Friday 22nd March 1918

Billets at Marola

L.Cpl. William Hay Murdock (see 8^th January) was promoted Corporal.

Pte. Walter James Biddle (see 18^th March) again found himself on a charge. He was reported by Sgt. Joseph Bell (see 7th March) for “inattention on Commanding Officer’s parade”; on the orders of Capt. Dick Bolton MC (see 20^th March) he would be confined to barracks for three days.

Pte. Frank Dunn (see 8^th February) was reported by Sgt. Herbert Wheyland (see 21st March) for “leaving the ranks without permission”; on the orders of Capt. Dick Bolton MC (see above) he was to be confined to barracks for five days.

Pte. Edgar Baron (see 31^st January) was reported by Sgt. Frank Brierley (see 21^st March), Cpl. Arthur Lee MM (see 21^st March) and L.Cpl. Robert Hitchen (see 21^st March) as having been “absent from billet from 9am”; he would not return until 9.50pm on the 24^th. On the orders of Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 21^st March) he would undergo 28 days’ Field Punishment no.1 and forfeit three days’ pay.

Pte. Richard Metcalfe (see 5^th April 1917) was reported by Sgt. Harry Smith (12240) (see 16^th November 1917), Sgt. Ernest Taylor (12370) (see 10th July 1916) and Cpl. Harold Best (see 18^th November 1917) as having been “absent off 2pm roll call until reporting himself at 4.45pm the same day” and also for “having in his possession the property of Italian civilians”; on the orders of Maj. James Christopher Bull MC (see 21^st March) he would undergo seven days’ Field Punishment no.1.

Pte. Joseph William Carter (see 25^th November) was reported by L.Cpl. Enoch Wilson Rhodes MM (see 11^th January) and Cpl. Harold Best (see 18^th November 1917) as having been “absent from 9.30pm until reporting himself at 9.45pm on the same date; on the orders of 2Lt. John William Pontefract (see 21^st March), he was to be confined to barracks for seven days.

Cpl. Joseph Edward Robinson (see 25^th February) and Ptes. William George Clements (see 25^th February), Walter Eary (see 18^th February) Ernest Heyhirst (see 25^th February) and Lancelot Johnson (see 18^th February) all returned from two weeks leave; the reason for their delayed return is unclear.

Pte. Ernest George Denyer (see 10^th March) was transferred from 51^st Stationery Hospital at Arquata Scrivia to 11^th General Hospital in Genoa; he was suffering from psoriasis.

Pte. Tom Swales (see 15^th August 1916), serving with 9DWR near Havrincourt, was reported wounded and missing. He would subsequently be presumed to have been killed on or around this date; he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

Pte. Tom Swales

Cpl. Michael Kenefick MM (see 27^th February), who had been in England since having been wounded in September 1917, was transferred to Northern Command Depot at Ripon where he would be admitted to the Camp Hospital for further treatment to his wounds.

L.Cpl. Wright Firth (see 4^th January), who had had a leg amputated having been severely wounded in October 1916, was formally discharged from the army as no longer physically fit for service. He was awarded the Silver War Badge and an Army pension (amount unknown).

L.Cpl. Wright Firth

At home in Kirtlington, Sidney Charles Rainbow jnr. died; he was the son Pte. Sidney John Rainbow (see 22^nd March). He was just 23 months old and his cause of death was recorded as having been “cerebral meningitis and tuberculosis”.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald reported on the memorial service held for Gnr. George Thistlethwaite (see 17^th March), who had died of wounds on 18^th February.

AUSTWICK - Memorial Service

On Sunday evening, at the Parish Church, the Vicar conducted a memorial service to the memory of the late Gunner G. Thistlethwaite, R.G.A., second son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Thistlethwaite, Main Street. Hymns suitable to the occasion were sung with tender feeling. 'O Rest in the Lord' was sung as a solo by Miss Ethel Robinson. The Rev. A. C. Sutcliffe delivered an address.

Gnr. George Thistlethwaite

There was also news of the official confirmation of the death of Pte. Sydney Whitaker, who had been reported missing in action in May 1917 while serving with 2^nd/5^th West Yorks.; he was the younger brother of of Pte. Edgar Whitaker (see 3^rd May 1917), who had been killed at Le Sars in October 1916.

Grassington Lad Killed in Action

Official information has been received by Mr. Wm. Whitaker, of Brooklyn, Grassington, that his younger son, Pte. Sidney Whitaker, West Yorkshire Regiment, who has been missing since May 3rd last, is now presumed to have been killed in action on or about that data. Much sympathy is felt with Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker, who have lost their only two sons in the war.