Thanks to BRONNO we now know that the Officer is Henry NEWTON.
Confirming that this is a picture of the 5th (Derby) Battalion, Machine Gun Section taken in 1912.
30.3.15 (NERF BERQUIN). Band at OUTTERSTEENE to play for Bp of LONDON’s Service. The following Officers were gazetted and the joined the Battalion during March as 2nd Lieutenants.
Gazette 3rd March:-
Interestingly, Charles EV Cree and Richard Evans are not mentioned in the War Dairy even though their Commissions are recorded in the London Gazette. Its most likely that they were initially posted to the 2/6th Battalion. Both Cree and Evans arrived in France in July 1915.
Gazette 12th March:-
War Diary [WO/95/2694].
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30th March 1915. Battalion on route march. Lectures on ambulance and sanitation. In the afternoon did our washing.
[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]
Mar 30th. Practicing assaulting trenches. Grand day again.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
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29th March 1915. Battalion went out in Brigade trenches. We had lectures on first aid and sanitation.
[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]
Mar 29th. 8 mile route march in morning. Musketry & foot inspection in afternoon. Grand day.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
1) Picture taken by A Heath from Clay Cross at the 1912 Abermaide Camp and showing the Machine Gun Section.
2) Clearly the 5th (Derby) or 6th (Derbyshire) Battalion Notts & Derby – note the 5-Tier Territorial Force shoulder badge – T-#-NOTTS-AND-DERBY.
3) The Officer holds the key – I don’t recognise him as being in the 6th Battalion. In 1911 the Machine Gun Section was under the Command of Lieut. Arthur Cuthbert Brooke-Taylor and that is not him. By 1913 Lieutenant Francis Bradbury Robinson was in charge of the Machine Gun Section and went on a course in Chelsea.
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694].
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28th March 1915. Church parade in the morning.
[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]
Mar 28th. Palm Sunday. Very nice day but cold wind. Service at 11 a.m. in field & 6-30 p.m. in barn.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694].
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27th March 1915. Battalion went for a route march. We had a lecture on first aid. In the morning we could see four aeroplanes being shelled in the distance. Rather a pretty sight to see the shells bursting over the aeroplanes. Do not know whether any damage was done. I had a bath all over at night and a clean change.
[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]
Mar 27th. 10 mile route march in morning. Pay in afternoon (10 frcs).
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694].
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26th March 1915. Battalion went for a route march while we had lecture on ambulance, and we each drew 10 Francs.
[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]
Mar 26th. Route march about 12 miles.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
NEUF BERQUIN 25.3.15. 1st Battalion marched to SAILLY.
War Diary [WO/95/2694].
25th March 1915. The battalion went out trenching. I got a pass to go down to Neuf Berquin to see the Sherwood Foresters go. Had a chat with Ges Barnes and Joe Bennett, they had many tales to tell of what they had seen. They marched of at about 4-30 with our band.
[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]
Mar 25th. Trench digging ( for bomb throwers to practice in) 9-11 a.m. 5-7 p.m.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
Note: I have not been able to identify either Ges Barnes or Joe Bennett although there are several candidates.
NEO’F BERQUIN 24.3.15. 1st Battalion Commanded by MAJOR MORLEY took over our old billets. They were met by the C.O. & Band & Drums & Drums of 5th Battalion and the 6th Battalion lined the road and cheered.
War Diary [WO/95/2694].
MARCH 24th we left our billets and marched about a mile away to some more billets to make room for our 1st Battalion, and the 4th Cameronians (Terriers). We are still in Neuf-Barquin.
[1415 Cpl. Alfred Afford]
24th March 1915. Reveille at 5-00 a.m. Breakfast at 6-00 a.m. Moved at 8-30 a.m. about two miles into fresh billets. Fell in at 5-00 p.m. to watch the 1st Sherwoods in, who were coming in for a rest from the trenches. It was a pathetic sight to see the soldiers coming in tired out. Ges Barnes and Joe Bennett was among them and it was a touching sight to see Ges Barnes break down in tears when he saw all his companions from Whaley Bridge. Many of the men met brothers who they hadn’t seen for years. Some of the men had beards two or three inches long. They all looked ready for a rest.
[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]
Mar 24th. Changed billets again. Another barn about 1½ miles away. Met 1st Batt at night.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
NEO’F BERQUIN 23.3.15. Battalion moved to Billets about 1 1/2 miles further out
War Diary [WO/95/2694].
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23rd March 1915. Battalion fell in at 9-00 a.m. for field operations watched by General Gough. Stretcher bearers fell in for lecture at 11-30 a.m.
[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]
Mar 23rd. Practicing skirmishing again. Still off with bad feet. Parcel from home arrived.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 