Friday 28th February 1919

Billets at Montecchia di Crosara

During February a total of 8 officers and 846 other ranks had been demobilized from 69^th Brigade as a whole, bringing the current total to 22 officers and 1,644 other ranks. 92 other ranks of the Brigade re-enlisted during the month, bringing the total up to 206.

More than 40 men from 10DWR have been identified as among those who had re-enlisted and would continue to serve with the Dukes, although the precise dates of their re-enlistment are unknown. In the absence of surviving service records for a number of these men it has not been possible to make a positive identification for many of them, or to establish any details of their service.

Some of these men had been original members of 10DWR. Ptes. Ernest Arthur Crookes (14527; 60032) (see 29^th July 1916) and Peter Kenny (12400; 60057) had only ever served with 10DWR. Ptes. Arthur Bilton (16151; 60070) (see 10^th July 1916) and Ernest Kaye (14524; 60071) (see 10^th July 1916) had also served with 8DWR before being transferred back to 10DWR.

Others had only ever served with 10DWR having joined the Battalion at a later date. These were Pte. John Benson (718470; 60002); Pte. Jack Boulter (25378; 60033) (see 27^th October 1918); Pte. Ralph Braithwaite (23010; 53589) (see 20^th November 1918); Pte. Robert Callaghan (15246) (see 25^th October 1918); Pte. Michael Cross (31626; 60048) (see 5^th June 1918); Pte. Brian Devnil (19608; 60063) (see 26^th August 1918); Pte. Joseph Garrett (265385; 60047); Pte. Edward Hanaghan (19413; 60042) (see 4th October 1916); Pte. Harold Hyde (3160; 60066).;Pte. George Jackson (266556; 60088); Pte. Leslie Norman Hill (17281; 53786) (see 26^th October 1918); Pte. John Kelly (18983; 60001) DCM (see 11^th June 1918); Pte. Frank Knott (25210; 60062) (see 5^th July 1917); Pte. Arthur Langstroth (29841; 60000); Pte. Thomas Mason (31684; 60069); Pte. Fred Walker (18279; 60090); Pte. William Wigglesworth (17891; 60058) (see 27^th October 1918) Leonard Wilby (see 28^th October 1917) and Pte. Ernest Yates (55314; 60089).

Others had previously served with other units before being transferred to 10DWR; the dates and circumstances of their transfers are unknown. These were Cpl. James Jennings (11270; 60087) MM (see 17^th December 1917). Cpl. Robert William Searby MM (16027; 60061) (see 17^th December 1917; it is not known when he had been promoted). Pte. James Cobb (25364; 60060) (see 15^th September 1917) had previously served with 8^th Bedfordshires. Pte. Bernard George Espin Cunningham (204668; 60050) had previously served with both 1^st/5^th and 1^st/4^th DWR and had first gone to France in April 1915. Pte. Charles Eyles (204691; 60054) had previously served with 5^th Northumberland Fusiliers and with 1^st/5^th and 2^nd/5^th DWR. Pte. William Green (23560; 60059) (see 8^th September 1918). Pte. Jim Haigh (23959; 60036) had originally served with 1^st/5^th DWR and had first gone to France in April 1915. Pte. Percy Helliwell (204568; 60073) had previously served with 1^st/5^th DWR. Pte. John Holden (24036; 60159) had previously served with 8DWR. Pte. William Richard Jones (29517; 60055) had previously served with 15^th and 17^th Cheshires. Pte. Joseph Arthur Jordan (204267; 60052) had previously served with 2^nd/5^th DWR. Pte. James William Kershaw MM (12519; 60065) (see 21^st July 1918). Pte. James Bernard McGreevy (202078; 60053) had previously served with 2^nd/5^th DWR. Pte. Arthur Moss (265326; 60091) had previously served with 1^st/6^th and 2^nd/7^th DWR. Pte. Albert Smith MM (11195; 60064) (see 13^th September 1918). Pte. Charles Smith (10345; 60084) had previously served with 8DWR and had gone to Gallipoli in July 1915. Pte. Alfred Swales (204399; 60051) had previously served with 1^st/4^th DWR. Pte. George Warwick (25738; 60034) had originally served with 12^th Royal Berks. Pte. John William Whaites (265127; 60072) had previously served with 1^st/4^th and 2^nd/5^th DWR.

A number of other men have also been identified as having re-enlisted in the Regular Army, though with different regiments. For most, in the absence of surviving service records the dates and details of their transfers are unknown. Sgt. Ernest Craddock DCM (see 15^th November 1918) joined the Northumberland Fusiliers; Pte. Charles Clear (see 11^th June 1918) was transferred to the Lincolnshire Regiment and Pte. Joseph Clifford Hudson (see 26^th August 1918) would serve with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. 

L.Cpl. Horace Dunn (see 30^th January) was discharged from 1^st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham; a medical report found that he had suffered no disability whilst in service and he was to be demobilized.

Capt. William Andrew Leo Kerridge (see 15^th December 1918), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, formally relinquished his commission ‘on grounds of ill health’. He would, in 1921, take up a post teaching ‘Manual Training’ (woodwork, metalwork etc.) at Gresham’s School in Norfolk, and would remain at the school until retiring in 1946.

Capt. William Andrew Leo Kerridge (seated front right, amongst the staff of Gresham's School

RQMS Frank Stephenson (see 12^th January), Cpl. Stanley Arthur Bones (see 23^rd January), L.Cpl. Thomas Riding (see 30^th January) and Ptes. Joseph Dagger (see 10^th January) and Joseph Chapman Syers (see 3rd April 1916) were officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Sgt. Robert William John Morris (see 8^th January 1918), who had been serving with 3DWR at North Shields was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Pte. Edwin Baldwin (see 29^th January), who had been serving in France with the Motor Transport Section of the Army Service Corps, was also formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Pte. Sydney Drake MM (see 17^th December 1917) was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. After being wounded in October 1917 he had been transferred to King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (details unknown).

Pte. John Edward Atkinson (see 22^nd December 1917), who had been serving with 17^th Labour Company, Labour Corps, was officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. A medical report prior to his transfer found that he was suffering from ‘very slight’ bronchitis, ‘caused by exposure, started about August 1917’. He was awarded an Army pension of 9s. 6d. per week, which was to be payable only for six months.

Pte. Thomas Barber Dudley (see 20^th April 1918), who had been transferred to the Army Reserve Class W to resume his civil employment in April 1918, was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.


A pension award was made in the case of late Pte. William Northrop (see 9^th December 1918), who had been killed in action in August 1918; his widow, Sarah Alice, was awarded £1 5s. per week.