Monday 24th February 1919

Billets at Arzignano

The draft provided for 8^th Yorks. and Lancs. now joined their new battalion, though the transfers would be formally completed with effect from 8^th March. In the meantime they would march two miles south-east to Terrossa from where they would be transported to Fiume (now known as Rijeka) to join the Army of Occupation. 

Pte. Richard Henry Wedgbury (see 25^th June 1918) completed and signed his ‘Statement as to disability’ forms, which were a precursor to his being posted back to England. The completed forms, which confirmed that he did not claim to have suffered any disability in service, were witnessed for by Capt. Paul James Sainsbury (see 22^nd February).

L.Sgt. George Heeley (see 16^th February) and Ptes. Thomas Bates (see 16^th February), Henry Grimshaw (see 17^th February), Robert Jackson (see 16^th February), John William Pennells (see 16^th February), Samuel Richards (see 16^th February), Alfred Shaw (see 16^th February) and Herbert Sloane MM (see 17^th February), were posted back to England for demobilization. Bates would be demobilized from Chiseldon; Jackson and Pennells from Wimbledon; Richards from Fovant; Grimshaw and Shaw from Prees Heath; and Sloane from Clipstone.

An Army Medical Board was convened at 1^st Southern General Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham to consider the case of Lt. George Clifford Sugden MC (see 18^th February), who had recently been evacuated to England, suffering from laryngitis. The Board found that, “This officer has improved; colour good and looks well. Much cough remains, but no expectoration. Voice is husky. No physical signs heard in chest”. He was discharged from hospital and resumed his period of leave on the expiry of which he was instructed to report to the War Department.

Pte. Frank Mallinson MM (see 5^th February), who was at the Dispersal Centre at Clipstone in preparation for demobilization, was reported for ‘not complying with an order’; he would be confined to barracks for three days.

2Lt. George Henry Roberts (see 30^th January), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was declared permanently unfit for further service.

Ptes. Richard Cole (see 26th August 1918), George Henry Palmer (see below), Sidney Powdrill (see 26^th January), Ernest Raymond Smith (see below), George Smith (13176) (see below) and Ernest Wood (18378) (see below) were officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Ernest Raymond Smith and George Smith (13176) had both been original members of 10DWR. George Henry Palmer and Ernest Wood (18378) had only ever served with 10DWR. In the absence of surviving service records I am unable to make a positive identification of any of these men or to establish any details of their service.

Cpl. Charles Stuart Carrack MM (see 24^th January) was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z; having been wounded in August 1918 he was assessed as having a 40% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 17s. 4d. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

L.Cpl. Thomas Hemingway (see 26^th July 1918) and Ptes. Irvine Clark (see 27^th September 1918), Thomas Legg (see 30^th August 1917), William Shirtcliffe Mallinson (see 1^st January) and Arthur Wood (29040) (see 21^st November 1918), who had been serving with 3DWR at North Shields, were officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Pte. Charles Dobson, who had served with 10DWR before being transferred (date and details unknown) to 1^st/7^th DWR, was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man or to establish any details of his service.


A revised pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Henry Harry Jolly (see 11^th October 1918), who had been officially missing in action since 20^th September 1917. His mother, Ann, was awarded 12s. 6d. per week, backdated to 22nd October 1918; the previous award to his widow, Ann, was cancelled on the grounds that she was ineligible (details unknown).

Pte. Henry Harry Jolly