Thursday 24th October 1918

In tents and bivouacs at Catena.

Heavy rain fell throughout the day and continued into the evening. Despite this, the Battalion marched, via Lovadina, to the Allied front line ready to cross to the Grave di Papadopoli in preparation for the attack, on the following morning, against the Austrian front line. However, just as the head of the column had arrived at the bank of the Piave at 7.30pm, an order was issued postponing the operations and ordering the Battalion to return to camp at Catena. The men were back at Catena by about 10.45pm. It was said that, “The news (of the cancellation) was received with joyous excitement … we marched off singing, but had not gone far when a halt was called, followed by news that the assault would take place next night”. The company of 11WYR who had crossed the previous evening, along with one Company from 8Yorks, who had crossed before the cancellation order was received, remained on the Grave “in very difficult circumstances”.

A/Cpl. Bertie Thurling (see 27^th August) was confirmed in his rank.

Pte. Benjamin Thomas Alcraft MM (see 18th October) was appointed Lance Corporal.

Pte. Donald McColl (see 8^th September 1917) was admitted via 21^st Field Ambulance and 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to to 51^st Stationary Hospital; he was suffering from jaundice.

Ptes. Arthur Wood (29524) (see 18^th August) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station; he was suffering from scabies.

Pte. Ralph Braithwaite, who had been on attachment to 69^th Brigade Trench Mortar Battery, was admitted also via 69^th Field Ambulance to 39^th Casualty Clearing Station; he was also suffering from scabies. He was a 21 year-old cotton piecer from Barkisland, near Halifax. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish when, or under what circumstances, he had joined 10DWR.

Pte. James Stott (see 13^th October) was transferred from 11^th General Hospital in Genoa to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albaro, near Genoa; he was now diagnosed as having been suffering from influenza.

Pte. Edward Henry Chant (see 19^th October) was transferred from 29^th Stationary Hospital in Cremona to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia; he was suffering from influenza.

Sgt. John William Wardman DCM, MM (see 20^th September) was posted back to England from 81^st General Hospital in Marseilles; he would travel onboard the Hospital Ship Carisbroke Castle. Also discharged from the same hospital and onboard the same ship was Pte. Charles William Groves (see 15^th September), who had suffered wounds to his left hand on 26^th August. On arrival in England he would be admitted to 1^st Birmingham War Hospital, where it was noted that, “Missing meta-carpal and phalangeal joint of index finger, left hand; some stiffness of 2^nd and 3^rd fingers”. L.Cpl. Victor Munnery (see 6^th October), who had suffered a shrapnel wound to his right elbow on 11^th September, and Pte. Frank Easterby (see 16^th September), who had suffered severe wounds to his chest during the trench raid on 26^th August, were also evacuated on the same ship, having been discharged from 57^th General Hospital in Marseilles. On arrival in England Pte. Easterby would be admitted to 2^nd Western General Hospital in Manchester. L.Cpl. Robert Whitaker (see 26^th August), who had also been wounded on 26^th August, was also evacuated to England, although in his case the details are unknown.

Sgt. Albert Hurford MM (see 8^th December 1916) was killed in action while serving with 1^st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment. He had originally served with 10DWR but the date and circumstances of his transfer away from 10DWR are unknown. Prior to his death he had also (date and details) unknown earned a Bar to his Military Medal. He was originally buried at Les Tuileries British Cemetery, Englefontaine, east of Cambrai, but, after the Armistice, his would be one of the burials concentrated into Englefontaine British Cemetery.

Cpl. William Frederick Ackrill (see 13^th October) was killed in action while serving in France with 2DWR, was discharged from 23^rd Casualty Clearing Station; he would be buried at Verchain British Cemetery, Verchain-Maugre.

Pte. Albert William Knight (see 15^th September), who had been wounded on 15^th September while serving in France with 2/6^th DWR, re-joined his Battalion.

A payment of £1 13s. 5d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Peter Herity (see 20^th September 1917), who had been officially missing in action since 20^th September 1917; the payment would be divided in equal shares between his brother George A. Norton and sister Annie Norton, his mother, Bridget, having died on 3^rd July.

On the same day that he had been posted back to England The Keighley News reported on the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to Sgt. John William Wardman DCM, MM (see above):

STEETON AND EASTBURN DCM WINNER

Mrs. John William Wardman, Sunnybank, Steeton, has, this week, received official documents from her husband, Sergeant John William Wardman, of the West Riding Regiment, now serving in Italy, that he has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Brigadier General A.B. Beauman has sent him a letter of congratulations on being awarded the DCM in His Majesty’s birthday honours list. The official record of the honour reads: “This Non-Commissioned Officer has done continuous good work, and, by his courage and devotion to duty, under fire while acting as Company Sergeant Major has, on several occasions, done much to keep up the spirits of men under his charge”. Sergeant Wardman joined the army in September 1914 and was drafted to France in August 1915. He was wounded in the knee in 1916 and in November 1917 he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery and devotion to duty. On this occasion during the advance his Company was held up by a machine gun, he worked himself round the back and killed the gun team and brought the machine gun back to our lines. Sergeant Wardman is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Wardman, East Parade, Steeton.

Sgt. John William Wardman DCM, MM

Image and additional information by kind permission of Paul Bishop