Friday 24th May 1918

Billetted in huts at Granezza.

It was remarked that, “Conditions on the Asiago Plateau had greatly changed since the Division’s first tour. The weather had become mild and pleasant, the snow had mostly disappeared, and the advent of Spring had combined with the general provocation of our own and the French guns to rouse the Austrian artillery from their customary lethargy … A brilliant sun shone without being oppressive, a soft, balmy breeze blew through the glades between the pines and on all sides spring flowers poked up out of the carpet of moss and pine cones. Rations were also much better – including rice, oatmeal and more butter”. 

Extensive preparations began to be put in place for a planned allied advance, which was intended not only to overrun the Austrian front line but also to push on into the high mountains beyond. In the event, other circumstances would intervene and the planned operations would never be put into effect.

Cpl. Thomas Butler (see 13^th March) was reported by Lt. Arthur Neill (see 15^th March) for drunkenness; he was placed in confinement pending trial by Field General Court Martial.

Pte. John Smallwood (see 9^th March) was reported by Sgts. Scott (unidentified) and John Stephenson (see 17^th May) for “insolence and using obscene language to an NCO”; on the orders of Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 17^th May) he would undergo seven days’ Field Punishment no.1.

Pte. Jacob Osborne (see 31^st August 1916), who was serving with 2^nd/4^th DWR, died of wounds. He was buried at Bienvillers Military Cemetery, south-east of Arras.

Sgt. Richard Farrar (see 10^th May), serving at the Regimental Depot in Halifax, was reported for ‘Neglect of duty; ie not returning to barracks and reporting to the RSM returning off conducting duty’; he would be severely reprimanded but suffer no further sanction.

CSM Harry Dewhirst (see 11^th December 1917), formerly of 10DWR, serving with 4DWR at Rugeley Camp, Staffs., was attached to the Military Provost Staff Corps and appointed Acting RSM and Quartermaster Sergeant in charge of groups of prisoners of war at No.42 Agricultural Depot at Halam, Nottinghamshire.

Following the recent exchange of correspondence between his family and the authorities, A pension award was made in the case of the late L.Sgt. Fred Light Pashley (see 22^nd April), who had been posted ‘missing in action’ on 20^th September 1917. Despite the representations made by his family on the grounds that Pashley and his wife had been estranged, the award was made to Pashley’s widow, Elsie Annie; she was to receive 21s. 8d. per week for herself and her son.

The War Office wrote to the solicitors dealing with the estate of the late L.Cpl. Arthur Milner (see 6^th May), who had been officially missing in action since 20^th September 1917, informing them that, “an unofficial report of this soldier’s death has been received through the British Red Cross Society from 25214 Pte. F.J. Russell (Pte. Frederick Russell, see 5^th July 1917 and see below) of the same regiment, who has been examined, and it is feared that his statement is correct”. They confirmed that they would now proceed with the official acceptance of Milner’s death.

This reference to Pte. Russell would suggest that he may have been wounded at the same time as Milner had been killed, although this cannot be confirmed. In any event, Russell was, at a point unknown, transferred from 10DWR successively to 8DWR and 5DWR, before then being transferred to the Yorkshire Regiment.
A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Joseph Clough (see 28^th February 1918), who had died of wounds in December 1917 while serving with 2^nd/7^th DWR; his widow, Mary, was awarded 13s. 9d. per week.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald reported news of the death of Pte. James Tuddenham, known to all as ‘Tudd’ (see 30^th April), who had been killed in action while serving with 1^st/6^th DWR.

Private James Tuddenham, Duke of Wellington's Regiment, killed in action April 30th, was 23 years of age and a native of Cumberland, but had lived in Earby for the past ten years. He enlisted in August, 1914, and had been previously wounded. Before joining up he was a weaver at Grove Shed (Messrs. R. Nutter and Co.), Earby.

 

Pte. James Tuddenham