Tuesday 24th July 1917

Le Coq de Pailie, close to Berthen

Another very hot day

At 9.30am Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 23^rd July) inspected some of the recent new drafts to the Battalion. The inspection generated a number of disciplinary issues.

Ptes. George Green (22749), Smith Hesselden (see 2^nd April), Stanley Roebuck Hutton (see 25^th November 1916) and Henry Jarratt (see 5^th April) were all reported by Sgt. Arthur Kilburn Robinson (see 25^th June) as having been “unshaven on 9am parade”; they were ordered to be confined to barracks for three days on the orders of Capt. Adrian O’Donnell Pereira (see 25^th June). Pte. George Herbert Lant (see 5^th July) was reported by Sgt. Ernest Craddock (see below) as having a “dirty rifle on 9am parade”; he was ordered to be confined to barracks for three days on the orders of Capt. Pereira. Pte. Albert Edward Pope (see 8^th July) was reported on both counts (unshaven and a dirty rifle) and was to be confined to barracks for a total of five days, again on the orders of Pereira. Pte. Joseph Hartley (see 28^th May) was reported by Sgt. Dan Fretwell (see 4^th October 1916; it is not known when he had been promoted) for smoking on the same parade; he was to be confined to barracks for three days, again on the orders of Pereira.

Sgt. Ernest Craddock was 33 years old and from Prudhoe, where he had worked a as house painter; he was a married man with two children. It is not clear when he had joined the Battalion or when he had been promoted. 

Ptes. John Bayliss (see 5^th July), William Franklin (see 9^th July) and Robert Phillips (see 5^th July) were all reported by CSM Charles Edward Parker MM (see 7^th May; Parker had been promoted since May) as having been “dirty and unshaven on parade”; on the orders of Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 18^th July), they were to be confined to barracks for five days. Pte. Harold Draper (see 5^th July) was reported by L.Cpl. Thomas Riding (see 2^nd July) as having “dirty small arms ammunition on parade”; on the orders of Capt. Perks he was to be confined to barracks for three days.

Pte. Victor Munnery (see 5^th July) was reported for “breaking out of ranks”; he was awarded seven days’ Field Punishment No.2.

Pte. James Lister Petty (see 21^st June) was promoted (unpaid) Lance Corporal.

Pte. Harry Robinson (see 17^th May) was found to have been absent from a working party and was awarded seven days’ Field Punishment no.2.

Pte. John Thorp Newsome (see 11^th July) re-joined the Battalion following two week’s treatment at 23^rd Divisional Rest Station, having reported sick with “ICT” (inflammation) to both legs. Having been in England for more than a year after being wounded on the Somme in July 1916, Pte. Norman Greenwood (see 2^nd September 1916) re-joined the Battalion.

The application for a commission by CSM Albert Edgar Palmer (see 10^th July) was endorsed by Brig. Genl. Lambert.

2Lt. Leopold Henry Burrow (see 16^th July) was transferred from 7^th Stationary Hospital at Boulogne to 83^rd General Hospital, also in Boulogne.

Pte. Herbert Butterworth (see 12^th June), who had been wounded on 7^th June and had been evacuated to England, was now sufficiently recovered to be posted to 3DWR at North Shields. 

A payment of £12 8s. 9d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late L.Cpl. Thomas Hodson (see 29^th July 1916) who had been officially ‘missing in action’ since 29^th July 1916; the payment would go to his father, Thomas.

A pension award was made in the case of the late L.Cpl. James Heaton (see 5^th February) who had been killed in action in October 1916; his mother, Minnie, was awarded 5s. per week.