Friday 10th May 1918

Billets at Cornedo Vicentino.

Lt. Cyril William Wildy (see 18^th April) completed and submitted an application for secondment to the Signal Service, Royal Engineers. He supported his application with an additional statement of specific qualifications:

“I hold a 2^nd Class Instructor’s Certificate (distinguished) (Northern Army Signal School, Cambridge); a Windsor and Power Buzzer Cerificate (2^nd Army Signal School)”. Four days letter the application would be forwarded to 69^th Brigade with the endorsement of Maj. William Norman Town (see 9^th May), who stated, “This officer has been with the Battalion since 6.7.1917 and during that time he has efficiently carried out his duties and his character has been good. I recommend the application”. It would be further endorsed at Brigade by Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 24^th March) and by the Major commanding signals with 23^rd Division, who added, “This application is strongly recommended. Lt. Wildy has been an excellent battalion signalling officer since he has been with the Division. It is recommended that he should be attached to Signal Companies of various descriptions for short courses to enable him to gain experience prior to his being posted to any one unit”.

Pte. Herbert Williams (see 20^th April) was briefly admitted to hospital (cause unknown), but discharged to duty the same day.

Pte. Ernest Townsend (see 8^th February) was briefly admitted to 71^st Field Ambulance with a recurrence of the scabies for which he had been treated on previous occasions; he would be discharged to duty the following day.

Pte. Walter Gibson (see 8^th September 1917) was posted to XIV Corps Reinforcement Camp at Arquata Scrivia.

Pte. Walter Ralph (see 27^th April), who had been wounded in action while serving with 1^st/5^th York and Lancasters, suffering a severe wound to his right knee, was evacuated to England; he was the elder brother of Pte. Kit Ralph (see 30^th April 1917) who had been killed at Le Sars in October 1916. 

Pte. James Wilson (see 15^th April) arrived in England onboard the hospital ship Neuralia which had brought him back from South Africa, where he had contracted malaria. He would be admitted to Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol.

Sgt. Richard Farrar (see 19^th December 1917), serving at the Regimental Depot in Halifax, was reported for ‘Neglect of duty; ie when Company Orderly Sergeant failing to warn an NCO for Lloyd’s Piquet’; he would be reprimanded but suffer no further sanction.

An Army Medical Board was assembled at 2^nd London General Hospital, Chelsea to consider the case of 2Lt. Billy Oldfield MM (see 5^th May), who had been severely wounded while serving in France with 1^st/4^th DWR. The Board recorded the very severe nature of his injuries, “he was wounded by a shell which destroyed both eyes, shattered his lower jaw, broke the lower end of his left ulna, severed the ring finger of his left hand and inflicted many other injuries”, and found that he would be permanently unfit for any further service and would be likely to require at least six months’ hospital treatment.

2Lt. Billy Oldfield MM

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

George Henry Roberts (see 25^th April), formerly of 10^th Battalion, who had relinquished his commission in September 1917 following a serious injury sustained while playing football, was re-appointed to a temporary commission as Second Lieutenant with 3DWR at North Shields.

A further Army Medical Board convened at the Ida Convalescent Hospital, Leeds to consider the condition of Carl Parrington Branthwaite (see 12^th March), who had been permanently discharged from the Army on account of illness contracted in service. The Board again concluded that his disability was permanent and that he should remain in the Convalescent Hospital. He was awarded 27s. 6d. per week and would be re-examined in six months’ time.

A payment of £23 19s. 2d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. George King (16475) (see 18^th October 1917), who had been killed in action on 18^th October 1917; the payment would go to his married sister, Elizabeth S. Green.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald reported on the death of Pte. George Binns (see 14^th April), who had been killed in action while serving with 1^st/4^th DWR,

Much sympathy is felt for Mr. and Mrs. George Binns and family, Park Cottage, Barden, who have received official notice that their second son, Private G. Binns, West Riding Regiment, has been killed in action in France. Private Binns enlisted September 20th 1914, went to France August 1915 was wounded July 1916 and came to England, returning to the Front again as soon as fit. He had seen much hard fighting, had served on the Ypres front, in the 'push' on the Somme, and was present at Vimy Ridge. He was killed April 14th, and had he lived till Saturday last, would have been 21 years of age. He is the first Barden lad to be killed. Private Binns was of a genial disposition, and of very smart appearance, and had an exemplary character. As a boy he was a member of the Barden Church Choir. Prior to enlisting, he was in the employ of Mr. Geo. Atkinson, Low House, Barden. His brother, Private C. Binns, M.G.S., who was one of the first batch of Bolton Abbey lads to join the Colours, is now stationed at Belton Park, Grantham. He has seen much hard fighting, and has been wounded three times. He has only recently been discharged from hospital.

Pte. George Binns