Wednesday October 2nd, 1918
Moving again – Maricourt.
Night Manoeuvres
Frank’s diary seems slightly out of kilter with the Battalion at the moment. The Battalion arrived in Maricourt yesterday and today they have been practicing both day and night manoeuvres. The exercises seem to have been successful.
Promotion before Pay
The War Diary today reports that VHP de Jongh, who has been a Temporary Lieutenant, is now to become a Lieutenant. His promotion is effective from July 1st but his pay and allowances will only change from July 13th. No back pay for him.
It seems strange to report such detail in the London Gazette – but in fact the entry reads exactly as the Diary records. Spare a thought for Lt HF Whitmore, whose promotion is recognized from November 7th, 1917 but whose pay and allowances are only updated at the same time as Lt de Jongh’s.
Lt Vernon Henry Price de Jongh had joined up in May 1917 and served in Salonika and the Western Front. Obviously enjoying Army life, he recently transferred to the Regular Army from the Special Reserve. He also seems to be suffering from ill health and has spent time in hospital since arriving in France. Last month he was struck off the effective strength on ‘being medically boarded‘ and has not yet rejoined the Battalion.
De Jongh was the eldest son of an Anglo-Dutch family from Bromley in Kent. His father was a stockbroker and he had a younger brother who would have been around 18 at the end of the war.²
The painting by J Hodgson Lobley is of a medical inspection room and dispensary.*
9th Battalion War Diary – 2nd October 1918 – Maricourt
Headquarters Staff and Coy Commanders reconnoitred training ground in forenoon. Subaltern Officers laid out tape lines by day in the afternoon and Battalion afterwards formed up and carried out an attack. Teas were cooked on the ground. Subaltern Officers again laid out tape lines after dark on compass bearings, and the Battalion formed up by night on these lines.
Extract, London Gazette no 30875 d. 27-8-18 T/Lt VHP de Jongh to be Lt 1st July 1918 but not to reckon for pay and allowances prior to 13th July 1918.
References & Further Reading
¹ London Gazette, August 26th, 1918, Supplement 30864, page 9947
² Ancestry website.
* Art. IWM ART 3681, copyright Imperial War Museums