Sunday 25th August 1918

Support positions in the Lemerle Switch line.

Pte. Frederick George Westlake (see 14^th July) was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance after suffering a bullet wound to his right foot. The circumstances were described by Cpl. William Harry Hall (see below), “I was seated in a Lewis gun position when I heard the report of a rifle close at hand. I found Pte. Westlake lying on his right side. The muzzle of his rifle was against the middle of his back, with the butt close to his feet and he was bleeding from his right foot. The butt trap of the rifle was open and the pull-through partially pulled out as though Pte. Westlake was preparing to clean the rifle. I unloaded the rifle, finding four rounds in the magazine and an empty cartridge case in the breech. The cut-off was also open and the safety catch forward”. Battalion Medical Officer Capt. Norman Robert Davis (see 7^th August) reported Pte. Westlake’s injury as, “Gun shot wound penetrating right foot through the arch; injury trivial”. Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 31^st July) would consider whether Pte. Westlake was to blame for the injury and would conclude, “Doubtful, but probably accidental, as the man has a good character”. The case would then be referred for judgement by Brig. Genl. Archibald Bentley Beauman DSO (see 29^th July), commanding 69^th Brigade.

Cpl. William Harry Hall 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 and under what circumstances he had joined 10DWR.

Maj. James Christopher Bull MC (see 8^th August), who had been in temporary command of 8Yorks since 22^nd June, re-joined the Battalion.

Major James Christopher Bull MC

Image by kind permission of the Trustees of the DWR Museum

Cpl. Walter Smith (18428) (see 1^st July) and Ptes. William Hewitt (25172) (see 14^th August) and Arthur Thomas Wilford (see 31^st July) re-joined the Battalion from the Base Depot at Arquata Scrivia.

CQMS Edgar Shuttleworth (see 11^th August), Cpl. William Edward Varley (see 12^th June) and Ptes. Joe Arthur Bentley (see 10^th June), Willie Cowgill (see 28^th July), Willie Davenport Frame (see 5^th August), John Straton Graham (see 16^th January 1917), William Havery (see 2^nd January), Joseph Hirst (29641) (see 29^th June),  James Edward Hollingworth (see 9^th August),  George William Jameson (see 16^th January 1917), John Thorp Newsome (see 13^th July), Joseph Pickles (see 3^rd December 1917), Charles Frederick Riddial (see 28^th June 1917), Thomas Alfred Simpson (see 29^th October 1917), James Slinger (see 11^th January), James Sugden (see 21^st June), Harold Wall (see 16^th January 1917) and Victor Alexander Wildman (see 25^th June 1917) departed on two weeks’ leave to England. For most of these men this would be their first home leave for more than 18 months after being posted to active service.

Pte. James Longworth (see 28^th May), who had spent the previous three months in hospital, was discharged from 39^th General Hospital at Le Havre and posted, via ‘B’ Infantry Base Depot at Arques, back to the Base Depot at Arquata Scrivia.

Pte. Sam Tinkler (see 19^th July) serving in France with 54^th Company, Labour Corps, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Pte. Sam Tinkler