Wednesday 26th February 1919

Billets at Montecchia di Crosara

Pte. Harold Charnock (see 18^th February) recalled that whilst at Montecchia, “there were so few men that parades were dropped. Leave to Venice and Verona was freely granted”.  

Pte. Bertie Cox (see 28^th June 1918) departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

L.Cpl. Ernest Gee (see 7^th November 1918), serving in France with 2DWR, was posted back to England for demobilization.

Lt. Eric Dixon (see 1^st April 1918), serving with the RAF, was transferred from 38 T.D.S. to 52 T.D.S.

2Lt. Samuel Whitaker (see 7^th February) died at his home in Keighley; his cause of death was stated to be ‘influenza and broncho-pneumonia’. He would be buried at Keighley (Utley) Cemetery. The events leading to his death would be reported in some detail in subsequent correspondence. Dr. H. Stewart Brander would confirm that, “I was called to see the late 2Lt. Samuel Whitaker on Wednesday morning, February 19^th. I found him seriously ill, suffering from a severe attack of influenza with right-sided septic pneumonia. On February 22^nd both lungs showed extensive pneumonia due to streptococcal infection from which he died on 26^th February. When I first visited Lt. Whitaker on 19^th February he informed me that he felt distinctly ‘out of sorts’ when he was at Clipstone and during the railway journey from Clipstone to Keighley on February 17^th he felt distinctly ill and had to go to bed two hours after his arrival home. I have no hesitation in saying that Lt. Whitaker died from double pneumonia complicating influenza contracted on active service”.

The circumstances concerning Lt. Whitaker’s journey home would be explained in greater detail in a letter from Lt. Stanley Reginald Wilson (see 2^nd February) to Whitaker’s father: “I perhaps knew poor Whitaker better than anyone in the 10^th Dukes as he was in my Company. Furthermore, we met at Havre on our way home, travelling to Clipstone together, where he was demobilized and said goodbye together at Mansfield Station. I was not demobilized but returned to my unit. I could write much about the very bad conditions we all were subjected to en route home, perhaps these details would be too lengthy and harrowing. One outstanding element, however, was the frightfully bad organisation at Havre, when about 2,000 officers and men were marched down from no.1 Camp at night in the pouring rain and, on arrival at the quay, waited there in the perishing cold and rain for many hours, only to be told eventually that there was no boat. We all were in an exhausted state and had to retrace our footsteps back to the Camp in the small hours of the morning and there await further orders. This fact alone is worthy of being referred to a higher authority, as we never should have been despatched there, the authorities knowing there was no boat in. We had a comfortable trip across, your son and myself in the same cabin. I must say he then seemed very restless, but nevertheless in a good humour. Our arrival at Clipstone in my opinion added the fatal touch. Doubtless you will remember, it was pouring in torrents, still we had to go through the process of demobilization, walking round and round the Camp all night. I became soaked through and felt perished. The elements turned to snow, which made it awful. Your son I know for a fact had no rest or cover at all that night or morning. While we waited in the snow at Mansfield Station, Whitaker seemed to me in a curious state of mind, but we nevertheless parted quite cheerily. I hate to have to mention it to you but there have been many big rows over the way troops are humbugged about coming home and now the conditions are different. All my brother officers are horrified at poor Whitaker’s fate, as he was, needless to say, much liked”.

2Lt. Whitaker’s father also added further detail, “He arrived at Clipstone on Sunday 16^th February about 11pm. It was bitterly cold and there was a heavy fall of snow. He had to wait outside the Camp there until about 2.30am when he received his Protection Certificate. He had some breakfast about 6am and left Clipstone about 9.30am and arrived at Keighley at about 2.30pm on 17^th February. He stated that the journey from Italy to Clipstone had been a long and most uncomfortable one. He was looking ill on arrival home and shivering with cold. He said he was afraid the previous night at Clipstone had ‘done for him’. After a cup of tea and a hot bath he went to bed and never got up again. The Doctor was called in on Wednesday the 19^th and said he was suffering from acute influenza. He died on the 26^th from influenza and bronchial pneumonia”.

Cpl. Thomas Arthur Sturdy (see 18^th January 1918), who had been discharged from the Army in January 1918 due to wounds, died at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary; his cause of death was given as “spastic paraplegia and cystitis, due to active service”; he would be buried at Otley (Newall-With-Clifton and Lindley) Cemetery. His widow, Annie Elizabeth, was awarded a pension of 21s. 8d. per week.

A medical report was prepared regarding the condition of Pte. Tom Lister Ellison (see 6^th February), who was at a convalescent hospital in Ashton-in-Makerfield. The report stated that he had been under treatment for influenza and haemherroids but found that he “has a slight cold at present, feels well and complains of no disability’. He was transferred to Keighley War Hospital but remained there for only one night before being discharged for demobilization.  

Pte. Sydney Wakefield DCM (14755) (see 23^rd November 1915) was officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Sgt. Samuel Collins (see 21^st December 1914) was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. He was found to be suffering from bronchitis attributable to his service, and was awarded a pension of 8s. 3d. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

Sgt. Samuel Collins (seated left), pictured in December 1914

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Pte. George Frederick Barkham (see 29th July 1916) was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. He was found to be suffering from bronchitis and emphysema, aggravated by his service, and was awarded a pension of 8s. 3d. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

Pte. George Green (13724) (see 4^th October 1916) was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. He had been wounded in October 1916 while serving with 10DWR and had subsequently (details unknown) served with both 2DWR and 9DWR. 

Cpl. Thomas Angus McAndrew (see 14^th July 1918), who had been serving in England with 770^th Area Labour Company of the Labour Corps, was officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. He had been examined by an Army Medical Board which had reported that, “He says he was blown up in September 1916 and his left ankle fractured and when he got to the hospital was marked nervous debility. He now complains of feeling of tiredness, exciteability, loss of concentration. Has slight tremor of hands; is pale; eye reflexes normal”. The Board reported his disability to be stable and the disagree of disablement to be less than 20%; therefore he was awarded a sum of 6s. per week for the next six months, but no pension thereafter.

Pte. John James Pickering (see 2^nd December 1918), who had been in England since having been wounded in October 1918, was officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z; an Army Medical Board had declared that he had suffered no disability in service.

Pte. James Wilding Clarkson (see 20^th September 1917), who had been serving with the Military Foot Police, was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Sgt. William Alfred Walmsley Gaunt (see 15^th July 1918), who had been serving with 152^nd Prisoner of War Company, was officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. 

Cpl. John Knowles (see 17^th April 1918), who, in April 1918, had been transferred to the Army Reserve Class P to resume his civil employment, was also officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.