Wednesday 2nd April 1919

The cadre of the Battalion completed their train journey, arriving at No.1 Rest Camp at Le Havre where the Battalion was ‘broken up’. 

Pte. Tom Clark Lockett was transferred to the British Army of the Rhine and was also appointed Acting Corporal on transfer. He was a 32 year-old theatrical scenery painter from Wolverhampton; he had originally served with 1^st/5^th DWR but, in the absence of a surviving service record, it has not been possible to establish when he had joined 10DWR nor any details of his military service.

Pte. Ernest Townsend (see 13^th March), serving with 3DWR in Crosby, was reported as “Being improperly dressed in town: ie having the buttons of his overcoat unfastened; and stating a falsehood to the Provost Corps: ie giving a wrong regimental number”; he was ordered to be confined to barracks for seven days.

Pte. James Deeks (see 24^th March 1917) was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to sickness; he had been wounded while serving with 10DWR early in 1917 and had subsequently (date and details unknown) been transferred to the Labour Corps.

CQMS Hubert Charles Hoyle (see 16^th October 1918) and Ptes. William Arthur Birch Machin (see 23^rd July 1918), William Naylor (see 12^th February), Isaac Raisman (see 18^th February 1918) and Walter Umpleby (see 8^th February) were officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Sgt. Harry Holmes MM (see 31^st January) and Ptes. John Hargreaves (18009) (see 15^th February) and Sidney John Rainbow (see 8^th November), who had been serving with 3DWR at North Shields, were officially transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Pte. Fred Hargreaves (13528) (see 10^th July 1916), who had been serving with 9DWR, was also formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

The London Gazette published notice of the award of the Military Cross to 2Lt. Harry Waddington (see 28^th October 1918), which he had been awarded while serving in France with 1^st/7^th DWR.

Thomas Whitaker, father of the late 2Lt. Samuel Whitaker (see 11^th March) who had died from ‘influenza and broncho-pneumonia’ shortly after returning home from Italy, wrote regarding the administration of his son’s estate:

“My son, 2^nd. Lieut. Samuel Whitaker, enlisted in the 16^th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment at Bradford on 21^st September 1914 and served with the Battalion in Egypt and France, first as a Private and subsequenly as a Lance Corporal. On the 28^th May 1918 he was discharged in consequence of having been appointed to a temporary commission with in the 3^rd West Riding Regiment, after serving 3 years, 250 days with the colours. He then served in Italy as 2^nd. Lieut. In the 10^th Duke of Wellington’s Regiment and was demobilized at Clipstone on 17^th February last. He died on 26^th February last from pneumonia following an attack of influenza contracted on the journey from Italy.

He was married on 8^th May 1918 to Dora Russell Graves, by whom he is survived; there are no children of the marriage. I made application, on behalf of my son’s widow, to the Regimental Paymaster at York for payment of the Rank Service Gratuity to which she is entitled for her husband’s service and he replies that all claims for deceased officers are being dealt with by you and that the application should be sent to you. I shall be glad to hear from you regarding the claim as soon as may be. The deceased’s Clearance Certificate has been sent to Messrs. Cox & Co.”.

His previous letter of March 1919 (exact date uncertain) had laid out details of his son’s illness and death, 

“He left Italy on 7^th February 1919 for England for demobilization. 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 the 17^th of 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 of February from (1) influenza (2) bronchial pneumonia. 

He was married on 6^th May 1918 to Dora Russell Graves, who survives him. There are no children of the marriage. Will you kindly inform me (1) what gratuity my son is entitled to (2) the amount of pension to which his widow is entitled and for what period it is payable”. 

A payment of £16 8s. 3d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances (including a war gratuity of £12 10s.) to the late Pte. Willie Cowgill (see 22^nd November 1918), who had died of wounds on 27^th October 1918; the payment would go to his widow, Amy, with £11 5s. 6d. expressly for the benfit of their two daughters, Winnie and Phyllis. She would also receive a parcel of her late husband’s personal effects, comprising of, “letters, photos, cigarette case, spectacles in case, knife, purse, wallet, 3 Italian coins”.

Pte. Willie Cowgill