Thursday 20th December 1917

Front line trenches on the Montello.

The weather remained fine and warm.

A boat had recently been provided for the right battalion to assist in their attempts to cross the Piave for patrolling and reconnaissance of the far bank of the river. However, Pte. Harold Charnock (see 18^th December) remembered that, “Various attempts were made to cross the Piave by boats but the current was very strong and the river’s channels altered amazingly.  The Austrian line was mostly in the woods and undergrowth along the opposite side of the river and patrols could collect practically no information.  The nights were very cold”.  

A/Cpl. William Atkinson (25980) (see 3^rd November) was admitted via 70^th Field Ambulance and 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 66^th General Hospital at Bordighera; he was suffering from influenza.

Maj. Edward Borrow DSO (see 19^th November), who had been in England since having been wounded on 20^th September, left England en route to re-join 10DWR.

Ptes. John Edward Bartle MM (see 19^th August) and Dennis Waller (see 14^th November), who had been in England since having been wounded earlier in the year, were both posted back to France and would join 2^nd/4^th DWR.

Pte. Lewis Greenwood (see 20^th September), who had been in England since having been wounded on 20^th September, was formally posted to 3DWR at North Shields, but was reported as having deserted.

Pte. Joe Feather (see 16^th June), who had been severely wounded on 7^th June, was formally discharged from the Army with the award of the Silver War Badge.

A payment of £2 14s. 3d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. John William Hebb (see 20^th September), who had been killed in action on 20^th September; the payment would go to his widow, Mary.

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Jacob Sweeting (see 5^th September) who had originally been reported wounded, but later confirmed killed in action on 7^th June; his widow, Edith, was awarded 13s. 9d. per week.