Friday 20th September 1918

Beregana Camp, south-east of Thiene.

A/L.Sgt. Harold Best (see 27^th August) was confirmed in his rank.

Pte. Walter Gee Wardley (see 20^th June) was reported by Sgt. John Stephenson (see 24^th May) as being “unshaven on 6.30am parade”; on the orders of Capt. Paul James Sainsbury (see 26^th August), he would be confined to barracks for two days.

Pte. Tom Smith (see 7^th July) was reported by Sgt. Arthur Ledgard (see 11^th September) for “slackness on parade”; on the orders of Lt. Vincent Edwards MC (see 26^th August) he would be confined to barracks for three days.

Pte. Matthew Howard (see 7^th July) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 23^rd Division Rest Station; he had suffered an injury during a musketry competition on the range. In his own words Pte. Howard, “when running across the ground I fell over a piece of rock and sprained my ankle”. Howard’s version of events was confirmed by Sgt. Stanley Vyvyan Golledge (see 11^th September) and Capt. John Edward Lennard Payne MC (see30^th August), both of whom had witnessed the incident. Pte. Howard would re-join the Battalion five days later.

Cpl. Fred Greenwood MM (24522) (see 29^th June) and Pte. John Blackburn (see 15^th June) re-joined the Battalion from the Base Camp at Arquata Scrivia.

Pte. Michael Hannigan (see 6^th September), who had suffered a sprained ankle while in training two weeks’ previously, re-joined the Battalion from 23^rd Division Rest Station.

Pte. Alfred Whittaker (see 1^st September) failed to report on schedule at 3.30pm ready to embark for Italy on the expiry of his two weeks’ leave to England; he would report two days later and would be returned to Italy under close arrest.

Sgt. John William Wardman DCM, MM (see 6^th August) was transferred from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia to 81^st General Hospital in Marseilles; he was suffering from “P.U.O” (pyrexia, or high temperature, of unknown origin).

Sgt. John William Wardman DCM, MM

Image by kind permission of Paul Bishop

L.Sgt. George Heeley (see 2^nd July), who had been wounded on 21^st June, was transferred from 57^th General Hospital in Marseilles to 16^th Convalescent Depot, also in Marseilles.

Pte. Gott Fielding (see 4^th December 1917), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service on account of ‘neurasthenia’ (shellshock); he was awarded a pension of 13s. 9d. per week for six months, reducing to 8s. 3d. after six months at which point the award was to be reviewed.

Pte. William Clarence Mitchell (see 20^th September 1917) was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service; this was the first anniversary of his having been wounded. He was assessed as having suffered a 60% disability and was awarded a pension of £1 4s. per week.

A payment of £2 14s. 8d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Alfred Spencer (see 16^th May), who had been officially ‘missing in action’ since 20^th September 1917 and was now presumed dead; the payment would go to his widow, Selena.

Pte. Alfred Spencer

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried news of a number of former 10DWR men:

Another War Honour Won for Newsholme

The remarkable way in which boys from our farms have made good in this war is once more exemplified by the winning of a Military Medal by Private Thomas Procter (see 5^th July 1916), Machine Gun Corps, nephew of Mr. Thomas Askew, of Demesne Farm, Newsholme, for whom he worked at the time of enlisting. The official report of Private Procter’s achievement is as follows: “At ………. between the 20^th and 29^th July 1918. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations on the ……………., when his gun team had suffered heavy casualties. This soldier repeatedly fetched ammunition under intense shell fire and this enabled his gun team to remain active at a critical period. Private Procter’s pluck and cool determination heartened his comrades under trying circumstances. Throughout the operations his conduct was worthy of high praise”. The congratulations of all the neighbourhood will go out to Private Procter and his relatives.

BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND - 'The Boys'

Lance-Corporal Alfred Carey (see 28^th February, he was the younger brother of Norman Carey (see 9^th January 1916) who had been one of Tunstill’s original volunteers, who is at present up in the line, has been made Corporal. Lance-Corporal Edwin Reeves is at present home on leave.

CRAVEN AND THE WAR - THE LATE PRIVATE W. SMITH

We reproduce a photograph of Private William Smith, York and Lancaster Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. Smith, Church Street, Addingham (he was the younger brother of Pte. Johnny Smith (see 26^th April and the late Pte. Reuben Smith, see 5^th September 1917, both of whom had been original members of 10DWR), who, as reported in our columns last week, was killed in action on the Western Front on September 2nd last, aged 19 years. Prior to joining up in December 1917, the deceased soldier was gardener for Mrs. Cooks, Summerfield, Ilkley. He was one of six brothers who have served their country, and one of them, Private Reuben Smith, has also laid down his life for the common cause of humanity. We extend sincere sympathy to the bereaved family.

Pte. William Smith

DENT - Memorial Service

A special memorial service was held in the Parish Church on Sunday evening, in memory of Dent soldiers who have recently given their lives for their country, viz., Private E. Gornall (West Riding Regiment), youngest son of Mr. R. Gornall, of Helmside, reported missing on May 2nd, 1917, and now presumed dead. He was formerly a member of the Church choir. Private Pte. John Myles Raw (see 7th May), (West Riding Regiment), son of Mr. R. Raw, of Gawthorpe, killed in action September 20th, 1917; Private G.E. Fawcett, (West Ridings), also of Mr. G. Fawcett, of Cowgill, killed in action last month, and formerly a member of the Dent Church Choir; Private G.T. Middleton (Australian Pioneers), youngest son of Mrs. Mabel Middleton, Dent, died in hospital; Private G. Mason, (A.S.C.), son of Mr. C. Mason, of Slack, died of sunstroke in Mesopotamia; Private T. Cragg (West Ridings), killed in action April 18th, 1918.

Pte. John Myles Raw