Friday 25th October 1918

In tents and bivouacs at Catena.

There was an improvement in the weather and the level of the river began to fall; as a result the postponed attack was re-scheduled for 6.45am on 27^th. Overnight, 25^th/26^th, the capture of the southern half of the Grave di Papadopoli was completed by troops of 7^th Division and, with an eye to the the slow progress of troops by ferry boat, the movement of some troops to the Grave resumed and a further two companies of 8Yorks were moved across.

Pte. William Summers Holmes died at 29^th Stationary Hospital in Cremona; he had been suffering from influenza. Pte. Holmes would be buried at Cremona Town Cemetery. William Summers Holmes was 29 years old, married with two children and from Silsden. He had served in the territorials before the war and had originally served with 8DWR at Gallipoli; in the absence of a surviving service record it has not been possible to establish any details of his service with 10DWR.

Pte. William Summers Holmes

2Lt. Edwin Everingham Ison (see 17th October) was admitted to hospital (details unknown).

2Lt. Edward Everingham Ison

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Pte. Robert Callaghan (see 19^th September) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance and 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 51st Stationary Hospital at Arquata Scrivia; he was suffering from influenza.

Pte. Thomas Alfred Simpson (see 2^nd October) was discharged from 51^st Stationary Hospital and posted to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albano. 

Pte. Ernest William Gilbert (see 13^th October), who was being treated for an accidental injury to his left knee, was transferred from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia to 81^st General Hospital in Marseilles.

Pte. William Ryan (see 14^th October) was also transferred from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia to 81^st General Hospital in Marseilles; he was now diagnosed as suffering from ‘myalgia’.

Sgt. Wilson Allinson (see 2^nd September) was posted back to England (reason and details unknown).

Pte. Joseph Firth (see 22nd September), who had been wounded on 26^th August, was posted back to England; the details of his treatment in England are unknown. 

Pte. Edward Mawle (see 11^th September) who had been wounded on 11^th September, suffering wounds to his right arm, was evacuated to England; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Sgt. Harry Pickersgill (see 3^rd September 1916), serving with 1^st Northumberland Fusiliers, was admitted to 34^th Casualty Clearing Station at Grevillers from 46^th Casualty Clearing Station at Delsaux Farm, east of Bapaume, having suffered contusions to his left arm; he would be evacuated the same day onboard No.25 Ambulance Train to Terlincthun, near Boulogne, for admission to one of the hospitals in the area (details unknown). It seems likely that he had been wounded at some point in his Battalion’s operations near Solesmes, east of Cambrai.

Pte. James Kilburn (see 23^rd September), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was again reported ‘absent from tattoo’.

Pte. Albert Mellor (see 6^th September) who had been reported “absent without leave” seven weeks previously while on leave in England, now reported at the Regimental Depot in Halifax. He would be posted back to France a week later (on 1^st November), en route to re-joining 10DWR.


Sgt. Walter Appleby (see 18^th October 1917), who had been in England since having suffered severe wounds to his chest 20^th September 1917, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for active service on account of his wounds; he was assessed as having suffered a 50% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 19s. 6d. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

Sgt. Walter Appleby

Image by kind permission of Andy Wade and MenOfWorth

Pte. Ernest Frederick Authers (see 14^th July), who had been in England since having suffered wounds to his right knee and foot on 20^th September 1917, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for active service on account of his wounds; he was awarded a pension of 11s. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

Pte. Frank Jowett (see 26^th July), who had been serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to his wounds; he was assessed as having suffered a 50% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 11s. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

Pte. Frank Shuttleworth (see 20^th October 1916), serving with the Royal Defence Corps, having been wounded in October 1916, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for active service on account of his wounds.

Pte. William Norman Whitehead (see 15^th June 1917), who had been in England since having suffered wounds to his right knee and foot on 5^th June 1917, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for active service on account of his wounds; he was awarded a pension of 11s. per week, to be reviewed after one year.