On the night of the 2nd/3rd January 1918 the Germans raided trenches at St Elie Sector but were repulsed. 2 OR were killed and 9 men wounded by enemy barrage.
1915: In Boeseghem “Xmas dinners arranged for the men by Coys & details”.
1916: 1/6th Battn in front line trenches at SOUASTRE. No casualties for tour.
1917: 1/6th Battn in Brigade Reserve at PHILOSOPHE.
1918: six-a-side football competition.
Lieutenant Cyril George RADFORD was awarded the Military Cross for a trench raid carried out on the 4-5th November 1917.
“For gallantry and devotion to duty when in command go the Right Party in a raid on the German trenches N.W. of Loos during the night 4/5th November 1917, though severely wounded in the stomach at the start, he led his men to the final objective in the enemy second line. After much hard fighting in which several of the enemy were killed, he succeeded in capturing four prisoners. After the recall signal, though suffering severely from his wounds, he remained to see all the wounded safely brought back”.
Added detail to the following pages:-
1916_La Folie Farm
1916_The lost cemetery of Mont St Eloi
3740 Pte. Frank Nicholls, a miner from Brampton, died of wounds in the 7th General Hospital on 8th December and was buried in LONGUENESSE (ST. OMER) SOUVENIR CEMETERY. He was 21 years old and the son of Edmund and Elizabeth Nicholls of 1 the fold, Chatsworth Rd., Chesterfield.
Frank enlisted on January 29th 1915 and trained with the 3/6th Reserve Battalion before being posted to the 1/6th Battalion in France. He arrived in France with the 6th Reinforcement on 4th March 1916 and joined the 1/6th Battalion ‘in the field’ on the 16th March.
He was scalded on the right foot by tea on the 29th April 1917 and after being admitted to the 1/3 NMFA, 58 CCS and 14 General Hospital (Wimereux) he was eventually transferred to England on 17th May 1917. He received treatment in Evington Military Hospital in Leicester before being discharged from Hospital on the 18th July.
After being discharged Frank was posted to the Regimental Depot in Ripon and then the 5th Reserve Battalion. He returned to France on the 10th September 1917 with the 40th Reinforcement and was initially posted to the 14 IBD before taken on strength of the 1/6th Battalion.
Frank received a gun shot wound in the head on 24th November that caused a severe skull fracture. He was admitted to the 1st NMFA and transferred to the 7th General Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds on the 8th December.
Frank was the only fatal casualty for that particular trench duty.
Whilst at Sus St. Leger (West of Arras) the Brigade were inspected by G.O.C. the Division who congratulated them on the “Maron Past” (which is a mystery to me!).
He also presented Military Medals to:-
New content added for:
1914
1915_Kemmel
5th Battn_Vincent Horridge
But still a ‘work in progress’
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 