99 years ago the 6th Sherwood Foresters were about to hold the front line trenches, on their own, for the first time.
I thought it would be a good time to do some general ‘housekeeping’. Thank you all for visiting and either emailing me directly or posting comments – all gratefully accepted.
The site has nearly received up to 5000 views which is tremendous!
For many of the photos that I have uploaded (at least the pre-War Camps) I have the original postcards so please feel free to download them and use as you wish. If you want a higher resolution version then please email me.
I’m probably breaking some copyright laws by uploading images of the Medal Index Cards, Army Service Records and Officer’s Records – but I believe that these should belong to, and be shared by, the Nation.
I’ve been busy uploading content and some of the pages are still ‘work in progress’. I will add legends and review the text when I get the chance – so please forgive any mistakes.
cheers
Mike
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 
Dear sir I have in my possession but do not own a swagger stick wich reads sherwood foresers derbyshire .
and it say coulour sergt G Salt 1898 I have tried to find out more about this person and what battles he was involved in but to no avail have u ever come across any mention of him ? Looking forward to hearing from you regards paul bonser
Dear Paul. Thanks for your message. I have had a quick look in the on-line archives – but no luck. Have you tried the Regimental Archivist? they may hold some records. http://www.wfrmuseum.org.uk/archives.htm
cheers Mike
Hi mike ,is there any more details on arthur dovinson he was a relative ..and all I no of him was that my dad was named after him
Karl – his service record survives so lots of info on him and I will e-mail copies of the record to you. In meantime:-
Arthur Edward Dovinson
Coal Miner living at Charles Street in Grassmoor
Enlisted into 6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Depot) on 13th October aged 19
Arrived in France with the 1/6th Battalion on the 25th February 1915.
Admitted to 1st North Midland Field Ambulance and 13th Stationary Hospital on 12th June 1915 with ‘mental deficiency’ – most likely shell shock.
Transferred to England on 16th June 1915.
Returned to France with the V Reinforcement on the 10th November 1915 and joined 9th Entrenching Battalion.
Returned to 1/6th Battalion on the 7th December 1915.
Suffered scabies on the 23th April 1916 and admitted to 1st NMFA.
Returned to duty on the 29th April 1916.
Suffered gun shot wound on the 1st July 1916 – 1st day of the Somme
Admitted to 20th Casualty Clearing Station and 16th General Hospital.
Transferred to England on 15th July 1915
Moved to Command Depot at Ballyvonare (County Cork) on 15th September 1916
Posted to 1/6th Battalion on 28th March 1917.
Returned to France on the 29th March 1917 with 30th Reinforcement
Posted to the 11th Sherwood Foresters on the 17th April 1917
Suffered shell wound on the 1st September 1917 and admitted to 3rd Australian Field Ambulance and XI General Hospital
Transferred to England on 13th October 1917.
Spent time in Nottingham and Blackpool Hospitals
Married Lily Kerry on the 1st January 1918 at St Thomas’ Church in Brampton
Returned to France on the 18th January 1918
Posted to 2/8th Sherwood Foresters on 20th January 1918
Posted to 2/5th Sherwood Foresters on 23rd January 1918
Posted missing on the 21st March during the German Spring Offensive when the 2/5th (and 178th Brigade) were effectively wiped out.
Karl
I should also add that Lily seems to have remarried a Mr Capewell sometime before Jan 1921 because thats what she signed when she received Arthur’s Medals.
He was a brave man (wounded twice and sick twice)!
That’s great info mike and very proud my dad was named after him
Hi, I wonder if you might be able to help. We (The Facebook group for the village I’m originally from) are trying to find the last resting place of one of “our” boys. It is possible that he is the I Evans who was killed on 29/9/1918 this is what we can pin down:
Isaac EVANS (b. c1896) Age: 22yrs 8 months on enlistment.Occ: Collier Date of joining: 24 April 1918 (confirmed 28 April) Regtl No. R5/182032 This was given to him when he joined in 1918. The full prefix would have been TR5.At this time he was serving in 20th Training Reserve Brigade (Machine Gun Corps) that, from early 1918, was located in Cliptone, Nottinghamshire. Prior to that it was in Catterick. This was for his ‘Basic Training’.After completing his training he was given his MGC number, 186031. Medical: Classified Class A (fit in all aspects), and worthy of note is that the MGC were taking the best and brightest recruits.Height: 5′ 5″,
It seems he was injured with the MGC and when fit transferred to 1/8 Sherwood Foresters. Mention has been made of the number 83225 in connection with him. We can’t definitely link the War Graves record with “our” Isaac though. Home address was 1 Derlwyn Street, Phillipstown, New Tredegar, Mon. I’d be most grateful for any help/pointers you could give.
Thank You
Dear Wendy the Isaac Evans that has the number 83225 was from Youlgrave in Derbyshire and as far as I can see he only served with the Sherwood Foresters (3rd 11th, 2/8th Depot, 4th, and 1/8th Battalions) from his mobilisation in April 1917. cheers Mike
Hi Mike.
Absolutely love your site, it’s great. I just learned that my 2 x great grandad served with the 6th notts and Derbyshire from 25/2/2015 and your site had mention of him.
Amazing.
Bertram Mee (real name John Arthur Mee or sometimes jab number 1985) was on your list of passengers travelling on ss Maiden. Looking forward to finding out more facts.
Cheers
Matt, glad you like the site. You’ll also find that your grandad gets a mention on the 30th September when he was wounded in a mine explosion near to Ypres. As far as I can tell he returned to the Battalion and served with the 1/6th for the rest of the War. Finally being disembodied in 1919 – but I will double check.
Do you happen to have a photograph of him? would be great to post on site
cheers
Mike
Hi Mike. Only photo I have is of his grave in Ashbourne I’m afraid. I am currently trying to contact his daughter and if she has one I will send it over.
Thanks again
Hi Mike
So pleased to have found your site!
My Great Grandfather, Harry Marsden, served with the 2/6 Battalion from October 1914 until his discharge in October 1917 due to his wounds. He was a schoolmaster in Clay Cross before he enlisted. From what I can work out on his medal card, he was wounded on the 26th May 1917.
I wish I knew what he looked like when he was younger so I could try and find him on your site!
I’ll have to pester my Mum to look through her photos.
I’m trying to find out where he was when he was wounded, he was left for dead, but was noticed to be moving when they were covering the bodies with lime and was recovered.
Thanks! Skye.
Dear Skye thanks for your message and glad you like the site. I will see what I can find out about you grt grandfather and get back to you, cheers mike.
I was looking for a photo Henry Newton for a blog (will go on The Booktrap) I’m doing on trench warfare and invention and came across your site. I’d like to use your photo of him if I may. I have a particular interest in Henry Newton and I’ve written about him in a couple of my books. In the late 1990s, I was in contact with his son.
Anthony please go ahead. I think that I have 3 or 4 of him. Do you want me to email high resolution copies? cheer Mike
Thanks, Mike. I would be interested in seeing other photos of him but the image is OK as it is for the blog.