Sunday 1st December 1918

Billets at Arzignano

According to the Brigade War Diary, “Units of the Brigade carried out training during the mornings from 9am until 12 noon. The afternoons were devoted to recreational training. Competitions were arranged, namely, inter-Battalion and inter-Company competitions. Some very good games ensued. “A” Company 11^th West Yorkshires were the winners of the inter-Company competition. The inter-Battalion football competition was postponed until a later date”.

2Lt. Fred Dyson (see 30^th November) left the Battalion to return to England in preparation for his being released from service.

L.Sgt. Albert Reynolds (see 30^th October) and Pte. John William Kirby (see 20^th November) departed on two weeks’ leave to England.

Pte. Richard Metcalfe (see 22^nd November), who had been almost a month late in returning from two weeks’ leave to England, appeared before a Field General Court Martial on a charge of “absenting himself without leave from 3.30pm, 26^th October, to 1pm on 22^nd November. He was found not guilty of absence from 2^nd November onwards (that being the date at which he had reported to the military authorities in England), but guilty of absence from 26^th October to 2^nd November. He was ordered to undergo 42 days’ Field Punishment no.1. Evidence had been taken from Sgt. Willie Nichols (see 26^th October), Cpl. George Kelly (see below), Cpl. Thomas Mann MM (see 16^th October) and L.Cpl. Lawrence William Hinchcliffe (see 15th October).

Beyond the fact that he had previously served with 8DWR and 3DWR, I am unable to make a positive identification of George Kelly. 

Ptes. Wilfred Henry Fiddes (see below), Tim Helliwell (see below), Albert Mellor (see 22^nd November) and David Twigg (see below) were all posted from 34^th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples to join 10DWR; they would report for duty on 9^th December.

Wilfred Henry Fiddes was 28 years old and originally from Canonbury, London, where he had worked as a metal caster. He had enlisted in the Regular Army in July 1908 and had gone to France with 2DWR on the outbreak of war. He had been reported missing during the retreat from Mons until returning to England on 22^nd September 1914. He had then served with 2DWR from January to June 1915 since when he had been back in England, apparently having been taken ill, and had served with the Royal Defence Corps between April 1916 and May 1918, when he had been re-posted to 3DWR. He had been posted to France on 10^th November.

Tim Helliwell was a 21 year-old spinner from Sowerby Bridge. He had attested under the Derby Scheme in December 1915 and had served in France with 9DWR in January and February 1917 and with 2DWR between July 1917 and May 1918, being wounded three times. He had been serving with 3DWR at North Shields since June 1918 and had several times been reported for breaches of discipline. He had been posted to France on 10^th November.

David Twigg was a 22 year-old labourer from Rotherham; he had served with 8DWR between September 1915 and September before being evacuated to England suffering from venereal disease. He had been treated in various hospitals for a year before being posted to 3DWR at North Shields, and had a string of disciplinary issues on his record. He had been posted to France on 10^th November.

Pte. Samuel Garside Hardy (see 3^rd October) was discharged from 62^nd General Hospital at Bordighera, near Ventimiglia and posted to the Convalescent Depot at Lido d’Albano.

Cpl. Joseph Dunn (see 1^st October), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was granted one weeks’ leave.