Tuesday 19th March 1918

Billets at Marola

Brigade sports and transport competitions were held; “An excellent ground was lent by Signor Forasaco Paolo, the proprietor of the Brigade Headquarter billet at Gaianigo. The programme was carried out with great success. A large number of entries being made for the various events”. Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 2^nd March), along with the other Battalion CO’s was part of the organizing committee and the Battalion Chaplain, Rev. Hugh Wilfrid Todd (see 23^rd September 1917) was a member of the sub-committee. Former 10DWR officer, Capt. Hugh William Lester MC (see 15^th August 1917) was a judge for both the tug o’ war and the cross country race.

There was an extensive programme of events, which began with the judging of the transport competitions at 2pm. The rest of the programme was:

2.15 Semi-finals of the inter-Battalion tug o’ war.

2.45 Battalion relay race, with teams of 40 men per Battalion.

3.15 Cross-country race over two kilometres, with 15 water jumps; men who had competed in the relay race were not allowed to race again in this event.

3.45 Driving competition

4.15 Officers’ jumping competition.

5.00 Officers’ lemon cutting etc; “two lemons, two rings and one peg to be taken with sword”; with a prize of a cigarette case presented by Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 29^th January).

5.30 Limber competition.

6.00 Final of the tug o’ war.

6.15 Officers’ hurdle race.

6.30 Mule race for NCO’s and men, with first prizes of 10 and 5 lire respectively.

Over the following days there were also to be other events including pack transport and Yukon pack competitions, musketry and Lewis Gun competitions, boxing, football and a Khud race; all of which would accumulate points towards the award of the shield to be presented to the overall winners.

The Brigade War Diary records the outcome of the various events. Among the four battalions of the Brigade 10DWR finished second in each of the tug o’ war, relay race and cross country events and fourth in the transport competition, leaving them second in the overall standings. Pte. Harold Charnock (see 25^th February) remembered that, “The weather was splendid and the first part of the Brigade competition was held with transport and horse shows, tug of war and other competitions.  We were a good second to the 11^th West Yorkshires”.

Pte. Nathaniel Bather (see 7^th May 1917) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 23^rd Division Rest Station; he was suffering from “I.C.T.” (inflammation of the connective tissue), general.

Pte. James Arthur Markinson MM (see 27^th December 1917) was posted back to France from 3DWR at North Shields; he would join 2DWR.

Pte. Ernest Smith (29167) (see 18^th February) was posted back to France from 3DWR at North Shields; he would join 5DWR.

Cpl. Edwin Lightfoot (see 28^th February), who had been in England since having wounded on 20^th September 1917, was formally discharged from the army as no longer physically fit for service. He was awarded a pension of 30s. per week for 13 weeks, reucing thereafter to 15s.per week and to be reviewed in a year’s time.

Pte. James Duncan Foster (see 9^th February), serving with 2DWR, was again admitted to hospital, suffering from inflammation to both legs. He would spend around two weeks in hospital before re-joining his battalion.