Wednesday 6th February 1918

In billets between Crocetta and Biadene.

Another fine day.

Pte. Harold Raymond Hebdon (see 28^th May 1917) was admitted via 70^th Field Ambulance to 23^rd Division Rest Station, suffering from jaundice; he would be discharged and re-join the Battalion after eight days.

A/Cpl. William Atkinson (25980) (see 20^th December 1918) was transferred from 66^th General Hospital at Bordighera to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albaro, near Genoa; he had been suffering from influenza.

Pte. George King (25833) (see 29^th October 1917) was evacuated to the UK. He would be diagnosed as suffering from Addison’s disease, a disorder of the adrenal glands, which initially produces flu-like symptoms. The details of his treatment, both in Italy and the UK are unknown.

Pte. Robert Frank Smith (25829) (see 27^th January), re-joined the Battalion, having been away since mid-December having been treated for problems with his right knee. 

Ptes. Thomas Henry Fearn (see 26^th January) and Hartley Gibb (see 15^th November 1917) re-joined the Battalion from the Depot at Arquata Scrivia; both had been undergoing medical treatment since November 1917.

Pte. Frederick Thorn (see 23^rd December 1917) was discharged from 66^th General Hospital at Bordighera, but did not re-join 10DWR; instead, he was posted to XIV Corps reinforcement camp.

Pte. Horace Trinder (see 22^nd January) was evacuated to the UK from 57^th General Hospital at Marseilles onboard the Hospital Ship Warilda. He had originally been treated for pneumonia, but on returning to Britain he would be admitted to Merry Flats War Hospital, Govan, Glasgow, with a diagnosis of nephrtitis.

Pte. George Edward Crangle (see 9^th March 1916), serving in France with 2^nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles, was admitted to 2^nd General Hospital in Le Havre, suffering from wounds to his left forearm; he would be evacuated to England on 10^th February, travelling onboard the Hospital Ship Grantully Castle.

Pte. Joseph Chandler (see 11^th April 1917), serving in France with 8DWR was transferred to 1^st/7^th DWR.

2Lt. Wilfred Frederick John Thomson (see 12^th January), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was posted to France, en route to joining 10DWR in Italy.

Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 25^th January), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, appeared before an Army Medical Board assembled at Tynemouth. The Board reported that, “He has many decayed teeth which require extracting. All the teeth in both upper and lower jaws are carious and he is to have them extracted this week and is to be supplied with dentures”. The dental work was to be carried out in Newcastle, by a Mr. Bolam. Perks was expected to be fit only for home service for the next six weeks.

(I am greatly indebted to Janet Hudson for her kind permission to allow me to quote from Bob Perks’ correspondence).

Capt. Bob Perks DSO

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

2Lt. Thomas Arnold Woodcock (see 27^th December 1917), who had served with the Battalion for only three weeks before reporting sick in April, and was currently on attachment to 52^nd Durham Light Infantry, appeared before a further Medical Board assembled at Middlesbrough. The Board reported simply that, “he has improved”. He would (date unknown) re-join 3DWR at North Shields.

Pte. Edmund Peacock (see 4^th January), who had been in hospital in England for the previous month after suffering from an accidental bayonet wound and boils while serving in France with 9DWR, was posted to 3DWR at North Shields.

A payment of £6 11s. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. William Beswick (see 1^st October 1917), who had been killed in action on 1^st October 1917; the payment would go to his mother, Mary.

A payment of £3 2s. 6d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. John Robert Camm (see 20^th September 1917), who had been killed in action on 20^th September 1917; the payment would go to his father, George.

A payment of £3 15s. 8d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Ernest Hardcastle (see 12^th October), who had been killed in action on 21^st September 1917; the payment would go to his father, John.

Pte. Ernest Hardcastle