Thursday 13th February 1919

Billets at Arzignano

Pte. William Douglas (see 18^th December 1918) was admitted to 51^st Stationary Hospital at Arquata Scrivia; he was suffering from a corneal ulcer. He would be discharged after four days and posted to the Base Depot at Arquata Scrivia.

Sgt. Herbert Parkin (see 16^th September 1918), A/Cpl. Hiram Tasker (see 28^th October 1918) and Pte. Joseph McDermott (see 6^th October 1918) completed and signed their ‘Statement as to disability’ forms, which were a precursor to their being posted back to England. The completed forms, which confirmed that they did not claim to have suffered any disability in service, were witnessed, for Parkin and McDermott by Capt. Henry Kelly VC, MC (see 12^th February) and for Tasker by 2Lt. Wilfred Frederick John Thomson MC (see 12^th February).

Pte. Nathaniel Bather (see 19^th December 1918) was transferred from “Caesar’s Camp” at Arquata Scrivia to Taranto, in Southern Italy; the details of this posting are unknown.

Pte. Leonard Pankhurst (see 7^th October 1918), who had been in hospital in Italy since October 1918, suffering from influenza, was evacuated to England; the details of his treatment are unknown.

Mr. F. Binnall wrote in reference to Pte. Herbert Archer (see 28^th November 1918), who had been in England since having been wounded on 27^th October 1918, stating his offer of employment to Pte. Archer, who had worked for him before joining the Army. “I am willing to give employment to Pte. Archer if he can get his discharge from hospital at any time. If he is not strong enough for the work he did before enlisting I can find him a light job until he is stronger. Wages to be paid according and his cottage is ready for him as I have kept the place for him and should be glad to have him back”.  

CSM Frank Shelah Gilleard MC (see 2^nd December 1918), CQMS Edgar Shuttleworth (see 17^th January), A/Sgt. Kenyon Bradbury (see below), Cpl. Alfred Frankland (see 13^th September 1918) and Ptes. Wilson Eilbeck (see below), Joe Norris (see below) and Tom Smith (see 18^th January) were officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. CSM Gilleard would be awarded an Army pension of 16s. per week, on the grounds that he had a suffered a 30% disability as a result of the wounds he had suffered.

Kenyon Bradbury had been an original member of 10DWR, having enlisted aged 24 and working as a chainmaker in Marsden, near Huddersfield; in the absence of a surviving service record, I am unable to establish any details of his service. Wilson Eilbeck was 28 years old and originally from Hensingham, Cumberland. He had served with 1^st/4^th DWR before being transferred to 10DWR but, in the absence of a surviving service record, I am unable to establish any details of his service. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of Joe Norris. He had previously served with 1^st/7^th DWR, 8DWR and 2DWR, but I am unable to establish any details of his service.

CSM Bob Harrison (see 30^th November 1917) was also formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z having, at some point previously (date and details unknown) been attached to 53^rd (Young Soldier) Battalion, Yorkshire Light Infantry, a training battalion based at Clipstone Camp.

Cpl. George Henry Hansford MM (see 4^th December 1918), who had been serving with 3DWR, was also formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Pte. Charles Lupton was also formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. He had been an original member of 10DWR but at some point (date and details unknown) had been transferred to the Labour Corps. In the absence of a surviving service record, I am unable make a positive identification of this man or to establish any details of his service.

Pte. Duncan Kendrick was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to sickness aggravated whilst in service; he was awarded a pension (amount and details unknown) on account of heart problems and bronchitis. He was a married man, originally from Exeter and had been an original member of the Battalion, having enlisted in October 1914, aged 39. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to establish any further details of his service.

A payment of £9 19s. 3d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Victor Hillam (see 26^th August 1918), who had been killed in action on 26^th August 1918 while serving in France with 9DWR; the payment would go to his mother, Mary Ellen Hillam. She would also receive a package of her late son’s personal effects, comprising of, “photos, cards, wallet, note book”.

A package was despatched containing the personal effects of the late Pte. Harry Clay (see 19^th December 1918), who had been killed in action on 26^th August 1918 while serving in France with 9DWR; the package would go to his mother, Mary, and comprised of, “2 wallets, photos, postcards, letters, 2 certificates, memorial ribbon, cigarette case”.