Wednesday 9th July 1919

Pte. Ernest Ashness (see 3^rd June), serving with 8^th Yorks. and Lancs. at Fiume, was reported as having been drunk on duty; he would be ordered to undergo 14 days’ Field Punishment no.2.

Pte. Robert Ellis Clayton (see 21^st May), serving at Ripon with the Labour Corps, was reported absent without leave.

CSM Harry Dewhirst (see 10^th July 1918), formerly of 10DWR, serving with 42 Agricultural Depot at Halam formally confirmed that, “I surrender my claim to early demobilization and express my desire to continue serving under the same conditions as soldiers retained for service with the Army of Occupation, provided it is agreed that I shall not in any case be so retained after the 31^st of December 1919 unless I give my written consent to such further retention”.

CSM Harry Dewhirst (back left)

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Trooper Claude Darwin (see 27^th March), who had been on leave in England after serving in Egypt with 1^st Field Squadron, Engineers, Anzac Mounted Division, embarked onboard the Prince Ludwig to return to Australia. He was the brother of Tunstill recruit, Pte. Tom Darwin (see 21^st January 1918), who had been discharged from the army.

Payment of a £3 war gratuity was authorised in respect of the late Pte. Frederick Ford (see 4^th November 1915), who had been killed in action in November 1915; the payment would go to his mother, Elizabeth.

Payment of a £4 war gratuity was authorised in respect of the late L.Cpl. Samuel Holroyd (see 1^st March 1916), who had been killed when a dugout had collapsed in November 1915; the payment would go to widow, Maria.

Ernest Webb, brother of Pte. Edward Percy Webb MM (see 22^nd April), who had been missing in action since the trench raid on 26^th August 1918, wrote to the Infantry Records Office in York, “I have just now heard from the War Office that they are now issuing an official notification that my brother is to be concluded as having died on 26^th August last and that your office will issue the notification to his next of kin. I shall be greatly obliged if all such notice, papers and effects could be sent to me and I will undertake to obtain my mother’s signature to any forms that may require it. Failing this, would you be good enough to note that in his paybook his will made everything over to my father who died in March last and therefore I do not wish my mother to receive any papers addressed to my father”. Official notification of the presumption of death for Pte. Webb would indeed be issued on 1^st August.