntie” is heartbroken but the two places run into each other and I shall often be back. I am to keep the key of this house and have the boy’s bicycle so that I can come in any time and often and the Vicarage people went on inviting me on Friday night as if nothing had happened.  It is a much jollier and select mess at Tynemouth and I know them nearly all but I am rather annoyed at the changing now.

I had another interview yesterday this time with the C.O. himself. He apologised in a way for moving me while I was away and admitted it was because of what happened when I was away. Said I must suffer for what my Company did when I was away. Thought I ought to have created a machine which ought to have gone on working when I was away. Had come to the conclusion it was too hard a job for me especially as I had not made the subalterns work enough. I would like to ask him a lot more things if I had been on my defence. I would have done but as I was already condemned in my absence, I thought it was useless to quarrel with another C.O. I had previously promised the adjutant who was very nice and sympathetic to me, I would try the work at Tynemouth before demanding being sent overseas but I think I shall go. The C.O. seemed to be keeping me more out of charity than because he wanted me so that unless I find he has really sent me a job of some use and interest I shall remember I am G.S.

Please thank Mother for letter and parcel and tell her Mrs K would like her recipe for parkin. Please ask Maybell too to thank her people for remembering me after all.”

 (I am greatly indebted to Janet Hudson for her kind permission to allow me to quote from Bob Perks’ correspondence).

Capt. Bob Perks DSO

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

Pte. John William Smith (11986) (see 27^th October), serving with the Labour Corps, was admitted to 1^st/2^nd North Midland Field Ambulance, suffering from indigestion; he would be discharged and return to duty after two days.