Sunday 15th December 1918

Billets at Arzignano

2Lt. Bernard Garside (see 12^th November), L.Cpl. Harry Bailey (25248) (see 27^th October) and Ptes. Harry Bailey (25198) (see 3^rd August), Charley Culley (see 24^th September 1917), Harold Deighton (see 5^th July 1917), Walter Dey (see 20^th November), Harold Draper (see 18^th May), Thomas Charles Jaques (see 26^th August), Tom Smith (see 8^th December), Joseph Barber Taylor (see 26^th November) and Sidney Christopher Hugh Williams (see 5^th July 1917) departed for England on two weeks’ leave to England. 

2 Lt. Garside later recalled this Christmas leave, “I really do not remember very much about the few weeks between Nov. 11^th, the armistice with Germany, and coming on leave a few days before Christmas. That is I landed in England just before Christmas. The journey of course took about a week. I do remember snippets of the leave journey. I remember falling asleep in the carriage one night in a defile with great hills towering all round and I remember waking up in disgust next morning to see all those same hills. We hadn’t budged. But I must confess that the sun rising over those great blocks of mountains was also something to be remembered – shining on the snow and ice. That must have been near the Mont Cenis tunnel or one of those famous passes.

You can guess what a grand thing it was to be home on leave, but curiously enough I remember little about that Christmas. I recollect my misery when I had to come back. I remember other things – for instance. I have often told how, just before the train left Cherbourg, a great voice bellowed down the train, “Have you got the lampets and blanks?”. Scores of us roared with laughing. The man had got excited in asking after the blankets and lamps we all had in the carriages for the journey. Also, I’m afraid I was ill soon after the train started owing to one of our party having brought some oysters and cigars. I had both – and after half an hour from finishing the cigar I went out in the corridor and lay down not caring whether anyone trod on me or not. Never mix oysters and cigars! Oh dear! I’m almost ill now thinking of it. But the rest of the journey was not bad. You see, we weren’t going out to fight again”.

Lt. Col. Robert Raymer (see 24^th September), commanding 5^th (Pioneer) Battalion South Wales Borderers, returned to England ‘on duty’ for four days before re-joining his Battalion in France.

Pte. Frank Demaine (see 15^th April), serving in France with 2DWR, was admitted to 18^th General Hospital at Camiers suffering from “I.C.T.” (Inflammation of the connective tissue) to his scrotum; he would be discharged to no.6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples four days later.

Pte. William Postill Taylor (see 23^rd October), serving in France with 2^nd/4^thDWR, was admitted to hospital in Wimereux, suffering from influenza.

Pte. David Hume (see 21^st March 1916) was admitted to 18^th General Hospital at Camiers, suffering from influenza; he had been an original member of 10DWR, but was on attachment to 296^th Railway Company, Royal Engineers. Whilst in hospital he would also undergo a series of x-rays to investigate a ‘foreign body’ lodged above his jaw; this may have been a legacy of the wound he had suffered in March 1916 but, in the absence of a surviving service record, this cannot be established for certain.

Pte. Eli Bradley (see 4^th July), serving in India with 1DWR, was posted to the Convalescent Depot at Dagshai; he was suffering from malaria.

Lt. William Andrew Leo Kerridge (see 30^th March 1917), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was promoted Temporary Captain.

Pte. Frank Mallinson MM (see 2^nd November), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was again reported ‘absent from tattoo’; he would remain absent until reporting back at 10.15pm on the 17^th. However, it would then be reported that, ‘when in open arrest he broke out of his billet around 8am on 18^th and remained absent until seen in billets about 7am on 20^th’. He would be ordered to undergo five days’ Field Punishment no.2 and to forfeit five days’ pay.

Pte. Robert Cresswell (see 3^rd May), who had been taken prisoner in April while serving with 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, was repatriated to England; he would immediately be granted two months’ leave. The Craven Herald would subsequently report on his report, along with that of men from other regiments, “During the past week three local soldiers in the persons of Privates Norman Ellis, R.E.; W. Seggar, Scottish Borderers and Robt. Cresswell, Yorks, have returned home, all having been prisoners of war in Germany. Prior to joining H.M. Forces, Pte. Ellis was in business with his brother as a motor mechanic at the local garage, Pte. Seggar being with Messrs. Harger Bros., cabinet makers etc and Pte. Cresswell was the Police Constable at Giggleswick. Whilst all three appear to be looking well and in good health, they are agreed that it is in no way due to the gentle treatment they have received at the hands of the Hun, but to the care and the hospitality of the authorities in Holland. Naturally they are all delighted to be in Old England again and will look back on their term in captivity, and the usual accompanying hardships and indignities to which they have been subject, with feelings that will not tend to create a bond of union with their erstwhile gaolers.