Saturday 9th February 1918

In billets between Crocetta and Biadene.

The fine weather continued.

Pte. Fred Clayton (see 5^th January) was reported by CSM Ernest James Odell (see 10^th January) for ‘loss of jack knife’; on the orders of Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 25^th January) he was to pay for the lost item.

Ptes. Samuel Stansfield (see 8^th January) and James Stott (see 16^th November 1917) were reported by Sgts. Joseph Maddison MM (see 5^th January) and Herbert Wheyland (see 8^th February) for ‘loss of kit by neglect’; in Stansfield’s case a PH gas helmet but unspecified kit in the case of Stott. On the orders of Maj. Edward Borrow DSO (see 8^th February), commanding ‘A’ Company in the absence of Capt. Bolton (see 8^th February) both men were to pay for the lost items. 

Pte. Samuel Stansfield

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Lt. Ronald Ferguson (see 1^st September 1917) re-joined the Battalion from a temporary attachment to 69^th Machine Gun Company; it has not been established when he had joined 69^th Machine Gun Company.

Pte. Michael Langley (see 24^th January), who had been on leave to England, was reported as having overstayed his leave. 

Pte. Robert McCall (see 18^th October 1917), who had been severely wounded four months previously, suffering major chest wounds, was finally transferred back to the UK and admitted to Springburn Hospital in Glasgow.

Pte. James Duncan Foster (see 16^th January), serving with 2DWR, re-joined his Battalion following hospital treatment.

Cpl. Robert William Buckingham (see 19^th June 1917), serving at the Regimental Depot at Halifax, was reported for ‘Irregular conduct, ie quitting barracks whilst Company Orderly Sergeant’; he was ordered to be reduced to Lance Corporal.

Pte. John Broadbent (see 4^th September 1917), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was transferred to formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class W, to resume his civil employment as a dyer’s labourer with Messrs. John Shaw of Bradford.

Pte. Victor Hillam (see 4^th October 1917), who had been in England since October, suffering from pleurisy, was sufficiently recovered to be posted to 3DWR at North Shields.

A payment of £2 1s. 8d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Willie Priestley (see 20^th September 1917), who had been killed in action on 20^th September 1917; the payment would go to his widow, Lilian. She would also receive a parcel of her late husband’s personal effects, comprising of “photos, card, disc, 2 safety razor blades”.

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Ernest Arthur Carter (see 17^th January), who had been killed in action on 7^th June 1917; his widow, Eva, was awarded 13s. 9d. per week.