Medical Officer’s Diary of the 18th Battalion: October 1915

Confidential

War Diary

Of

M.O. 18^th Infantry Battalion

From 1^st October To 31^st October 1915

Volume No. 4

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
R.E. Farm E of DRANTURE	1		Very quiet. 54321 Pte. G. RUSHMERE [Rushmer] shot himself through left [hand?] while cleaning rifle + L.CPL. O’DYWER shot himself through fore arm. Both cases accidental.
	2		LIEUT. F.G. NEWTON in a shocking condition as a result of ‘nerves + sent to hospital. Also 53089 Cpl. CASH (H.W.) with chronic rheumatism.
	3		No 5416 H. R. AIKENHEAD was hit in head with bully beef tin which someone was using to test a trench catapult [illegible] was sent to 5 F.A. . Likewise 54252 T. H. ROBINSON who was shot in left [scupution?] region was returned to billets in DRANUTRE in [illegible] of C company.
	4		Visited billets + found men in good health.
	5		Set to 5 [F.A.] [illegible – following?] men: 53323 M. CAMPBELL arthritis, chron; 54009 Sgt. J.H. CHILD – ing. Hernia; 53913 C.F. FOREMAN – [illegible – perioslates?]; 54291 R. HARE – [illegible harma?]; 53462 H.B. HOOK – abscess heel.
	6		To hospital: 53775 J. BETTS – asthma; 54158 J. BURNLEY – phlebitis [leg?]; 53439 H. BANCROFT– appendicitis; chron. Recurrent.
DRANTURE	7		A tent caught fire + Sgts. C. O’CONNEL (53372) [Service Record] had his face burned + was sent to [57th]. Company commanders and platoon sgts were sent to VIERSTRAAT trenches. 53875 Sgt. W.J. MORRIS + 53761 Sgt. A. HOLBROOK [In actuality HOLMES, Albert per attestation papers and 18th Battalion Nominal Roll] was struck by shrapnel there + sent to hospital.
	8		At R.E. FARM 53180 F. YOUNG + J. SMITH (54170) was struck [illegible] shrapnel the former in the knee + the latter in chest. At 5 p.m. Battalion started to march north through LOORE + LA CLYTE to HALLEBAST [illegible] where they [illegible] two companies remained at VIERSTRAAT + [illegible] went into trenches in part of LA BRASSERIE + BOIS CARRE.
	9		Trenches found in filthy + unsanitary condition + most unsafe. In the afternoon a rifle grenade killed Pte. J. TAGGART (53858) and wounded 53856 R. SARVICE [SARVIS] – was leg + face. 53855 G. S. SMITH – knee, throat + arm; 53840 T. PRIESTLY – leg, arm, left hand + chest; 53505 A. SEAGROVE [illegible] lower leg. Was clear in the open across [country?]. LA BRASSERIE with Brigade [Charing?] Station and R.A.P.
LA BRASSERIE	10		54024 E. HEADLEY – shot himself in palm of left hand.
LA BRASSERIE	11		On a.m. 54144 S. SARGEANT received bullet wd in upper arm; [illegible] 15 57th.
	12		Considerable bombardment but nobody hurt – many shells not exploding.
	13		A ‘battle rehearsal’ with smoke bombs was [schedule?]. The casualties were: 53734 G.R. SMITH– shrapnel scalp + [illegible]; [4126 Sgt. R. BROWN] shrap. Leg; 54089 A.E. COOPER [Service no. confirmed re. 18th Battalion Nominal Roll but no other reference found as of yet] shrap, arm, back, head; 53481 J. LEROY [Laroy, Julius] – shrap. arms + [head?]; 53307 Sgt. HARDING shrap. arm; 53326 J.H. CARLIN – bullet wd head; 54356 T. NELSON – killed; 54340 H. NELSON [Nelson, W] – killed; 54348 W. MUNDIE – killed; 54141 L. UNTHANK – killed; 53323 M. CAMPBELL. [Campbell, M KIA this date]
	14		Very quiet. Sent to hospital 53525 O. WESTELL – [illegible]; 54081 W.E. HUNT bullet wd leg; shot near DICKEBUSETT presumably by a sniper behind lines
	15		No. 53385 R. REDHEAD received slight puncture wd + was sent to hospital, also 53062 A.A. WEBB – [illegible] knee left. Battalion moved to RIDGEWOOD.
	16		Quiet day. Sent to hosp. 53978 O. WHYTE – influenza.
	17		Visited YPRES in afternoon, it was being shelled. Set to 57. A. 53322 Pte. L.G. BUTLER – [illegible]; also  53225 W.H. FENTON – chron rheumatism.
	18		A dug out collapsed + injured 53452 W. FREEMAN – [illegible]. Sent also to hospital 53089 Cpl. H.W. CASH – rheum; Lt. F.G. NEWTON – [rheumatism?]
	19		An Uneventful day.
	20		53386 A. RIDGELEY was killed by a bullet – in Poppy Lane. Sent to hosp 53364 J.R. McCOMB[McCOMBE] – tonsillitis.
	21		An uneventful day.
	22		No. 53863 R.C. TAYLOR [illegible] to 5 F.A.
	23		No 412719 M.G. Daniel [Daniel, M.T. not of the 18th Battalion] shot himself in foot, sent to 5 F.A., also 54108 A. BLAKE with pneumonia + 53914 M. GARNER – [illegible].
	24		No. 54277 R.B. CROUCH [Lt. of the 33rd Battalion] – scalp wd from grenade + 53842 S. PUGH tonsillitis to 5 F.A.
	25		A quiet day.
	26		Marched to LA CLYTTE rest camp. Two men dropped out from exhaustion + was picked up by ambulance and taken to hospital – 53756 N GLOIN [Digitized Service File] and 53210 J. CARRUTHERS.
LACLYTTE	27		Rain. Much lumbago + rheumatism pains complained of.
	28		Rain. Sent to hosp, 53078 J. FLOOD – conjunctivitis; 53930 F. JOHNSON – abscess, leg. 53294 C. UNDERWOOD – shot in buttocks by accident.
	29		Rain. Sent 53439 H. BANCROFT to hosp with chron appendicitis.
	30		Rain. Sent to hosp. 54043 W. PIER [PEER, George Wellington] – sciatica; 54195 M. LEAHY – sciatica. 53408 M. RYMALS [RYMAL, Milton James] – sciatica.
	31		Rain + mud terrible. Sent to hosp. 53963 G.E. READ – [illegible] abscess.

Notes:

Priestley, Trueman 53840 was to die of wounds 17/11/1915 in England.