Friday 1st February 1918

Front line trenches on the Montello, between roads 14 and 19.

The weather remained fine.

Pte. William Hewitt (25172) (see 31^st December 1917) suffered an accidental injury whilst in the front line. He “went to bring a shovel from an old dugout which was very deep. He caught hold of a post to help himself up and it gave way. The side fell in and buried him. He was got out as soon as possible and taken to the Medical Officer”. Hewitt was found to have suffered a sprained left ankle, but remained at duty.

Just two weeks after re-joining the Battalion L.Cpl. Jesse Merritt (see 19^th January) was again taken ill; he was admitted via 24^th Casualty Clearing Station to 66^th General Hospital at Bordighera, suffering from a recurrence of the symptoms which had previously seen him hospitalised for two months.

At some point in February Lt. George Stuart Hulburd (see 21^st November 1917), who had been in England since having been wounded on 20^th September 1917, was pictured in a photograph of a ‘concert party’ taken at Bigadon V.A. Hospital, Buckfastleigh, Devon.

Lt. George Stuart Hulburd (seated centre) with other officers

Image by kind permission of Paddy Ireland

A payment of £5 12s. 6d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the L.Cpl. Thomas Mullaney (see 20^th September 1917), who had been killed in action on 20^th September 1917; the payment would go to his mother, Mary.