Tuesday 11th June 1918

Billetted in huts at Granezza.

The Battalion would be engaged in training for possible future operations, “engaged solely in training in hill warfare and the attack”; this was in preparation for an assault against the Austrian lines planned for late June. Any working parties required were to be furnished by battalions held in reserve so as to free the attacking battalions from training.

There was a further surge in hospital admissions of men suffering from influenza; at least 15 men were admitted via 70^th Field Ambulance to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station. The men admitted were Sgt. John William Wardman MM (see 3^rd June); Cpls. William Edward Varley (see 22^nd November 1917) and Thomas Anthony Swale (see 12th May); and Ptes. Francis Barrett (see 29^th October 1917); Charles Clear (see 29^th October 1917); James Foster (23956) (see below); Joseph Hadley (see10^th June); John Kelly (18983) DCM (see 20^th September 1917); Jack Massheder (see 29^th July 1916); William James Nunn (see 25^th November 1917); John Edward Smith (12299) (see below); William Henry South (see below); Samuel Stansfield (see 9^th February); Fred Sutcliffe (see 24^th February); and Arthur Walter Williams (see 28th May).

Cpl. Varley and Ptes. Barrett, Hadley, Nunn, Smith, Stansfield, Sutcliffe and Williams would be discharged and re-join the Battalion within the next five days. Sgt. Wardman, Cpl. Swale and Pte. Kelly would be transferred to 23^rd Division Rest Station within the next ten days. Clear, Foster and South would be transferred after four days to a Convalescent Camp at Grumolo. Pte. Massheder would be transferred after six days to 29^th Stationary Hospital in Cremona.

James Foster had previously served with 1^st/5^th DWR, but in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man or to establish when, or under what circumstances, he had joined 10DWR.

John Edward Smith was an original member of the Battalion; he had enlisted in Bradford in September 1914, aged 29 and working as a labourer.

William Henry South had previously served with 1^st/4^th DWR, but in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man or to establish when, or under what circumstances, he had joined 10DWR.

Sgt. John William Wardman DCM, MM

Image by kind permission of Paul Bishop

Pte. Samuel Stansfield

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Pte. William McVeigh (see 18^th February), serving at the Reinforcement Camp at Arquata Scrivia, having been taken ill in February, was also admitted to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station suffering from influenza; he was admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance. He would be discharged two days later and posted to the Convalescent Camp at Grumolo.

A week after he was due to report to Northern Command Depot at Ripon following his discharge from 1^st Northern General Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Pte. James Kilburn (see 5^th June), reported for duty at Ripon; he was ordered to be deprived of seven days’ pay. He was also admitted to the Camp Hospital, suffering from influenza and boils.

Pte. Frederick McKell (see 3^rd April), who was in England having been wounded while serving with 5DWR, was admitted to the Camp Hospital at Northern Command Depot, Ripon, for further medical treatment.