Wednesday 5th December 1917

Support positions between roads 12 and 13 on the Montello.

Bright and sunny, but freezing all day in the shade.

2Lt. John Robert Dickinson (see 3^rd December), serving with 2DWR in the line near Arras, was ‘exposed to shell gas’; he would be treated locally for relatively minor symptoms of ‘dyspnoea, headaches and a slight cough’.

Pte. Walter Dey (see 21^st 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.

Pte. Herbert Willoughby (see 6^th November) was discharged from 2^nd Convalescent Depot at Rouen and posted to one of the Infantry Base Depots at Etaples.

Pte. Harold Dale (see 20^th September), who had been wounded on 20^th September, was discharged from 2^nd Canadian General Hospital at Le Treport and transferred to 3^rd Convalescent Depot also at Le Treport.

Capt. Herbert Sparling (see 29^th October), who had been severely wounded on 18^th October, having his left leg amputated below the knee, was evacuated to England, where he would be admitted to 1^st London General Hospital. He was assessed on admission and it was reported that, “left leg – femur protruding beyond flaps about one inch; long incisions on either side granulating; fairly clean; right leg – all bruising now cleared”. Given the condition of his left leg a second operation would be carried out five days later amputating higher up the thigh.

Pte. Selwyn Stansfield (see 24^th October), who had been in England since being wounded in May, and was serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was reported as being absent off his final embarkation pass; he would return to duty two days later, at 5.50pm on 7^th December. He would be ordered to forfeit three days’ pay and undergo three days Field Punishment no. 2.

Pte. Ellis Sutcliffe (see 23^rd September), who had been in England since September, suffering from inflammation of his right knee, and was serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was reported as being absent off his final embarkation pass; he would return to duty seven days later, at 10.30pm on 11^th December. He would be ordered to forfeit seven days’ pay and undergo seven days Field Punishment no. 2.

Cpl. John Knowles (see 7^th October 1916), serving with 83^rd Training Reserve Battalion, based at Gateshead, was transferred to the Non-Combatant Labour Corps.

Pte. Patrick Ferguson (see 31st August), who had been in England since July, suffering from rheumatic fever, appeared before an Army Medical Board at Ripon which recommended that he be discharged from the Army as being no longer physically fit for service.

Pte. Charles William Hird (see 12^th October), who had been absent without leave two months previously, was again reported absent; this time he had overstayed his final embarkation leave pass.


A pension award was made in the case of the late Cpl. William Henry Scott (see 8^th October 1917), who had died of wounds in June; his widow, Susannah, was awarded 13s. 9d. per week.

Cpl. William Henry Scott

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Joe Kaye (see 7^th June), who had been killed in action on 7^th June; his mother, Mary, was awarded 15s. per week.