Friday 20th December 1918

Billets at Morando

Pte. Mark Henry Sutcliffe (see 10^th March 1917), serving at 23^rd Division Headquarters, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Pte. George Bernard Hardy (see 2^nd December), who was at one of the Base Depots at Etaples (details unknown), departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

L.Sgt. Jonathan Richardson Sunderland (see 18^th October) and Pte. John James Goodship (see 27^th November), both of whom had been prisoners of war in Austria, were repatriated to England. Both were posted to the Regimental Depot in Halifax.

Maj. Robert Harwar Gill DSO (see 12^th December), who was under treatment at 3^rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, having been wounded in October, appeared before an Army Medical Board. The Board found that he would be unfit for active duty for at least six months, pending further hospital treatment; he was granted one month’s special leave, on the expiry of which he was to return to hospital.

Maj. Robert Harwar Gill DSO

2Lt. John William Pontefract (see 20^th November), who had suffered a bullet wound to the face on 27^th October, appeared before an Army Medical Board in Huddersfield. The Board found that, “His condition has considerably improved since the last Board”. He was declared fit for general service and instructed to join 3DWR at North Shields. 

Pte. Harry Pullin (see 26^th October) was discharged from hospital (details unknown) and posted to 3DWR at North Shields. However, he failed to report on time and would be reported “absent off sick furlough until reporting himself to the Orderly Sergeant at 8.30am on 29^th December”; he would be ordered to forfeit nine days’ pay and to undergo nine days’ Field Punishment no.2.

Cpl. Paul Bland (see 21^st July 1917), who had been wounded in July 1917, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to his wounds; he was awarded a pension of 18s. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald reported news of the death of Pte. Edward Victor Grubb (see 27^th October).

BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND - Another Soldier Gone

Private Victor Grubb, who was formerly a gardener at Closes Hall, and who enlisted in Captain Tunstill's regiment (sic.), is reported as having died in hospital in Italy, the intimation having been conveyed by Private Horner (Pte. Harry Horner, see 29th une) to the secretary of the local War Fund Committee in the following letter:- "I am very sorry to have to write and tell you the sad news about Private Victor Grubb. He went into hospital a few months ago, and news came through to the regiment that he had died last week in hospital in Italy. It is very hard for us to lose him now that the war is so near the end, after we have been together for four years. I shared the contents of the last parcel with his pals, which we thank you very much for. We are only sorry that Victor was not there to enjoy them”.