Sunday, 1 January 2017

How Happy is Your New Year?



Monday 1st January 1917 from our correspondent in the field

The 1st Battalion have not been celebrating the New Year today. They have moved into the front line again at Cuinchy, north of Arras and east of Béthune. The adjutant informed me on the telephone that: “The trenches are in a very poor state owing to recent heavy rain and accommodation for men in Trenches is very poor and scanty”.

The other regular battalion of the Regiment - 2nd Battalion - is also in the front line. They are at Berles-au-Bois, some miles south-west of Arras. Second Lieutenant G A Anstee has returned to the unit from leave and fifty new men have joined from base. Second Lieutenant Anstee is celebrating the granting of a Military Cross, announced in today’s London Gazette.

Honorary Major Cressingham [X550/1/81]

The Gazette has also announced that the battalion’s commanding officer, Second Lieutenant H S Poyntz has been awarded the Distinguished Service Order, as has Captain Reggie Wynne. Meanwhile the battalion’s long-serving quartermaster, Captain H M Cressingham has been promoted to Honorary Major.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/3/WD

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