Friday 18th October 1918

Billets in Noale and Stigliano.

Starting out at 11.15am, the Battalion marched seven miles north-east, via Moniego, Scorze and Zero Branco to billets at ‘Villa Bloot’.

Pte. Ernest Ashness (see 21^st September) was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance, suffering from diarrhoea; he would be discharged to duty after six days.

A number of cases of influenza were reported among the Battalion. Ptes. Joseph Henry Haywood (see 24^th July) and James Pidgeley (see 9^th October) would be admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 11^th Stationary Hospital in Genoa. Pte. Tom Lister Ellison (see 20^th July) would be admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 38^th Stationary Hospital in Genoa. Pte. William Mellor (see 5^th May 1917) would be admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 29^th Stationary Hospital in Cremona.

Pte. Sidney John Rainbow (see 9^th October) was transferred from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia to 57^th General Hospital in Marseilles; he was now diagnosed as suffering from pneumonia.

CQMS Maurice Harcourt Denham (see 21^st September) was transferred back from 38^th Stationary Hospital in Genoa to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albano, following treatment for influenza.

CQMS Maurice Harcourt Denham

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

L.Cpl. Edmund Peacock (see 22^nd July), serving in France with 1^st/4^th DWR, was wounded in action; the details of his injury and treatment are unclear.

The Infantry Records Office in York wrote to the families of both L.Sgt. Jonathan Richardson Sunderland (see 26^th August) and Pte. John James Goodship (see 3^rd October), reporting that both men were now confirmed as being Prisoners of War in Austria. The letter continued, “Please supply to the Depot, West Riding Regiment, Halifax, size of boots and cap, height, measurements, full regimental particulars and also the place of internment in Austria. This will ensure a prompt despatch of clothing. To the Halifax Guardian, 32 George Street, Halifax, supply full regimental particulars and the place of internment in Austria and this will ensure food being sent as soon as possible. Do not fail to treat the matters as being very urgent; it is to the benfit of the soldier”.

Pte. Percy Burrows (see 17^th September), serving at the Regimental Depot at Halifax, was posted to 3DWR at North Shields; he would have one weeks’ leave before joining his new Battalion.

Pte. John Beaumont (see 30^th September), serving with the Motor Transport Section of the Army Service Corps in France, was transferred from Southport Infirmary to Southport Convalescent Hospital; he had been suffering from boils to his right arm.

The London Gazette published notice of the award of the Military Medal to nine men for their actions during the trench raid on 21^st June; they were Sgts. Fred Perry (see 21^st June) and John Scott (see 21^st June); and Ptes. Benjamin Thomas Alcraft (see 21^st June); Robert Henry Arnold (see 21^st June); Lewis Batey (see 9^th October); William Harper (25972) (see 29^th September); William George Ruddock (see 10^th August); Edward Percy Webb (see 17^th September) and Robert Wilson (see 15^th September).