Tuesday 1st July 1919

Lt. Eric Dixon (see 26^th February), serving with the RAF, was transferred to 11 Training Squadron, based at Old Sarum.

Lt. Eric Dixon

Image by kind permission of the Trustees of the DWR Museum

Monday 30th June 1919

Pte. Fred Clayton (see 5^th March), serving with 505^th Prisoner of War Company at San Bonifacio, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Lt. George Reginald Percy MC (see 12^th March 1917), serving with the Royal Engineers, formally relinquished his commission ‘on completion of service’; he would take up employment with the Public Works Department in Bagan Serai, in modern day Malaysia.

Lt. George Reginald Percy (back right)

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Sunday 29th June 1919

Nothing to report regarding 10DWR

Saturday 28th June 1919

Lt. Leopold Henry Burrow (see 25^th July 1918), serving at no.14 Convalescent Depot at Trouville, departed for England on two weeks’ leave; his leave would later be extended by a further week.

Pte. Joseph Barnes (see 3^rd June), who had been on leave to England while serving with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs. at Fiume, failed to report back on time from his leave; he would not report until 11^th July and would be ordered to forfeit 13 days’ pay and undergo 14 days’ Field Punishment no. 2.

Pte. James Pidgeley (see 21^st April) was posted back to England from Italy for demobilization; however, having reached Boulogne, he would remain in France (reason unknown).

Cpl. Sidney Twine MSM (see 1^st January) was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Maj. Herbert Henry Hudson DSO, MC (see 31^st May), who had briefly commanded 10DWR in June/July 1917, formally relinquished his commission; having been released from the Army a month previously, he had already returned to India to resume his employment with a railway company.

Sgt. Wilson Allinson MM (see 21^st March), who had been serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service on account of his wounds; he was assessed as having suffered 30% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 9s. 9d. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

Pte. Charles Walton (see 2^nd December 1918), who had been at the Scottish National Red Cross Hospital, Bellahouston since having been wounded on 11^th September 1918, was also formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service on account of his wounds; he was assessed as having suffered 50% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 13s. 9d. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

Friday 27th June 1919

Pte. George William Ball (see 21^st April), serving at Arquata Scrivia with the Military Foot Police, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Maj. Stephen Minchin Mercer, ASC (see 16^th April 1917), who had taken a prominent role in raising recruits in the Craven area in the Autumn of 1914, died at 2^nd Northern General Hospital, Beckett Park, Leeds; he was 63 years old and his cause of death was stated as being, “liver abscess, old dysenteric purulent pericarditis”.

Thursday 26th June 1919

Pte. John William Kirby (see 15^th April), serving with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs. at Fiume, was appointed (unpaid) Lance Corporal.

Wednesday 25th June 1919

Pte. Arthur Holden (see 2^nd December 1918), who had been in England since having been wounded in October 1918, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to wounds to his left arm; he was assessed as having suffered an 80% disability and was awarded an Army pension of £1 7s. 4d. per week.

Letters of administration in the estate of his late son were granted to Thomas Whitaker, father of the late 2Lt. Samuel Whitaker (see 23^rd April) who had died from ‘influenza and broncho-pneumonia’ shortly after returning home from Italy in February; his estate was valued at £200.

Tuesday 24th June 1919

A single identity disc belonging to the late Pte. Algie Clarkson (see 1^st December 1916), who had been killed in action on 10^th July 1916, was returned to his widow, Mary. The circumstances of the despatch of the disc are unclear, given the long delay since Pte. Clarkson’s death.

Monday 23rd June 1919

L.Cpl. John Jackson (19555) (see 14^th May), serving with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs. at Fiume, was ordered to be deprived of five days’ pay; the exact nature of his offence is unknown.

Sunday 22nd June 1919

(For the first time in more than four years …) There is nothing to report regarding 10DWR.

Saturday 21st June 1919

L.Cpl. Fred Oldroyd (see 18^th February), serving in Fiume with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs., was promoted Acting Sergeant.

Pte. Franklin Colbeck (see 24^th January), who had been formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z in January, was married at the Parish Church in Mirfield to Elsie Parkinson; since leaving the Army Pte. Colbeck had resumed his civilian occupation as a coal miner.

Friday 20th June 1919

Pte. Edward Smitham, the eldest son of Sgt. George Edward Smitham (see 28^th May), serving with 83^rd Company, Labour Corps, was posted to France.

Thursday 19th June 1919

Pte. Joseph William Carter (see 25^th May), serving with in Fiume with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs., was reported as having been ‘absent from roll call from 2pm until 2.50pm; he would be confined to barracks for three days.

Wednesday 18th June 1919

Pte. George Singleton (see 14^th June 1918), was married at the Parish Church in Bolton-by-Bowland to Alice Mason, who was the sister of Pte. James Mason (see 28^th April 1917). George’s brother, Pte. Robert Singleton (see 30^th January), was best man. It would be reported in the Craven Herald that, ‘Both bride and bridegroom are much respected in the parish, the former having been a Sunday School teacher for some years and the latter having served in the war since 1914. The bride, who was given away by her brother, was prettily attired in white, her bridesmaid being Miss Geldard, cousin of the bridegroom. The best man was Mr. Robert Singleton, brother of the bridegroom. The Rev. C.C. Broadhurst officiated. As the bridal party left the Church Mr. Lambert played the Wedding March and the bells rang out a merry peal, the happy pair having the very best wishes of the interested congregation. They were the recipients of many useful presents’.

Tuesday 17th June 1919

Pte. John Henshall (see 24^th April), who had been transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z in April after serving in India with 1DWR, re-enlisted in Leeds and was posted to 3DWR.

Pte. Ernest Jones (see 3^rd June), who had been in England since having been wounded in October 1918, was married to Emily Dean at the Register Office in Bradford; there had clearly been a change of date and venue after Pte. Jones had appealed for permission to marry two weeks previously.

Ann Eliza Debenham, grandmother and legatee of the late Pte. Leonard Watling (see 22^nd May 1918), who had died of wounds on 17^th October 1917, wrote to the War Office regarding the form which she had received asking for details of Pte. Watling’s family: “I am returning the form that I received. I have filled it in as much as the space will allow. Owing to such a large family there is not space enough to write down all the aunts and uncles and nephews and nieces of the soldier. If you should require them all I shall write them down on paper and send them to you. I am his grandmother that brought him up from a baby. His mother never married his father and she could not give him a home. He always referred to me as mother and wrote to me as mother and made me allowances of 2s. 4d. per week. I am just sending you a letter or two so you will see he always lived with me”.

Monday 16th June 1919

Pte. Ezra Plumb MM (see 29^th March), who had been serving in Fiume with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs., was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Lt. Arthur Neill (see 26^th August 1918), who had been in England since having been wounded in August 1918, formally relinquished his commission ‘on account of ill health caused by wounds’.


A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. John Overend (see 17^th September 1917) who had been killed in action in October 1916; his widow, mother, Martha, was awarded 5s. per week.

Sunday 15th June 1919

Pte. Albert William Knight (see 24^th October 1918), serving in France with 2/6^th DWR, departed for England on ten days’ leave.

Saturday 14th June 1919

Cpl. Arthur Lee MM (see 29^th March), who had reported as ‘absent without leave’ having failed to return from leave to England from 8^th Yorks. and Lancs., reported to 1^st Battalion Yorks. and Lancs. at Rollestone Camp on Salisbury Plain.

Pte. James Moran (see 6^th December 1918), who, it seems, had been recently released from prison having served a twelve months sentence for manslaughter, was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. He was originally awarded an Army pension on grounds of ‘debility caused by active service’; it was noted that, ‘states that he is not fit and has suffered in health since joining up. Heart and lungs sound; slight wounds healed and no inconvenience’. However, his award of 10s. 4d. per week, to be reviewed after six months, would be annulled and his claim rejected.

Friday 13th June 1919

Pte. Fred Abbey (see 21^st October 1917), who, since having been wounded in October 1917, had been transferred to 9DWR and eventually to 1^st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer fit for military service.

Pte. Thomas Young (25815) (see 29^th October 1917) was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z; at some point (date and details unknown) he had been transferred from 10DWR to the Machine Gun Corps.

Clara Petty, widow of the late Pte. Arthur Tempest (see 1^st February), who had re-married in January wrote to the authorities having received the form to be completed giving details of her late husband’s surviving relatives: “Just a line in answer to the form seeing as I have re-married I don’t really know what to do about it, as I have been married again since 1^st February this year”. She would be requested simply to complete the form, which she duly did.

Thursday 12th June 1919

Pte. Herbert Newton (see 22^nd February), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was transferred to the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry; however, the transfer order would be rescinded two weeks later and he would remain with 3DWR.

Lt. Cecil Edward Merryweather (see 7^th February 1917), who had been serving with the RFA, relinquished his commission on grounds of ill health.

A payment of £240 12s. 9d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 24^th April), who had been killed in action in October 1918; the payment would go to his father, Thomas.

Capt. Bob Perks DSO

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

Wednesday 11th June 1919

Sgt. Arthur Manks (see 30^th November 1918), on attachment from 3DWR to a Prisoner of War camp at Barlby, near Ripon, was transferred to another camp at East Boldon near Sunderland.

Pte. Albert Edward Ford (see 2^nd July 1917) was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z on account of wounds suffered in action; he was assessed as having a 30% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 8s.3d. per week, to be reviewed after six months. He had been suffering from neurasthenia having been buried by a shell explosion in July 1917; the details of his treatment are unknown but it was stated that he had been “treated at various military hospitals in the UK; after travelling in train collapsed, unable to speak, twitching of muscles of head and neck; insomnia; very nervous. Board states symptoms of neurasthenia have now disappeared”. He would be re-examined by a further medical board nine days later which would report that, “Not so well since discharge; pains in head twice weekly; sleep delayed and disturbed; occasional war dreams; depressed at times; hesitation in traffic; reflexes normal; introspective; self-opinionated”.

Pte. Albert Edward Ford (standing, left)

Image by kind permission of Kirstie Ford

Pte. Sam Sunderland (see 10^th April), who had recently been transferred to Class Z, appeared before an Army Medical Board assembled in Bradford. The Board found that, having had the little finger of his left hand amputated, he should be awarded a gratuity of £26 in lieu of any further pension payments.

Pte. Arthur Foster MM (see 26^th March) wrote to the Infantry Record Office in York, “I was awarded the Military Medal in March 1917 and I have not yet received same, would you kindly look into the matter for me”.

Tuesday 10th June 1919

Pte. John Walter Jennings (see 27^th May), who had spent two weeks in hospital whilst home on leave from 8^th Yorks. and Lancs. at Fiume, having been in contact with someone suffering from measles, was discharged from 2^nd/4^th Southern General Hospital in Birmingham. Rather than being posted back to Italy he was instead posted to 3^rd Yorks. and Lancs. at Rollestone Camp on Salisbury Plain.

Pte. Eli Bradley (see 12^th May) was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service on account of malaria contracted in service in India; he was assessed as having suffered 40% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 11s. per week, to be reviewed after six months.

The widow of the late Pte. Matthew Henry Jubb (see 23^rd December 1918), who had been officially missing in action since 10^th April, while serving with 1^st/4^th DWR, wrote to the War Office to inform them that she had received information from a Cpl. Collins, who had been with Pte. Jubb, and had been a prisoner of war in Germany, confirming that her husband was dead. After contacting Cpl. Collins a formal report was received from him at the War Office stating that, “Pte. Jubb was badly wounded above the right knee and was picked up by two German Red Cross men who carried them (ie Jubb and Collins) to an old farm building where Jubb died after being there about six hours. The place was just outside Erquingham, near Armentieres”. Jubb had been buried by the Germans at a military cemetery at Fleurbaix, but after the war his remains would be exhumed and re-interred at Rue David Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix.

Mrs. Florence Emily Ford, widow of the late Pte. Walter William Ford (see 9^th May) who had died from influenza whilst at his home in Bristol, wrote to the Infantry Records Office in York in reply to a recent request for information regarding her late husband, “The Doctor who attended him on Saturday Feb. 15^th was Dr. Cairns of Devon House, White Hall Road, White Hall, Bristol. Dr. Alexandra, of Byron House, Church Road, Redfield, Bristol attended him on Monday 17^th, Tuesday 18^th and Wednesday 19^th”.

Monday 9th June 1919

Col. Robert Raymer (see 17^th January), commanding 5^th (Pioneer) Battalion South Wales Borderers, was posted back to England with the cadre of his Battalion.

Sunday 8th June 1919

Following the response to her recent appeal regarding the fate of Pte. Alfred Spencer (see 23^rd May), who had been officially ‘missing in action’ since 20^th September 1917, his widow, Selina, wrote to the Infantry Record Office in York: “I am writing on behalf of my dear husband, Pte. Alfred Spencer. He has been reported missing since 20^th September 1917 and I have never heard from him since. Last week I put his photograph in the paper and four young men recognised him from Settle and said they had left him in Italy and he was very absent-minded. He had been shell shocked before he was missing on the 20^th and that is what made me never give him up. So dear sir you can guess how anxious I am for more news about him and I do trust that you can help me to trace him. He was well built, his hair rather curly and big blue eyes. Those boys said they are sure it is him and they left him to be demobbed. All that he said was that he was married. If you know anything of him please let me know at once and I shall be very gratefully thankful to you”.

Four days later she would receive an official reply, “If you can obtain a statement from the four young men in Settle who had recognised him in the photograph in the paper to the effect that they had left him in Italy, also giving the place and date and forward it to this office, they shall be forwarded to the War Office who will make full enquiries for you. When obtaining evidence from the men stated do not omit to ask them for their full regimental particulars as this will be very important”.

Pte. Alfred Spencer

Pte. Edward Shaw Powell (see 18^th February), serving in Fiume with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs., departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

A/Cpl. Archie Lamb (see 18^th February), who had been serving in Fiume with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs., was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Pte. Bertie Cox (see 9^th May) was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Saturday 7th June 1919

A further payment, of 10s. 8d. was authorised, being an additional amount due in pay and allowances (including a war gratuity of £13) to the late Pte. Arthur Flowers (see 26^th April) who had been killed in action in October 1918; the payment would go to his mother, Emma. 


A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Harry Braithwaite (see 26^th September 1917) who had been killed in action in October 1916; his mother, Mary Elizabeth, was awarded 9s. 6d. per week.

Friday 6th June 1919

Pte. Charles Clear (see 9^th May), serving with the 2^nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment at Clipstone Camp, was reported as having overstayed on a pass; he would be confined to barracks for five days.

Pte. Michael Langley (see 27^th April), serving with 3DWR at Pembroke Dock, was reported ‘absent off draft leave’; he would not return until 12^th June. He would be ordered to undergo 12 days’ Field Punishment no.2 and to forfeit six days’ pay.

Sgt. William Clough was 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 2^nd/4^thDWR. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man or establish any details of his service.

Pte. Milton Wood (see 28^th April), who had been serving in France with 2^nd/5^th DWR, was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Pte. Charles Hammond (see 16^th September 1918), who had been in England since having been wounded while serving in France with 2/7^th DWR, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service on account of his wounds; he was assessed as having a 50% disability and was awarded an Army pension of £1 13s. 6d. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

A payment of £42 1s. 1d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances (including a war gratuity of £24) to the late Pte. William Summers Holmes (see 21^st February), who had died of influenza in October 1918; the payment would go to his widow, Nellie, with two thirds specifically for the benefit of their child.

Pte. William Summers Holmes

A revised pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Harry Robinson (see 3^rd February), who had died of his wounds on 19^th July 1918; the weekly pension payable to his widow, Edith, was increased from £1 5d. to £1 16s. 8d. per week for herself and her son.

Thursday 5th June 1919

A/L.Cpl. James Sugden (see 21^st April) and Pte. Charles Frederick Riddial (see 2^nd March), serving in Fiume with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs., departed on two weeks’ leave to England.

Pte. Frederick William Warner (see 29^th April), serving with 3DWR, was admitted to the Military Hospital at Pembroke Dock, suffering from eczema and impetigo; he would be discharged to duty six days later.

Maj. Robert Harwar Gill DSO (see 24^th April), who was under treatment at 3^rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth for the wounds he had suffered in October 1918, was granted one month’s leave, on the expiry of which he was to return to hospital. He was also granted a further gratuity of £50, in respect of the wounds to his jaw.

Maj. Robert Harwar Gill DSO

The London Gazette published the list of men mentioned in the Earl of Cavan’s despatches on 18^th January 1919 for service in Italy. The list included a number of officers and men of 10DWR: Lt.Col. Francis Washington Lethbridge DSO (see 11^th March); Maj. William Norman Town (see 20^th May); Lt. Andrew Aaron Jackson (see 31^st January); Lt. William George Wade (see 9^th February); 2Lt. Cyril Edward Agar (see 7^th April); 2Lt. John William Pontefract (see 20^th January); CSM Albert Blackburn DCM (see 7^th March); Sgt. John Ratlidge MM (see 29^th March); and Sgt. Harold Best MM (see 25^th February).

A payment of £45 9s. 4d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances (including a war gratuity of £24) to the late Pte. James Harrison (see 24^th April), who had been killed in action on 27^th October 1918; the payment would go, in three equal shares, to his mother Martha and his sisters, Bertha and Annie.

Wednesday 4th June 1919

Pte. Ernest William Gilbert (see 21^st February), who had been serving with 3DWR, was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

L.Cpl. George Mitchell (see 28^th April), who had been serving with L Signals Battalion, Royal Engineers, was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Dvr. Arthur Overend (see 5^th May), who had been serving with the ASC, was also formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Milton Sutcliffe (see 27^th March), who had been killed in action on 27^th October 1918; his widow, Agnes, was awarded 20s. 5d. per week for herself and her daughter, Nora.

A further payment of £7 3s. 8d. was authorised, being an additional amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. L.Cpl. Walter Maynard Willis (see 11^th August 1918), who had died in August 1918 at the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum in Menston having been discharged from the Army; the payment would go to his widow, Jeanie.

Tuesday 3rd June 1919

L.Cpl. Clarence Smith (see 18^th February) and Ptes. Joseph Barnes (see 18^th February), Herbert Crowther Kershaw (see 18^th February) and Alfred Whittaker (see 27^th April), serving with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs. at Fiume, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Pte. Ernest Ashness (see 25^th April), serving with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs. at Fiume, was reported as having been ‘absent from roll call 9pm to 10pm’; he would be confined to barracks for seven days.

Pte. Ernest Jones (see 2^nd December 1918), who had been in England since having been wounded in October 1918, made an official written request from Chester War Hospital, asking that the military authorities might ‘grant me permission to get married on 11^th June 1919 at Chester’.

Cpl. Howarth Reid (see 21^st April) and Ptes. Walter Ellis (see below), Irvin Mallinson (in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man) Herman Middleton (see below) and Frank William Rabjohn (see 4^th May) and Arthur Wylie (see 21^st April) were formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Walter Ellis had served with both 1^st/7^th and 9DWR before being transferred (date and details unknown) to 10DWR; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive identification of this man. Herman Middleton had originally enlisted in February 1915, aged 19 and working as a mechanic in Halifax. He had served with 8DWR before being transferred (date and details unknown) to 10DWR. He would claim an Army pension on grounds of ‘V.D.H. (valvular disease of the heart), bronchitis and scabies’ but his claim would be rejected.

Pte. Joseph Jones (see 29^th July 1916), who had been serving with 2DWR, was also formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

The King’s Birthday Honours List, as published in the London Gazette, included awards to a number of men from 10DWR. Capt. Paul James Sainsbury (see 15^th March) and Capt. Rev. Hugh Wilfrid Todd (see 6^th January) were awarded the Military Cross; Sgt. James Walker MM (see 29th March) the Distinguished Conduct Medal; and RQMS Frank Stephenson (see 28^th February), Sgt. George Richard Goodchild (see 1^st February) and Sgt. Harry Smith (12240) (see 6^th May) the Meritorious Service Medal. A/Capt. Stanley Currington (see 30^th September 1918), serving with the RAF, was awarded the MBE.

Monday 2nd June 1919

A/CQMS Bertie Thurling (see 12^th April), who had been on attachment to 505^th Prisoner of War Company, was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z. However, due to an administrative error, he was still officially recorded as ‘absent without leave’ from Arquata Scrivia; a Court of Inquiry would be convened at Arquata Scrivia on 14^th June, at which point his correct status would be confirmed.

Ptes. Robert Bernard Higgins (see 8^th September 1917) and Patrick Sweeney (see 21^st April) were formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

A payment of £25 17s. 6d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances (including a war gratuity of £10) to the late Pte. William Hewitt (25172) (see 27^th October 1918), who had been killed in action on 27^th October 1918; the payment would go to his widow, Florence, with two thirds specifically stated to be for the benefit of their daughter, Caroline. Florence was also awarded an Army pension of 20s. 5d. per week for herself and her daughter.

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Walter Eary (see 28^th March), who had died on 18^th November 1918 after being treated for a laryngeal tumour; his widow, Alice, was awarded 20s. 5d. per week for herself and her daughter.

Confirmation was issued by the military authorities in Italy regarding the discovery of the body of 2Lt. Lawrence Tindill MM (see 8^th May), following enquiries regarding the fate not only of 2Lt. Tindill but also of 2Lt. Alfred Ernest Pass (known as ‘Alf’) (see 21^st May); “Only one body of a 2/Lieut of the Duke of Wellington’s Regt. was found by the search parties on the plateau. Enquiries were made at the time whether this was likely to be the body of 2/Lt Pass but we were informed by the Adjutant of his battalion that he had never been near the spot where the body was found and that it must be that of 2/Lt Tindill. The fact that we made enquiries about 2/Lt Pass probably accounts for the statement that his body had been discovered”.