Monday 4th November 1918

In billets at Porcia.

The armistice on the Italian front which had been signed the previous day came into effect at 3pm.

2Lt. Bernard Garside (see 2^nd November) remembered, “The Armistice came shortly after this and, curiously enough, I can’t remember the exact place and circumstances of it. The Austrian surrender of course was November 4^th, not the 11^th, that was the German. I rather think we heard of either the Austrian or the German – for I am hazy about the German too – from a staff car as we marched along the road”. It was unclear to many whether the end to the fighting would be temporary or final. Either way, it came as a surprise and there were fears that the Battalion would still need to return to the Western Front to fight the Germans.

L.Sgt. Abel Roberts (see 2^nd September) was promoted Acting Sergeant.

Pte. Ernest Reeve (25923) (see 21^st July) was appointed Acting Corporal.

Cpl. Arthur William Stobart (see 24^th August) suffered a minor gunshot wound to the upper third of his left leg; the wound was self-inflicted and the circumstances would be described in the reports of the subsequent enquiries. It would be stated that, “at about 11am Cpl. Stobart was handling a revolver. A report was heard and Cpl. Stobart was found to have wounded himself in the leg”. Evidence would be taken from CSM Fred Pattison DCM (see 26^th August) and Sgt. John Ratlidge (see 27^th October). CSM Pattison would state that, “Cpl. Stobart was handling a revolver when I heard the report of a revolver shot. On looking round I found the Corporal to be bleeding from the leg and I then called for medical attendance. It was quite accidental”. Sgt. Ratlidge would confirm that, “I was reading a book and I lit a cigarette and, looking round, I saw Cpl. Stobart examining a revolver. I then turned back to my reading. Immediately after I heard a report and, looking up, I saw Cpl. Stobart was bleeding from a wound in the leg”. Both of these reports would be counter-signed by Capt. John Edward Lennard Payne MC (see 20^th September), commanding ‘D’ Company. Cpl. Stobart would be admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance and 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 9^th Casualty Clearing Station. The wound having been self-inflicted, it would be ordered that Cpl. Stobart should be tried by Field General Court Martial.

L.Cpl. Horace Dunn (see 23rd May 1918) reported sick, suffering from ulcer on the cornea, “caused by cold, owing to being wet through for several days”. His complaint would subsequently be diagnosed as being conjunctivitis and he would be admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance, 39^th Casualty Clearing Station and 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia. At some later point (details unknown), he would be transferred to 57^th General Hospital in Marseilles. 

Pte. Fred Kenneth Carter was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance, 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 9^th Casualty Clearing Station, suffering from “I.C.T.” (Inflammation of the connective tissue); in the absence of a service record the details of his treatment and return to the Battalion are unknown. He was 25 years old and from Kirkburton, where he had worked as an assistant to his father who was an agricultural tool maker; I am unable to establish when he had joined 10DWR.

Pte. Kingsley James Reeve (see 29^th September) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance and 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia; he was suffering from diarrohea.

Pte. Joseph Hadley (see 31^st October) was reported by Cpl. William McGill (see 5th October) “absent without leave from billets from 1pm until 3.15pm”; on the orders of Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 28^th October) he would undergo 14 days’ Field Punishment no.2.

Pte. Jesse Barker MM (see 29^th October) was posted from 9^th Casualty Clearing Station to 51^st Stationary Hospital in Genoa and from there to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albaro, near Genoa.

Pte. William Gordon Johnston (see 30^th October) was discharged from 51^st Stationary Hospital in Genoa and posted to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albaro, near Genoa. Two days later he would be re-posted to the Base Depot at Arquata Scrivia.

Pte. Charles Edward Lund (see 6^th December 1917), serving at no.10 Convalescent Depot at Ecault, south of Boulogne, was admitted to 25^th General Hospital at Hardelot; he was suffering from influenza.

Pte. Albert Saville (see 16^th September), serving with 762^nd Area Employment Company was reported as overstaying his leave pass; he would report back the following day and, having been one day late, would be deprived of one days’ pay.

Pte. James Kilburn (see 25^th October), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, who had been ‘absent from tattoo’ since 25^th October, returned to duty and would be awarded ten day’s detention.

Pte. Herbert Burgess (see 11^th October), serving in Portsmouth with the Royal Engineers, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service on account of the wounds he had suffered in November 1917; he was assessed as having suffered a 60% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 16s. 6d. per week, to be reviewed after six months.

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