Tuesday 18th June 1918

Front line trenches between San Sisto and Poslen.

After the fierce fighting of the 15^th June the situation was now quiet and “large working parties were found to repair damage caused by the enemy bombardment on the 15^th and all wire was repaired and very much strengthened”. Pte. Harold Charnock (see 25^th May) also remembered that “Here we had a great deal of clearing up to do and we brought in some 70 Austrian wounded from No-Man’s-Land.  We also buried nearly 200 Austrian dead”.

Pte. Herbert Phillips was admitted to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, suffering from “P.U.O” (pyrexia, or high temperature, of unknown origin). In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man, or to establish any details of his military service, beyond the fact that he had originally served with 9DWR before being transferred (date and details unknown) to 10DWR.

Sgt. Ellis Rigby (see 26th March) was posted back to England; he would have a period of leave before beginning training as a candidate for a commission.

2Lt. Frederick Griggs MM (see 26^th June 1917), serving as assistant transport officer with 2DWR, was injured in an accident in France. According to Lt. Colson, Transport Officer, Griggs had dropped his stick whilst riding and on dismounting to pick it up, had been kicked by Colson’s horse which was “a bad kicker”. Griggs suffered a fracture to his right elbow and would be evacuated to England three days later.

Pte. Harold Parsons (see 21^st April), who had been posted back to England from 2DWR two months previously, suffering from psoriasis, was posted to 3DWR at North Shields.

A payment of £8 16s. 8d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Sgt. George Thomas Bates (see 17^th November 1917), who had died of wounds in November 1917 while serving with 32^nd Company, Labour Corps; the payment would go to his widow, Emily.