Sunday 6th October 1918

Billets in Creazzo.

Training continued.

Starting out at 9.30am, the Battalion marched five miles south-west, via Tavernelle to new billets at Montecchio Maggiore. This move was intended to allow the Battalion, along with the rest of the Division, to carry out more training for projected future operations; appropriate training having been difficult in the heavily-cultivated areas around Creazzo. The opportunity for more training was made all the more urgent by a change of plan which meant that the remaining units of 23^rd Division would no longer return to France as had been planned, but would instead be prepared for offensive operations on the Piave front. In the words of the Divisional History, “The strictest secrecy was to be maintained; no hint was to be given that the move to France had been cancelled. The training that would be necessary would be in conformity with the idea that it was in preparation for the fighting on the French front, but it needed to be strenuous as little time would be available. The troops were to be prepared for the long marches it was anticipated would follow initial success on the Piave, and the direct co-operation between the smaller units of artillery and infantry was to be practised”.

Pte. Joseph Hadley (see 21^st September) was reported by Sgt. James Walker MM (see 26^th August) as being “improperly dressed on the line of march”; on the orders of Lt. Vincent Edwards MC (see 20^th September) he would be confined to barracks for seven days.

Pte. Arthur Thomas Wilford (see 9^th September) was reported by L.Cpl Howarth Reid (see 18^th March) as having been ‘dirty on guard mounting parade at 4.30pm’; on the orders of Lt. Edwards MC (see above) he would undertake three extra guard duties.

RQMS Frank Stephenson (see 11^th August) was admitted via 71^st Field Ambulance and 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 51^st Stationery Hospital; he was suffering from disptheria.

In the absence of RQMS Stephenson, CQMS Edgar Shuttleworth (see 25^th August) was appointed Acting Warrant Officer Class II and Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant. 

Cpl. John William Baird (see 5^th May) was promoted Acting Colour Sergeant and Company Quartermaster Sergeant, ‘D’ Company, in place of CQMS Shuttleworth.

Sgt. Willie Nichols (see 27th September) and Ptes. Arthur William Drane (see 7^th September 1917), Joseph McDermott (see 29^th September), Richard Metcalfe (see 29^th September), William Ward Pickles (see 14^th August 1917), Arthur Walton (see 29^th September) and Herbert Willoughby (see 5^th December) departed on two weeks’ leave to England.

Pte. John Cronin (see 11^th September) was discharged from 51st Stationary Hospital at Arquata Scrivia and posted to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albaro, near Genoa.
Pte. Ernest Mudd (see 24^th September), who had been under treatment for inflammation to his left knee for the previous month, was transferred from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia to 81^st Stationary Hospital in Marseilles.

L.Cpl. Victor Munnery (see 24^th September), who had suffered a shrapnel wound to his right elbow on 11^th September, was transferred from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia to 57^th General Hospital in Marseilles.

Pte. Joseph Wilkinson (see 11^th September) was also transferred from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia Ventimiglia to 57^th General Hospital in Marseilles; he was now diagnosed as suffering from rheumatic fever.

2Lt. Thomas Walsh (see 30^th April), serving in France with 2DWR, left his battalion having reported sick, suffering from “debility and general weakness”. 

Pte. Henry Wood Thrippleton (see 2^nd October 1917), serving in France with 259^th Employment Company, Labour Corps, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Pte. Joseph Chandler (see 27^th March), who had been in England since having been wounded in March while serving in France with 1^st/7^th DWR, was posted to Northern Command Depot at Ripon.