Sunday 27th October 1918

In position on the Grave di Papadopoli.

By 3.30am all attacking troops were on the Grave, including the whole of 69^th Brigade. At 5am a heavy rainstorm swept the island, drenching the troops and making conditions even more difficult. This took place just as the Battalion was moving from its assembly points on the Grave to the positions from which they were to cross the far stream. Despite the difficulties the Battalion was in position by 5.45am. D Company provided four parties, each of three men, who carried ropes to be used to help the crossing of the streams between the Grave and the far bank. Lt. Vincent Edwards MC (see 9th October) and 2Lt. James Henry Midgley (see 23^rd August), along with three of the Battalion scouts, meanwhile, checked the status of footbridges which had been constructed by the Austrians. 

At 6.25am the British artillery barrage began against the left bank of the river, creeping forward over the next 20 mins to reach the bund marking the Austrian front line (c.400 yards back from the river bank). Under cover of this barrage, 10DWR advanced in ‘darkness, bitter cold and heavy rain’ to the far bank of the Grave from where they were to ford the far stream and then assemble on the left bank prior to launching their assault. The men encountered desperately difficult conditions in fording the river, which proved much deeper than was expected. Several men were swept away and drowned and many had to swim. Pte. Harold Charnock (see 19^th October) recalled that, “the water was much deeper than expected on the Battalion front and it was only by linking arms that many men were saved from being washed off their feet.  This was done under the Austrian barrage”.   The conditions also resulted in the loss of one of the two guns of the trench mortar section, along with all its ammunition.

2Lt. Bernard Garside (see 26^th October) also gave a remarkable narrative of the crossing of the stream,

“Well, to go back to my story of the attack. 6 o’clock came. Just before, I and the other platoon commanders got simple orders. We were to take our platoon down to allotted parts of the banks of the stream between our island and the far bank and, each on his own, find a way across. At the given signal, I led my men out on the shingle by the stream and told them to scatter a little and get down. Then, feeling rather as if I was in a dream, I waded into the stream in my ‘Battle Order’, with shells screaming overhead and sometimes near. The stream flowed very swiftly, as the others did, since, you see, the islands partly blocked the whole river and forced the water through less space. Up my legs it crept and round my body – and then I had to begin to lean against the stream and plant my feet more and more firmly on the bottom. Up, up it crept until it was swirling round my chest and splashing my face. Now I was leaning hard and very, very watchful. Ah! The current was swinging one leg off the bottom. Wildly I swung it round and forced it down. It was on the bottom again. But I must not let that happen again. No go! I must go back and try again. I did, and again I had to come to the notion that my men could not get across there. Still the shells were screaming and some machine guns were rasping – but not many guns, for our artillery had blasted most of the Austrians away from the other bank. A third time I waded in, anxiously watched in the dim light by my men. This time I found the place rather less deep and I was able to edge my way along, in little sideways strides, leaning hard on the stream as I faced up it. It was getting no deeper and presently, Oh Golly!, it was getting shallower. And so I got across; the first platoon of my Company to do so. My sergeant had carefully watched my course and now I signalled him to do as we had arranged. He chose the sturdier men to come first and all joined hands. Slowly the chain wound into the stream, slowly it edged its way along my course. I waded in, excited and anxious, to meet the leading man. The horrors! He slipped. I grabbed, found his hand, he righted himself and slowly the chain came to the bank. We were across!”.

The bulk of the Battalion crossed successfully and rested briefly to re-organise. It was essential that contact be maintained with the units deployed to left and right of the Battalion and, as such, Maj. Herbert St. John Carr West (see 23^rd August) was to keep contact with 12DLI to the left and 2Lt. Edward Kent Waite MC (see 26^th August) with 8Yorks on the right

On schedule, at 6.45am, 69^th Brigade, with 10DWR on the left, began their assault. A and B Companies headed the attack, with C in support and D in reserve. The assault overwhelmed the Austrian front line; within 15 minutes they had captured their first objective and occupied the front line, running 600 yards eastwards from Casa Polesi. Lt. Vincent Edwards MC (see above) remembered, “Soon after arriving on the other bank we saw an entrance into the side of a low hill. There were one or two Austrian soldiers outside, looking fed-up with the war and ready to be taken prisoner. I had about 12 men remaining of my platoon. The Austrians beckoned to their comrades in the hillside dugout to give themselves up. This they did, leaving their weapons behind, in single file. There were no less than 57 of them! I shouted to an officer who was amongst them, “Alla Piave!” (“To the Piave”). He formed the men up and marched them off. I sent a few of my men (fully armed of course) to see them into our lines and proceeded with the rest of the platoon towards our objective, which we eventually reached”.

At 7.10am the artillery barrage lifted and the attack commenced against the second objective, a heavily-wired trench line. However, the Austrians proved to be largely dispirited and did not stand to defend the line, large numbers having already surrendered. By 8am the second objective had been secured. 

2Lt. Bernard Garside (see above) recalled that,

“Now we rushed up the beach to a bank for shelter from the shellfire and collected together, all the Company of four platoons. Then we advanced and from various directions machine gun posts began to fire at us. But ahead of us went a ‘creeping barrage’ of our own shells; that is the shells whined just over our heads and burst just far enough in front not to harm us. Some of our battalion crept up too closely behind the shells and were hit. Already we had been swept downstream in attempting to cross, though some managed to keep up and land lower down where the current was less strong.

We (our Company) went steadily forward until we came to a big flat field with a farm house at the other end. There the Austrians had knocked away the corner of the house nearest the field, dug a hole under the house and planted a machine gun there. For the moment we were held up, since it was madness to cross the open field. But some of the Company on our flank got round the house and cleared the post. On we went again behind the whining shells and presently rested in the cover of some trees. We had by now had quite a few Austrians surrender to us and we had had to prevent the men gathering around the prisoners and so become good targets for machine guns. The prisoners were glad enough to go back and no trouble. In our tree cover we met men and officers of other Companies who told us which of the men and officers we knew had been killed and which wounded. It was very sad telling”.

There was then a pause of 45 minutes before the advance continued all along the line towards the final day one objective – the Tezze-Borgo Malanotte-Casa Dalmadella line. Here again the attack was carried forward by A and B Companies. In the words of the Battalion War Diary, “By this time there was considerable machine gun fire and shelling but all ranks pressed on with the utmost determination, well supported by the artillery barrage until the village of Borgo Malanotte was reached about 12noon”. Here they found a metalled road on the near edge of which, in front of Borgo Malanotte itself, among the trees were short lengths of trench which had been partially wired. Across the road were two buildings. The Austrians made a stand here, but, after a sharp attack, trenches and buildings were taken. In the words of the War Diary, “Here the enemy put up a strong resistance having machine guns well placed in the houses of the village but by the bravery of our Lewis Gunners the village was captured together with a Regimental Commander and his whole staff”.

The events of this phase were described in some detail by 2Lt. Bernard Garside (see above),

“Then on again until we saw a farm house in front of us and arrived at a hedge and ditch – at least the ditch I remember – I suppose three hundred to four hundred yards from the house. When we went past the ditch, suddenly, rat-a-tat-tat went at least two machine guns from the windows of the farm and all round us bullets sprayed. By this time King (Pte. James Isaac King, see 26^th October), who I spoke of, and some others had been hit by machine guns. He was shot straight through the head about five yards from me. When the shower of bullets came, down we went and those nearer the ditch got in it. But we (my platoon) were by this time well beyond it and I had no orders to go back. We lay in the open. And there we lay for an awful two hours or so. Every time anyone lifted a hand, the machine guns opened fire and all round was sprayed with bullets. If we lay still, nothing happened. And so we lay. It was madness to try to go forward and dangerous – in a retreat – to go back. It was clear the men in the house were reserving their fire and had not, as we verified later, very much ammunition. The front line of our advance had thought to go ahead and leave the farm house to be dealt with later. But in fact no-one could get at the men in the upper windows of the house without exposing themselves on the walls or in the gateway so that they could be shot down. And we had no artillery able to hit the house accurately. It was not across the river which was now, I should guess, two miles away. Attempts had been made on the house and any further ones forbidden.

Presently, I suppose I ought to have had orders before, I was told by the Company Commander to bring my men back to the ditch. Next I got orders to try to get up to the front line and what followed was so hectic and warm that I am not very clear about it. But this is what I think happened. I remember taking my men into the ditch and creeping up it at their head. I also remember some planes coming over and machine gunning us on their way towards the river or coming back. Then I remember we came to a bit of cover and I halted the platoon. I then told the platoon sergeant I was going to try to find a way up farther towards the left and that he was to take any chance of getting up if I drew the attention of the gunners. I took my batman and we rushed off to the left. I had not dared to send men on this dangerous job. Oh dear! I shall never forget the singing bullets, the ground kicked up round us and so on. How they missed us I don’t know. Presently we flopped down and they whistled just over us. I looked back and the remaining men had, whilst they were worrying about us, got further forward and too near the walls to be fired at. I had done the job. I heard later they had spotted them too late to fire from the house, but had tried rushing to the gate with a gun, but my Lewis gunner had got them just as they were going to open fire and killed them all.

Meanwhile, I and my batman were still in the open and it was obviously impossible to go forward where we were. Anyway, I had got the platoon through by drawing the fire and my idea now was to join them by way of the ditches. We rushed back to the ditch parallel to the road and I reported the platoon through and that I was going up the ditch we had first gone up and hoping to rush into cover of the wall as the platoon had done. The Company Commander however, said that, since my platoon had got through, they would now be taken under the command of the Company in front and I had better stay to give him a hand, since we had lost one officer. This I did. All was now quiet in the front line and no help apparently needed for the time being.

Soon we got queer orders to build Lewis gun posts facing to our left and right and rear. We knew then we were in danger of being surrounded. In fact, as we learnt later, we had advanced further than either of the Battalions on our flanks and in fact the Austrians were liable to get between us and the river. No sooner had we begun the job than a runner arrived from Battalion HQ to order me to join the Company in the front line near the farm house. In fact one officer from each of the other Companies was ordered, each of them, including ours, apart from the front line Company. The reason was that the front line Company in the course of the day had had five officers killed or wounded and had only one left. So off I went.

By this time the machine guns in the farm house had run out of ammunition – apart from the one which had tried to rush the gate – and had surrendered”.

It was in this phase of the operations that Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 21^st October) was killed, as described by 2Lt. William Johnson Simpson (see 26^th August) in a letter to Capt. Perks’ father;

“We had crossed the river successfully and got to our second objective where we had to stay for some twenty minutes.  At this point we had a long talk to each other and made our plans for taking the next objective.  We moved off in great spirits and on the way encountered an enemy machine gun post.  Capt. Perks decided to get round this from a flank.  It was in doing this he met his death.  He got within a very few yards when he was hit through the head with a bullet. Death was instantaneous.  Words of mine cannot tell you what a cloud this cast upon the Company, who made short shrift of the enemy at that point.  I had only known your son for a few days but can only say how well he was like in the Company.  Being an old Duke’s officer he was well known to lots in the battalion. I have never seen a more gallant officer in all my three years of active service.  The name of the place where he met his death is Borgo Malanotte. It was about 9.30 a.m. on the 27^th that he was killed.

Ours was the only Company who had any officer casualties and we had three; two were killed and one wounded.  I cannot express how deeply we all feel the loss of your son and our Captain.  All the Company wish me to express their sincere sympathy to you in this sad time.  Any further information I can give you I should be delighted to oblige”.

Capt. Bob Perks DSO

I am most grateful to Janet Hudson for her permission to quote from Bob Perks' personal correspondence

All objectives had now been gained and a defensive flank of 3,000 yards back to the river had been developed on the left of the Division. At 1pm there was an attempted Austrian counter-attack against 10DWR at Borgo Malanotte which briefly recaptured some of the buildings, but, supported by A Company 11WYR, who had come up from reserve, the position had been re-taken by 4pm. An outpost line was taken up some 200 yards to the north of the village and was held overnight by A and B Companies, with C Company in support around 500 yards in rear. The overnight period remained quiet.

Conditions overnight were remembered by 2Lt. Bernard Garside (see above),

“I reported with the others to the officer of the front line company just as a message came from Battalion HQ that a counter-attack was expected by the Austrians about midnight. It was just growing dark at the time. The officer read it out to us and we said OK. They then gave orders for putting some barbed wire in front of the shallow holes they had dug so far and for some time we were busy. Then I took some ‘listening posts’ out in front and planted them – one or two men to warn us of any approach of enemy in our front. Then we all set to deepen the holes for protection and await the attack.

Well, about midnight there was a stir on the ground in front and everybody crouched ready. I remember growling, “Give’em hell boys” and then there came a sharp cry from in front, “Don’t shoot, it’s us!” and it was the men I had put out coming back foolishly to tell us they had heard nothing yet. Well, I put them back and we never did have an attack. Instead we began to be very worried by shells coming quite often from almost immediately behind us and dropping first about 150 yards in front and then gradually nearer till they were just missing us. We were very annoyed that our own artillery should know so little of our position as to be nearly hitting us. But we discovered next morning that they were Austrian guns and that we – our Battalion – were isolated. By morning the Austrians, scared they would be surrounded, had gone back.

Presently, in the early morning (28/10/18), we posted extra sentries and tried to get some rest. We had collared a lot of blankets the Austrians had left in the farm house and wrapped ourselves in them. It was cold but restful in our fox-holes in the ground. However, next morning, we discovered the blankets were very lousy and almost everyone was lice-ridden! A few were not and I was one! Yet I had been wrapped in the same blankets as the others. They say lice will not attack some people and it must be true”.

During the day 1,400 prisoners had been captured by the Battalion along with two Field Guns, three “Infantry Guns”, 38 Machine Guns, two Horses and a large quantity of stores. 

On the 26^th a pontoon bridge from Salletuol to the Grave had been completed and by the end of 27^th (despite being under fire) a further bridge had been constructed from the Grave to the left bank. This now allowed for the rapid movement of troops across the river.

Despite the success of the operations, the Battalion had suffered considerable casualties. Two officers had been killed in action and one died of wounds the same day; 22 other ranks had been killed in action and another man died of wounds the same day. A further five other ranks were officially missing in action. Two officers and more than 60 other ranks were reported wounded.

The two officers killed were Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see above) and Lt. Thomas Beattie (see 15^th May).

Capt. Perks, who had been killed in the actions around Borgo Malanotte, was originally buried near Casa Ancilotto, just south of Borgo Malanotte, but his remains would subsequently be exhumed and re-interred at Tezze British Cemetery.  Two other men were buried alongside Capt. Perks and would also be re-interred at Tezze. They were Pte. William Hassall (see 26^th July) and Pte. James Henry Quiller (see 6^th October 1916).

Lt. Beattie may have been drowned in the crossing of the Piave, as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Giavera Memorial.

The five men who were reported missing (possibly drowned in crossing the river) and have no known grave are also commemorated on the Giavera Memorial. They were,

Sgt. Percy James Dawson (see 28^th September).

Pte. Frederick Harris MM (see 17^th December 1917).

Pte. Cain Rothera MM (see 21^st October). 

Pte. Bramwell Thompson; he was 22 years old and originally from Cullingworth, where he had worked in the textile mills. He had previously served with 2DWR but in the absence of a surviving service record it has not been possible to establish when he had joined 10DWR.

Pte. James Scott (18676) (see 26^th August). In the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Pte. Scott is recorded as being presumed to have died on 26^th August. However, reference to other record sources would suggest that this may be a clerical error and that Pte. Scott in fact more likely would be among those reported missing in action on 27^th October. In the absence of a surviving service record this is difficult to confirm. 

Eight other men were originally buried elsewhere before being re-interred at Tezze; they were:

Sgt. Frank Brierley (see 26^th August); buried at map refrerence P. 02 87

L.Cpl. William George Golding (see 8^th September 1917) buried at map reference P.02.87.

Pte. Thomas Henry Hemingway buried at map reference P.02.87. He was 30 years old, from Dewsbury and married with two sons; before enlisting he had worked as an umbrella maker. He had previously served with 1^st/4^th DWR, but in the absence of a surviving service record it has not been possible to establish when he had joined 10DWR.

Pte. James Isaac King (see above) buried at map reference P.02.87

Pte. Arthur Flowers (see 29^th October 1917) buried at map reference P.09.75.

Pte. James Harrison buried at map reference O.09.98. He was 38 years old and an original member of the Battalion; before enlisting he had worked as a tailor in Keighley.

Pte. Squire Topham; he was 26 years old and from Eastburn, where he had worked before the war as a moulder at a local foundry. He had enlisted on the outbreak of war and had served at Gallipoli with 8DWR. He had been wounded twice and had also suffered dysentery. In the absence of a surviving service record it has not been possible to establish when he had joined 10DWR.  He was buried at map reference O.01.74

Pte. Fred Heap (see 18^th August), buried at map reference O.00.72.

A further twelve men were buried at Tezze British Cemetery; they were:

A/CSM Richard Everson (see 14^th September). 

L.Cpl. Ernest Pearson MM (see 15^th September)

Pte. James Adams (see 13th October 1917).

Pte. William Belcher (see 6^th September).

Pte. Willie Duckett. He was 22 years old and from Keighley where he had worked before the war as a ‘doffer’ in a textile mill. He had previously served with 2^nd/6^th DWR, but in the absence of a surviving service record it has not been possible to establish when he had joined 10DWR.

Pte. William Hewitt (25172) (see 25^th August).

Pte. James Hillhouse (see 10^th October).

Pte. Harry Douglas Peate; he had been a professional violinist before joining the army and was 25 years old and from Yeadon. In the absence of a surviving service record it has not been possible to establish when he had joined 10DWR.

Pte. Thomas Shepherd; he was a 34 year-old married man with two children and had been sub-postmaster at Barningham, County Durham. He had originally served with the Royal Army Service Corps but, in the absence of a surviving service record, it has not been possible to establish when he had joined 10DWR.

Pte. Charles Simmons (see 3^rd November 1917).

L.Cpl. Albert Edward Smith (see 20th March).

Pte. Milton Sutcliffe (see 22^nd June) was initially reported wounded but then confirmed as having been killed in action.

The officer who died of wounds was Maj. Herbert St. John Carr West (see above); he had been wounded during the action around Borgo Malanotte when, “he rallied his men, renewed the attack and took the position. He continued to lead his men though wounded in the hand until he was later mortally wounded”. He had been evacuated to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station but died the same day and would be buried at Lancenigo Communal Cemetery Extension, Villorba; his remains would later be exhumed and re-interred at Giavera British Cemetery, Arcade.

Pte. Willie Cowgill (see 25^th August) suffered severe head wounds and died the same day at 39^th Casualty Clearing Station; he would eventually be buried at Giavera British Cemetery, Arcade, but, like Maj. Carr West it may be that he was originally buried at Lancenigo.

Around half of those wounded have been positively identified. The only officer wounded was 2Lt. John William Pontefract (see 9th October); he had suffered a bullet wound to the face. The bullet entered the centre of his right cheek and had exited “just below the right mastoid process of the temporal bone” (ie behind and below the jaw). He would be evacuated via 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia.

The other men known to have been among the wounded were:

Pte. Herbert Archer (see 5^th April) suffered wounds to his left foot; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Pte. Alfred Armitage MM suffered shrapnel wounds to the chest and would be admitted via 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 9^th Casualty Clearing Station. He had previously served with 1^st/5^th DWR and 1^st/7^th DWR and had first gone to France in April 1915. In the absence of a surviving service record it has not been possible to establish when, or under what circumstances, he had joined 10DWR.

Cpl. Herbert Axe (see 26^th April) suffered severe head injuries, including a compound fracture of the skull; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Pte. Edgar Bairstow (see 17^th October 1916) suffered wounds to his left hand; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Pte. Sidney John Baker (see 3^rd May 1915); he suffered wounds to his left hand and would be evacuated to 51st Stationary Hospital at Arquata Scrivia and subsequently (date and details unknown) from there via France to England.

CSM Albert Blackburn (see 9th October) suffered wounds to his left shoulder; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Cpl. Stanley Arthur Bones (see 27^th August) was wounded but the details of his injuries and treatment are unknown, other than for the fact that he would eventually be transferred to 16^th Convalescent Depot in Marseilles. 

Pte. John William Bonner (see 8th September 1917).

Cpl. Alfred Bradbury (see 29^th September) suffered wounds to his left hand; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 11^th General Hospital in Genoa.

Pte. George Towler Brown (see 3^rd July) suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen; he would be admitted to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station where an operation would be carried out, the report on which was as follows, “Abdominal wound. Resection of 9” of small intestine. Multiple perforations of gut”.

Pte. Josiah Charles (see 24^th August) suffered a wound to his left wrist; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 51^st Stationary Hospital.

Pte. Andrew Davidson (see 4^th August) suffered a gunshot wound to the thigh and would be admitted to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station.

Pte. William Dixon (see 3^rd November 1916) was struck by a machine gun bullet during the crossing of the Piave; he would be treated at 39^th Casualty Clearing Station.

Pte. William Dixon

Pte. Newton Dobson (see 5^th October) suffered wounds to his head and left thigh; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia.

Pte. Walter Evans (see 13^th September) suffered wounds to his left leg; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance to 9^th Casualty Clearing Station. The wounds being relatively minor, he would immediately be transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albano.

Pte. John William Farrer (see 10^th June) suffered shrapnel wounds to his head and back; he would be admitted to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station where an operation would be carried out, the report on which was as follows: “Penetrating chest wound. Entry wound near lobe of left ear; exit wound at angle of right scapula. Wound and damaged muscle excised. ‘Sucking chest’. Muscle sutured”. After  one week he would be transferred to 9^th Casualty Clearing Station.

Pte. David Doughty Glossop (see 18^th October 1917) suffered head wounds; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 11^th General Hospital in Genoa.

Pte. Albert Greenwood (see 17^th October 1916) suffered a bullet wound resulting in a compound fracture of his left arm; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Pte. Richard Harrison (see 1^st October) suffered a bullet wound to his left elbow; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia.

L.Cpl. John Smith Hodgson MM (see 26^th August); the details of his wounds and treatment are unknown.

L.Cpl. John Smith Hodgson MM

Image by kind permission of Andy Wade and MenOfWorth

Sgt. Albert Hoggarth (see 18^th August) suffered shrapnel wounds to his left knee; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 11^th General Hospital in Genoa. The wounds being relatively minor, he would immediately be transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albano.

Pte. Arthur Holden (see 25^th November 1917) suffered wounds to his left arm; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Pte. Joseph Holmes (see 26^th July); the details of his injuries and treatment are unknown.

Sgt. Edward Isger (see 24^th April) suffered wounds to his back and buttock; he would be admitted to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station where an operation was carried out the report of which stated, “Multiple perforations cleaned and sutured. One perforation sigmoid colon sutured. Shrapnel ball removed from anterior abdomen”.

Pte. Albert Jeffrey (see 28^th September) suffered wounds to his left leg; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia.

Pte. James Henry Lomax (see 10^th April) suffered a relatively minor wound to his right arm; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 51^st Stationary Hospital.

Pte. Claude Wilfred Norman (see 27^th September) suffered wounds to his right leg; he would be admitted to 51^st Stationary Hospital.  

Pte. Louis Charles Preen (see 11^th May) suffered a bullet wound to his left hand; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Pte. Ramsden Pyrah (see 29^th September) suffered gunshot wounds to his abdomen and would be admitted to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station where an operation would be carried out, the report on which was as follows: “Penetrating abdominal wound. Right kidney almost in half. Kidney removed. Tear of liver. Wound closed. Tube drain and kidney pouch”.

Sgt. William Allen Sayer (see 9th September); the details of his injuries are unknown, but he was admitted to 9^th Casualty Clearing Station.

Pte. Adam Shore suffered a gunshot wound to the chest; he would be admitted via 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 9^th Casualty Clearing Station. He was a 22 year-old labourer from Lancaster. In the absence of a surviving service record it has not been possible to establish when, or under what circumstances, he had joined 10DWR.

Pte. George Smith (25950) (see 29^th October 1917) suffered wounds to his right leg; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Pte. Samuel Stansfield (see 11^th June) suffered relatively minor shrapnel wounds to the stomach; he would admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance to 9^th Casualty Clearing Station, where his wounds would be treated.

Pte. Samuel Stansfield

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Pte. Matthew Stone (see 31^st July) suffered shrapnel wounds to his right leg and buttock; the details of his treatment are unknown.

 A/Sgt. Thomas Anthony Swale (see 21^st October) suffered wounds to his shoulder and back; he would be admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 11^th General Hospital in Genoa.

Pte. Herbert Unwin (see 5^th October 1917) suffered wounds to his right buttock; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Also killed on the day had been Lt. Col. Ashton Alexander St. Hill DSO (see 1^st January), C.O., 11^th Northumberland Fusiliers, who had been in temporary command of 10DWR in February 1917. He would be buried at Tezze British Cemetery. Also wounded had been former 10DWR officer, Maj. Robert Harwar Gill DSO (see 15^th June), now second-in-command of 11^th Northumberland Fusiliers; he had suffered severe facial wounds, resulting in the loss of his right eye and severe damage to his nose. The details of his treatment in Italy are unknown. When Lt. Col. St. Hill had been killed and Maj. Gill Maj. wounded, Maj. Edward Borrow DSO (see 8^th October), Second-in-Command of 12DLI, had taken command of 11^th Northumberland Fusiliers.

A considerable number of gallantry awards would be made following the actions.

Capt. Henry Kelly VC, MC (see 25^th September) would be awarded a bar to his Military Cross; “he led his Company with the greatest dash and gallantry to the capture of all of its objectives. His coolness and utter disregard of danger under heavy fire of every description inspired all ranks, and by his skilfull leadership his Company succeeded in taking many machine guns and several hundred prisoners”.

Capt. Leonard Norman Phillips MC (see 9^th October) would also be awarded a bar to his Military Cross; “On 26th/27th October, 1918, during the operations across the Piave, this officer, as adjutant of his battalion, showed throughout conspicuous gallantry under heavy shelling and machine-gun fire. As each company reached the Lido he led them to their assembly positions, and during the period of waiting by his personal example of coolness he greatly encouraged the men who were being heavily shelled. Though carried off his feet by the current and having to swim, he was one of the first across the river. His utter disregard of personal danger inspired all ranks with enthusiasm”.

2Lt. Sam Benjamin Farrant (see 5th October) would also be awarded the Military Cross, “On 27th October 1918, during the operations across the Piave, he led his platoon with marked courage, often under the heaviest machine-gun fire and shelling. With only one man, he dashed into an enemy regimental headquarters, and captured the regimental commander and his staff of twelve other officers, besides many men in the neighbourhood of the building. During an enemy counter-attack, delivered later, he very skilfully organised our defensive position and was largely instrumental in keeping the ground gained held. His gallantry and disregard of personal danger were an inspiration to his men”.

Two NCO’s would be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

L.Cpl. William Robinson (see 27^th August) “showed great dash and disregard for personal safety throughout the whole day. He showed great skill in outflanking and silencing a machine gun that was causing casualties to his Company. At the capture of Borgo Melanotte he silenced a maching gun, killing or capturing the team.”

Sgt. James Walker MM (see 17^th October); “During the attack on the enemy positions across the Piave, he got the signal apparatus across the river, and, under heavy fire, supervised the laying of telephone lines and the establishment of communications”.

Two men would be awarded a bar to the Military Medal:

RSM Charles Edward Parker, DCM, MM (see 1^st October) and Pte. Ned Metcalfe MM (see 17^th December 1917). 

A further 18 men would also be awarded the Military Medal:

Sgt. John Ratlidge (see 14^th September 1917).

Cpl. Herbert Axe (see above); “displayed very marked coolness and initiative when the enemy was making a counter attack upon the village of Borgo Malanotte. He kept his men well in hand and, although badly wounded in the head himself, fired a Lewis gun, remaining at duty until the enemy had been driven off and the village finally secured”.

Cpl. Alfred Bradbury (see above); he “led his men with fine determination and great skill. Although heavily shelled by artillery and trench mortars he reorganised his platoon, which had become scattered while crossing the river, and led it without hesitation against a strong point which he captured, thereby causing the garrison of two strong points, one on either flank, to surrender. This allowed his company to advance with but few casualties”.

Cpl. William Hay Murdock (see 28^th September).

Cpl. Alfred Sayer (see 11^th January).

L.Cpl. Percy Simpson (see 4^th March) .

L.Cpl. Harry Bailey (25248) (see 29^th September).

Pte. John William Bonner (see above); he “went over No Man’s Land, under heavy machine gun fire, to rescue a comrade and was shot by an Austrian officer”.. 

Pte. Jack Boulter; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man.

Pte. Frank Dodgson (see 1^st June).

Pte. Joseph Holmes (see above).

Pte. William Johnson (13666); he was an original member of the Battalion, having enlisted in September 1914 aged 19 and working as an assistant rate collector in Burley-in-Wharfedale.

Pte. James Palmer; he had previously served with both 8DWR and 2DWR. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man or to establish details of when, or under what circumstances, he had joined 10DWR.

Pte. Ezra Plumb (see 6^th June 1916).

Pte. George Smith (14547) (see 29^th July 1916).

Pte. Matthew Stone (see above).

Pte. Dennis Tumilty; he was 21 years old and from Newcastle-on-Tyne. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to identify any details of his service with 10DWR.

Pte. William Wigglesworth (17891) (see 6^th June 1916); he “took command of a Lewis Gun section and led it with the utmost gallantry and initiative against the enemy positions. When his gun was put out of action he rushed an enemy strong point of three machine guns and killed several of the enemy with his revolver, forcing the remainder to surrender. He then worked an Austrian machine gun for the rest of the day.”

Pte. Edward Victor Grubb (see 14^th September 1914) died at 29^th Stationary Hospital in Cremona; he had been under treatment for some time (details unknown) suffering from influenza; he would be buried at Cremona Town Cemetery.

Following ten days’ treatment for influenza, Pte. James Pidgeley (see 18^th October) was discharged from 11^th Stationary Hospital in Genoa and posted to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albano.

Cpl. Alexander Wallace MM (see 26^th August) was discharged from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia and posted to “Caesar’s Camp” at Arquata Scrivia.