Sunday 1st September 1918

In Brigade reserve camp near Cavalletto.

Pte. Noah Davis (see 27^th August), who had been admitted five days’ previously, suffering from pneumonia and jaundice, died at 9^th Casualty Clearing Station; he would be buried at Dueville Communal Cemetery Extension.

Pte. Daniel Mackenzie (see 4^th August) suffered an accidental injury which would see him admitted to 70^th Field Ambulance. According to Pte. Arthur Newton (see 29^th October 1917) “About 9pm at feeding time after I had fed my mules Pte. Mackenzie went into the stables to undo some chains that had become crossed when one of the mules became restless and kicked him on his right side”. He suffered bruising to his ribs which was described as ‘not severe’ and he would be discharged and re-join the Battalion after ten days.

Cpl. Harry Shackleton (see 26th August) was admitted via 24^th Casualty Clearing Station and 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia; he was suffering from ‘venereal disease – not yet diagnosed’. 

Sgts. Christopher Clapham MM (see 24^th August) and Harold Howlett (see 9^th July); Cpl. James Hotchkiss (see 26^th August); L.Cpl. Harry Seward (see 6^th August) and Ptes. Leonard Briggs (see 26^th March), Thomas Henry Fearn (see 20^th August), Hartley Gibb (see 6^th February), William Little (see 19^th February), Edward Shaw Powell (see 25^th November 1917), Fred Melton Vasey (see 29^th October 1917) and Alfred Whittaker (see 5^th June) departed on two weeks’ leave to England. 

Pte. Nathaniel Bather (see 10^th June), serving at the Base Depot at Arquata Scrivia, also departed on two weeks’ leave to England.

Brig. Genl. Archibald Bentley Beauman DSO (see 25^th August), commanding 69^th Brigade, considered the case of Pte. Frederick George Westlake (see 25^th August), who had suffered a gunshot wound to his right foot a week previously. Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 28^th August) had concluded that the injury was “probably accidental, as the man has a good character”. Brig. Genl. Beauman deferred judgement, requesting that a statement be obtained from Pte. Westlake himself. A statement was accordingly taken at 69^th Field Ambulance where Pte. Westlake was being treated: “I had been out on patrol the night previous and when I came in, forgetting to unload my rifle, I went to sleep. Next day we had to keep sheltered until 11 o’clock as the artillery were breaking the wire, for fear of retaliation, but when we came and had dinner I suddenly thought my rifle had to be cleaned, and went and picked it up to take my pull-through from the butt trap forgetting it were loaded, and while pulling my pull-through from the butt trap, it went off, blowing the rifle out of my hands and the bullet caught me in the foot”. Having reviewed Pte. Westlake’s statement, Brig. Genl. Beauman would conclude that Pte. Westlake had been negligent and should be tried by Field General Court Martial.

2Lt. Herbert Edwin James Biggs (see 23^rd August) was promoted Lieutenant.

Pte. John Henry Evison (see 10^th August) who had been in England since having been wounded on 21^st June, was posted to 3DWR at North Shields.