Thursday 7th November 1918

In billets at Porcia.

The Battalion began their withdrawal south-west, setting out at 11.40am and marching 16 miles, via Tamai, Brugnera and Gaiarine back to their former billets at Casa Dal Cin on the Pianzano to Baver road.

Pte. David Doughty Glossop (see 27^th October), who had been wounded on 27^th October, was transferred from 11^th General Hospital in Genoa to 16^th Convalescent Depot in Marseilles.

2Lt. Joseph Barrett Hartley MC (see 26^th September 1917), serving in France with 17^th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was wounded in action; he “was hit by a piece of shell, causing a superficial flesh wound on left side of sacral region”. The details of his immediate treatment are unknown.

2Lt. Joseph Barrett Hartley MC

Lt. Arthur Lilley (see 15^th September), serving in France with the RAF, was posted to no.18 Squadron.

L.Cpl. Ernest Gee (see 30^th September) re-joined 2DWR, from ‘F’ Infantry Base Depot at Etaples.

Pte. Richard Butler MM (see 26^th June), serving with the Royal Defence Corps, was transferred to the Labour Corps and posted to 543^rd Agricultural Company.

Lt. David Lewis Evans (see 7^th September), serving with 3DWR, appeared before a further Army Medical Board assembled at Tynemouth. The report of the Board found that, “Condition improving steadily; still short of breath on exertion but improving. Has no reserve of strength. Physical signs in chest improving”. The Board found him fit to continue service at home with 3DWR at North Shields. He was to be re-examined in two months.

Having heard news of the Austrian armistice and being, as yet, unaware that his son had been killed in action on 27^th October. Thomas Perks wrote to his son Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 5^th November),

My dear Robert

We have got the news this afternoon that an Armistice was signed with Austria at 2.30 this afternoon.  I am so excited about the news that for the present I cannot go on with my work.  Joy (Bob’s sister) and I were out in Commercial Street, Leeds at about 4.10 when the newspaper boys came rushing along selling their papers like magic.  The news was not long getting to us was it?  Joy and I immediately hurried back here to telephone the glad news to your Mother and have sent a telegram also.

We hope to hear soon that you are allright.  If so things will not have turned out so badly on the whole for you.  Suppose you have guessed but we have tried not let you know the anxiety we have felt. Oh but it is a glad ending for altho’ of course it is not yet Peace there will not be any more fighting.

I am so proud of my boy and of his share in the great struggle. You know how emotional I am over the pathetic parts of books - the happy parts chiefly. Well that is how I am today.  But I am happy for all that.

 Now with much love, my dear boy,

Your affectionate Father

Capt. Bob Perks DSO

I am most grateful to Janet Hudson for allowing me to quote from Bob Perks' personal correspondence.

A payment of £4 10s. 5d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Cpl. Joseph Robinson (see 21^st June), who had been killed during the trench raid on 21^st June; the payment would go to his father, John.

Pte. Joseph Robinson