Sunday 1st June 1919

At some point in June (the exact date is unknown) A/Maj. John Atkinson (see 24^th April), Commandant, Western Divisional Reception Camp as part of the army of occupation in Germany, returned to England on two weeks’ leave; his leave period would subsequently be extended, du to his wife having been taken ill, to 26^th July.

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Saturday 31st May 1919

Pte. William Baxter (see 4^th January), serving in France with 6^th Prisoner of War Company, Labour Corps, having been recently transferred from 17^th Prisoner of War Company, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Pte. John Roebuck (see 6^th June 1917), serving in India with 1DWR, was transferred to the Regimental Depot at Quetta.

Maj. Herbert Henry Hudson DSO, MC (see 28^th October 1918), who had briefly commanded 10DWR in June/July 1917, was formally released from the Army. He stated that his permanent address following his discharge would be c/o Nazam State Railways Company, Secunderabad, Deccan, India.

Pte. Walter Gibson (see 21^st April) was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z.

Friday 30th May 1919

Sgt. John Stewart (see 28^th April), serving in France with No.11 Prisoner of War Company, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

Mr. Sam Ogden, writing on behalf of the Hebden Bridge and District War Honours Committee, wrote to the Infantry Records Office in York to acknowledge receipt of the Military Medal which was to be awarded to A/Sgt. Fred Greenwood MM (24522) (see 12^th April), who was on attachment to 505^th Prisoner of War Company at San Bonifacio; “It is intended that this medal be presented along with a watch at a Public Meeting to be arranged, and as there are a fair number to deal with, it may be some weeks before the meeting is held. I will, however, keep in mind the necessity for this man to sign the form of receipt you sent along with the medal and after it is presented, I will send the receipt on to you”.

Pte. Harold Deighton (see 2^nd May), serving with 3DWR following some confusion over his status, wrote to the Infantry Records Office in anticipation of being posted to join 1DWR: “I am at home on seven days’ draft leave before proceeding to India so will you kindly send me as much of my credits as possible as I am in need of some money”. In the event, Pte. Deighton would not be posted to India, but would instead be transferred to 2DWR.

Pte. John Thomas Brady (see 15^th February 1918) was formally discharged from the Army on grounds of “feeblemindedness”, he was at the time an inmate at the West Riding Asylum in Menston. His degree of disability was stated as being 100%, with his condition aggravated by his war service; he was awarded an Army pension of 27s. 6d. per week, to be reviewed after one year. At the time of discharge Pte. Brady was also due £63 18s. from his pay and allowance; however, given his condition, this amount was retained by the authorities pending further action. 

Pte. James Arthur Heap (see 23^rd April), who had recently been transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z, had his claim for an Army pension rejected.

Thursday 29th May 1919

Pte. John William Dean (see 15^th May), who had been on two week’s leave in England while serving in Germany with 2^nd/4^th DWR, was reported as having failed to report on time on the expiry of his leave; he would remain absent for a further seven days and on reporting back would be ordered to undergo ten days’ Field Punishment no.2 and forfeit seven days’ pay. 

Wednesday 28th May 1919

Cpl. Alfred Bradbury MM (see 30^th April) was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z; having been wounded in action he was assessed as having a 20% disability and was awarded an Army pension of 6s. per week, to be reviewed after one year.

Pte. John Edward Edmondson (see 10^th April), who had been in England for the previous month, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service on account of sickness; he would be awarded the Silver War Badge and an Army pension.

Pte. Edward Smitham, the eldest son of Sgt. George Edward Smitham (see 6^th May), who had been transferred to the Army Reserve Class Z in March, now re-enlisted, joining 83^rd Company, Labour Corps.

Tuesday 27th May 1919

A/Cpl. Nathaniel Bather (see 21^st April), serving at no.9 Rest Camp in Italy, departed on two weeks’ leave to England.

Pte. John Walter Jennings (see 11^th May), home on leave from 8^th Yorks. and Lancs. at Fiume, was admitted to 2^nd/4^th Southern General Hospital in Birmingham having been in contact with someone suffering from measles

L.Cpl. Edward Somers (see 6^th February), serving with 3DWR, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service due to wounds suffered in action; his disability was assessed as being 40%, reducing to 30%, and he was awarded an Army pension of 11s. per week for three months, reducing to 8s. 3d. and to be reviewed after one year.

Monday 26th May 1919

L.Cpl. Wilfred Henry Fiddes (see 21^st April) was formally discharged from the Army as ‘surplus to military requirements having suffered impairment since entry into the service’; he was found to be suffering from a ventrial hernia, aggravated by his service. His disability was assessed as being 10% and he was awarded a one-off gratuity payment of £100.

Lt. Robert Oswald Milligan (see 26^th November 1918) wrote to the War Office from his home on  Hanson Lane, Halifax; “I was severely wounded at Messines on June 7^th 1917 and was granted a full wound gratuity of £250. Since I was not finally discharged from hospital until July 17^th 1918 and remained unfit until Nov 25^th 1918 can you confirm pension entitlement?”.

A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. William Belcher (see 27^th October), who had been killed in action on 27^th October 1918; his widow, Florence, was awarded 13s. 9d. per week.