Friday 14th June 1918

Billetted in huts at Granezza.

At Divisional level, “late in the afternoon … the most certain information was received that the Austrians intended to launch a heavy attack on the following day … Very positive rumours of an intended hostile attack had been frequent, and had hitherto proved vain, but on this occasion there seemed little doubt that the Austrians were, indeed, to make their supreme effort. According to the information, the attack would be preceded by a gas bombardment. On the Asiago Plateau the British front would be included in this bombardment, but not, it was thought, in the actual assault, which would probably be delivered west of the French front”.

Orders were issued for the front line battalions to be “in immediate readiness to occupy battle positions, to watch the front closely … and to ensure that all precautions against gas were being observed”. The reserve battalions (including 10DWR) were ordered to be ready to move at half an hour’s notice.

In the event this information was to prove only partially correct as the British lines would be assaulted as part of a massive assault by more than fifty Austrian divisions along a 75 mile front, from the Asiago Plateau to the sea. The assault would become known as the Battle of the Solstice and would put the Allied position under enormous pressure.

Ptes. Joseph Hirst (29641) (see 29^th March), John James Pickering (see 5^th October 1917), Richard Henry Wedgbury (see 18^th December 1917) and Jonas Yoxall (see 21^st April) were admitted via 70^th Field Ambulance and 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 23^rd Division Rest Station, suffering from influenza.

Cpl. William Foulds (see 10^th June), who had only re-joined the Battalion four days previously following a long absence since suffering an accidental injury in October 1917, was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance and 24^th Casualty Clearing Station to 11^th General Hospital in Genoa; he was suffering from swollen glands in his neck.

Pte. Harry Bailey (25198) (see 26^th May) was admitted via 70^th Field Ambulance to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera; he was suffering from gonorrhoea. 

Pte. Bruce Ernest Nash (see 29^th October 1917) was injured in an accident whilst returning to the Battalion along the steep and winding road which ascends the Asiago Plateau. The circumstances were described by Pte. Samuel Young: “I was, along with Pte. Nash, proceeding to join our Battalion. We rode on Italian buses, Nash on a bus in front of me. We came to a bend in the road where a collision occurred. Nash’s bus was overturned into the gulley. I went to his assistance and dressed his face and put him into the first Italian car that came along. The driver of the Italian car jumped off as the car was about to go over”. Nash would be admitted to 70^th Field Ambulance, having suffered injuries to his head and left arm.

In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of Pte. Samuel Young, other than for the fact that he had previously served with 1^st/5^th DWR.

Pte. Harry Gordon Binns MM (see 23^rd April), serving in France with 1^st/4^thDWR, was evacuated to England having suffered wounds to his right arm; the circumstances under which Pte. Binns had been wounded are unknown.


A pension award was made in the case of the late Sgt. Alfred Chitty (see 29^th July 1916) who had been killed in action in July 1916; his widow, Edith, was awarded 20s. 5d. per week for herself and her daughter.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald noted that three men from Bolton-by-Bowland were all home on leave. Pte. Irvine Clark (see 12^th May) had been one of Tunstill’s original recruits but was now serving at the Regimental Depot at Halifax. Pte. Robert Singleton (see 9^th June) had been another of Tunstill’s original recruits, but had been discharged in January 1915, on account of having flat feet; however, he had subsequently re-joined the Army. Also home on leave was Robert’s brother, Pte. George Singleton (see 14^th December 1917).