Tuesday 7th January 1919

Billets at Grumolo and Montecchia di Crosara

Pte. Reginald Dayson (see 22^nd November 1918), who had been held in confinement for the previous six weeks, appeared before a Field General Court Martial, charged with being absent without leave. He was found guilty and ordered to serve two years’ imprisonment with hard labour. The guilty verdict would be confirmed by Brig. Genl. Archibald Bentley Beauman DSO (see 14^th December 1918), commanding 69^th Brigade, but the sentence commuted to six months’ imprisonment. However, Dayson was also subject to an earlier sentence of imposed for ‘leaving his post without orders from his superior officer’ in January 1918, which had previously been suspended; it was now ordered that the two sentences should run concurrently.

L.Cpl. Harry Seward (see 1^st September 1918) was reported by A/CSM Middleton Busfield MSM (see 3^rd June 1918; it is not known when he had been promoted) and Sgt. Harold Best (see 8^th November 1918) as having, “dirty bayonet on inspection parade”; he would be reprimanded by Capt. Frederick Lowther Dawson Barker (see 29^th December 1918).

Pte. Charles Sidney Taylor (see 29^th September 1918) was admitted to 71^st Field Ambulance, suffering from scabies; he would re-join the Battalion nine days later.

Pte. Tom Smith (see 15^th December 1918), who was on leave in England, had his leave extended for a further ten days.

Pte. John Henshall (see 5^th December 1918), who had spent the previous six weeks in hospital while serving in India with 1DWR, was discharged to duty from hospital in Rawalpindi.

Sgt. Dan Fretwell (see 24^th July 1917) was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z (see below). L.Cpl. Tom Jackson Tindall (see 9^th December 1916), serving with 3DWR, was also formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

(Class Z was a new class of the Army Reserve which had been created by an Army Order of 3^rd December 1918. There were fears that Germany would not accept the terms of any peace treaty, and therefore the British Government decided it would be wise to be able to quickly recall trained men in the eventuality of the resumption of hostilities).

Pte. William Stephen Nobbs (see 15^th September 1917) was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to wounds suffered in action; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish when he had been wounded or the extent of his injuries.

Capt. Alan G. Tindill, 17^th Northumberland Fusiliers, brother of 2Lt. Lawrence Tindill MM (see 21^st June 1918), who had been officially missing in action since 21^st June 1918, wrote to the Interdepartmental Committee on Prisoners of War:

Re: 2^nd. Lieut. Lawrence Tindill,

After reading your statement published in the Times of Jan. 4^th I wish to bring before your committee the following facts the above officer, my brother.

1. Lt. Tindill was reported missing after a British raid on the Austrian positions on the night of 21^st June 1918, along with Pte. Goodship (Pte. John James Goodship, see 24^th December 1918), of the same regiment, who is now a prisoner of war.

2. The British again raided the Austrian positions in the Ave Sector on the night of August 21^st 1918 (sic.; recte 26^th August), capturing some Austrian officers, one of whom stated in examination that Lt. Tindill was a prisoner in Austrian hands and that they had taken him to observation posts, with a view to getting him to give information.

3. Not a word has been received from Lt. Tindill and I should be glad if you would make enquiries with a view to deciding his fate.