Saturday 16th March 1918

Billets at Marola

Another very hot day.

It was during the stay at Marola that a number of photographs were taken which were kept by Capt. Dick Bolton MC (see 13^th March); they show Bolton and some of his fellow officers, including Capt. Henry Kelly VC (see 14^th December 1917), 2Lts. Cyril Edward Agar (see 25^th September 1917) and Edwin Everingham Ison (see 10th January) in relaxed moments enjoying the fine weather and pleasant conditions in and around their billets. (All the images below by kind permission of Henry Bolton).

In Dick Bolton’s album this image is captioned as, “Capt. Kelly VC and servants of ‘A’ Company at Marola, March 1918”.

Kelly and Bolton (leaning against the door jambs, left and right) with three other (unidentified) officers.

From left to right: Ison, Bolton, Kelly, Agar.

Capt. Dick Bolton MC

Pte. James Young McDonald (see 30^th January), serving with 5DWR, was admitted to hospital with an accidental wound, the details of which are unknown.

Pte. Charles Smith (12380) (see 22^nd September 1917), serving in England with 301^st Reserve Labour Company, was transferred to Eastern Command Labour Centre. 

A payment of £21 19s. 4d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Clement Wilson (see 20^th September 1917), who had been killed in action on 20^th September 1917; the payment would go to his mother, Annise. She would also receive a parcel of her son’s personal effects, comprising of, “wallet, letters, photos”.

A pension award was made in the case of the late Cpl. Joseph Rawnsley (see 29th January), who had been killed in action on 20^th September 1917; his widow, Sarah, was awarded £1 4s. 2d. per week for herself and her two children.