Friday 15th November 1918

In billets and tents at San Giovanni Ilarione.

The Battalion was occupied in training, route marches and football matches.

Pte. William Havery (see 25^th August) was posted on attachment to 71^st Field Ambulance.

Pte. Herbert Williams (see 8^th July) was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance, suffering from inflammation to his right knee; he would be discharged to duty after three days.

Pte. Edward Henry Chant (see 24^h October) was transferred from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albano.

Orders were issued at the War Office for L.Cpl. Richard Cleasby Chorley (see 31^st October), who was being treated for influenza at 81^st General Hospital in Marseilles, among others, to be “transferred to the Reserve … in order that they may resume their civil employment at the Ministry of Labour. It must be explained to these men that if they elect to accept this employment they will only receive the civil wages which their employers are prepared to pay them”.

2Lt. John William Pontefract (see 3^rd November) was evacuated to England from 81^st General Hospital in Marseilles, travelling from Le Havre to Southampton; on arrival in England he would be admitted to 1^st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham.

Pte. George William Corby (see 21st June) was evacuated to England. He had been suffering from influenza, but the details of his treatment in Italy are unknown; on arrival in England he would be admitted to Tower Auxiliary Hospital, Rainhill.

L.Cpl. Alfred Edward Wybrow MM (see 4^th October), serving at Northern Command Depot at Ripon, received the Military Medal which he had been awarded in 1916.

Cpl. William Foulds (see 8^th November) reported for duty at the Regimental Depot in Halifax. However, after just five days he would be admitted to the Military Hospital in Halifax, suffering from a recurrence of the swollen glands in his neck which had seen him hospitalised previously.

2Lt. Keith Sagar Bain (see 9^th November) was transferred from 5^th London General Hospital to Peveril Park Hospital.

A payment of £2 15s. 6d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Clifford Mackrell (see 16^th October 1917), who had been officially missing in action since 16^th October 1917; the payment would go to his father, Samuel. 

The London Gazette published official notice of the award of a bar to the Distinguished Conduct Medal to CSM Fred Pattison DCM (see 4th November) for his conduct during the trench raid on 26^th August; “He led his men through heavy rifle and machine gun fire to a cutting about 500 yards behind the enemy’s front line system, where he captured a large number of prisoners. Throughout he showed the greatest disregard for danger and, by his dash and leadership, he ensured the complete success of the raid on his objective”.

There was also notice of the Distinguished Conduct Medals awarded to four other men for their conduct in the same action.  CSM Albert Blackburn (see 28^th October) “Although severely wounded in the head before reaching the enemy wire, he remained with his platoon which he led to the final objective. He organised the mopping up of dug-outs, killing many of the enemy and personally capturing an officer. His coolness and utter disregard of danger instilled great confidence into his men”. Sgt. Ernest Craddock (see 3^rd September) “He was Acting Company Sergeant Major and showed great fearlessness in carrying out his duties under heavy machine gun fire. When the situation was critical he was of the utmost assistance in rallying small detached bodies of men and again leading them to the attack. No one could have been of greater help to his Company commander”. A/Sgt. Abel Roberts (see 4^th November), “He kept his platoon well in hand under very heavy machine gun fire during the preliminary stages of the advance, and, finally, with a few others, pushed right through the enemy position to the final objective, although the enemy was holding out on both sides of him. His conduct throughout was splendid”. Pte. Stanley Barker (see 11^th November), “when his platoon in the early stages of the action encountered an enemy post, he went forward and engaged the enemy with rapid fire, thus enabling the others to outflank the post and capture the garrison. Throughout, he displayed great skill and initiative and utter disregard of personal danger”.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald reported news of the death of Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 12^th November),

Captain Robert Clement Perks, D.S.O., was killed in action on Sunday, October 27th leading his company against a machine gun on the first day of the attack on the Italian Front. He was the second son of Mr. T.P. Perks, of Leeds, barrister-at-law, residing at The Green House, Hebden, near Skipton, and would have been 24 on January 2nd next. He was educated at Heath Grammar School, Halifax, and at Merton College, Oxford, where he was in his second year when, in January 1915, he was given a temporary commission in the 10th (Service Battalion) Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment. He went out to France in August of that year with his battalion and was three times wounded, viz., in July 1916, June and September 1917.

While only a Second Lieutenant he was in August 1916 given the D.S.O. He was then promoted to Temporary Lieutenant, and was afterwards mentioned in despatches. In June of 1917 and until September of 1917 he was Acting Captain. After his third wound he was in England invalided for some time, and afterwards attached to the 3rd Battalion of 'The Duke's' at North Shields. Feeling he was not doing his country much service there, he took steps to go again on active service. On September 24th he left England for the last time to rejoin his old battalion in Italy. He was then immediately promoted to be Temporary Captain, and in that capacity gave his life for his country as above stated. The sad news became known to his parents only on Saturday last. We tender them heartfelt sympathy.

Capt. Bob Perks DSO

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

There was also news of 2Lt. Joseph Barrett Hartley MC (see 12^th November),

Lieut. J.B. Hartley, M.C., son of Mr. Luke Hartley, Thornton-in-Craven, was slightly wounded on 7th of November and is now in hospital in Oxford. He joined the Army in September 1914 and gained the M.C. in July 1917.

 

2Lt. Joseph Barrett Hartley MC