Monday 18th February 1918

Billets at Altivole.

Starting out at 11.30am, the Battalion marched a further three miles south to billets at Valla, which they took over from 18^th King’s Royal Rifles. Pte. Harold Charnock (see 27^th January) later recalled, “The march was very pleasant and Valla provided good billets and football grounds”.

Pte. Walter Evans (see 11^th January) was reported by Sgt. Charles Marsden (see 24^th December 1916) for “filling his water bottle from an unauthorised source”; on the orders of Maj. James Christopher Bull MC (see 21^st January) he was to be confined to barracks for three days.

Pte. William McVeigh (see 5^th October 1917) was admitted via 70^th Field Ambulance to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station, suffering from “I.C.T.” (inflammation of the connective tissue) to his right groin; an operation would be carried out the same day to drain the swollen area. Next day he would be evacuated onboard no.21 Ambulance Train (details and destination unknown).

Pte. Isaac Raisman (see 7^th November 1917) was admitted via 70^th Field Ambulance to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station, suffering from “I.C.T.” (inflammation of the connective tissue) ‘general’; next day he would be evacuated onboard no.21 Ambulance Train (details and destination unknown).

Cpl. Fred Greenwood MM (24522) (see 17^th December 1917), L.Cpl. Cain Rothera MM (see 17^th December 1917) and Ptes. Walter Eary (see 29^th October 1917), Harold Raymond Hebdon (see 6^th February), Lancelot Johnson (see 7^th January), Edwin Kenyon (see 20^th January 1917) and Ernest Mudd (see 16^th March 1917) departed for England on ten days’ leave.

Gnr. George Thistlethwaite (see 30^th November 1917), who had been serving with 226^th Siege Battaery, Royal Garrison Artillery, died of wounds at 3^rd Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Sidings, having been wounded some time previously. The circumstances of his death would be related to his family in a letter from one of the chaplains: "You will have had the very sad news of your son. He was brought here very severely wounded in the head, and quite unconscious. In spite of every care, his condition remained practically the same until yesterday afternoon, when he passed peacefully away. We have laid his body to rest in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, where a cross will mark his grave. His personal effects will be sent home by the authorities. I know what a great blow it will be to you, but you must be very proud in the remembrance of the loyal devotion with which your boy gave himself to the very end. Today I trust he has found, in the larger life of God's Paradise, a perfect rest after his labours, and I pray that the same God may be your comfort and strength in your great sorrow”. 

Sgt. Rennie Hirst (see 13^th January), serving in France with 2DWR, was admitted via 10^th Field Ambulance and 8^th Casualty Clearing Station to 15^th General Hospital at Abbeville; he was suffering from ‘trench fever’. 

Pte. Frank William Rabjohn (see 5^th February), imprisoned at no.1 Military Prison at Rouen having been convicted on a charge of ‘deserting His Majesty’s service’ had his sentence commuted from one of 15 years penal servitude to two years imprisonment with hard labour.

Ptes. Henry Charles Lindsay (see 9^th January), Frederick McKell (see 12^th October 1917), Charles Oldham (see 8^th January) and Ernest Smith (29167) (see 9^th January) were all reported absent off their final leave passes from 3DWR at North Shields.  Lindsay would be absent for a total of eight days and on returning would be sentenced to 28 days’ detention and loss of eight days’ pay. McKell and Oldham would be absent for two days and Smith for four. McKell and Oldham would be sentenced to four days’ Field Punishment no.2 and forfeit two days’ pay, while Smith would have eight days’ punishment and would lose four days’ pay.

A payment of £3 3s. 1d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Edwin Waterworth (see 20^th September 1917) who had been killed in action on 20^th September 1917 while attached to 69^th Brigade Trench Mortar Battery; the payment would go to his cousin and sole legatee, Mrs. Ada Smith.