Monthly Archives: August 2014

On this day 30th August 1915

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30.8.1915 G.22.B.8.5: Moved 1.45am into hut bivouacs.G.22.BWar Diary [WO/95/2694]

Aug 30th. Put packs on transport wagons when about halfway and got to bivouacs about 1 a.m. Very tired. Hot soup & tea ready. Then got down & slept till about 10 a.m. Parcel from Cis & Reg arrived. Rested all day. Band played in evening. 20 reinf arr. Two showers in morning but nice later. Roll call 9 p.m.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

The men in this Reinforcement were most likely from the II and III Reinforcements that had arrived in France in June and August respectively.2797 Gregory

Service Record for 2797 Pte Gregory recording his arrival in France with the III Reinforcement in August 1915 and subsequent posting the Battalion on the 24th August 1915. Its is unlikely that the men joined the 1/6th Battalion in the front line trenches, but remained in Brigade Reserve until such time the Battalion were relieved from front line trench duty.

On this day 29th August 1915

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29.8.1915 Canal I.33/34.C: Relieved by 5th Battalion. Casualties OR died of wounds 2, wounded 11. Much shelling during tour.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Aug 29th. Off duty from stand down till 2 p.m. Then on fatigue till 4-30. Packed up after tea and were relieved at 8 p.m. by 5th S. F.

Done 6 days in this time. Nice morning, but rain later, so roads rather nasty when going out. Very few cases this time. Shaw and Smithurst injured by shell which failed to explode etc.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

The 11 wounded men were:-

2007 Pte Charles Whittaker

25.8.15

 Influenza and admitted to 1st NMFA and 46 DRS. Returned to duty to Battalion on 1.9.15.
1512 Pte Frank Smithurst 25.8.15

Bruised left hand by shell which failed to explode and admitted to the 46 DRS. Returned to Battalion on 31.8.15.
1672 Pte George Shaw 25.8.15 Wounded by a shell that failed to explode.
1986 Pte John Poundall 25.8.15 Wounded in the field.
3491 Pte Thomas Wilson 25.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2279 Pte Ernest Emerson 27.8.15 Wounded in the field.
3083 Pte Joseph Dudley 27.8.15 Wounded in the field.
1970 Pte Thomas Sheldon

27.8.15

 Nervous debility and admitted to 1st NMFA and 46 DRS. Re-joined battalion on 5.9.15.
656 Sergt Harrison Bramhall 28.8.15 Wounded in the field.
1620 Pte David Clough 28.5.15 Shell wound in right foot and admitted to 1st NMFA, 10 CCS and 11 General Hospital. Transferred to 1 CD on 26.9.15 and returned to duty on 3.11.15.
1578 Pte Peter Bates 28.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2658 Pte Thomas Pugh 28.8.15

Buried in shell explosion, suffered shock and transferred to England on 30.8.15. Discharged due to sickness on 3.5.16 (para 392 XVI KR).

The 139th Brigade formed a Corps of Snipers [5th Battalion War Diary WO/95/2695] 

 

On these days 24th-28th August 1915

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No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Aug 24th. In trenches. Fire trench shelled about 1 a.m. so retired to reserve trench for about ¾ hour. At night 1 hr on & 2 off, & by day 2 on & 4 off (on sentry only today). Went to reserve trench to sleep. French 75 m/m guns supporting us. Relieved 2nd Suffolks, & passed 10th S.F. on our way. More shells in afternoon so retired to reserve trench again. Nice day. Cooked our food.

Aug 25th. Trenches again & still on sentry, as yesterday. Not selected for listening post. Retired to reserve trench in afternoon again on account of shelling. No fires allowed so meals brought up to us cooked, but not up to much. Nice day, but chilly at night now.

Aug 26th. Still in trenches. On sentry in morning, off duty in afternoon, & on fatigue from stand down till 2 a.m. Otherwise same as yesterday. Nice day again but misty at dawn.

Aug 27th. Off duty from stand down till 2 p.m. Then on fatigue till 4-30 (in reserve trench on account of shelling). At 8-30 p.m. changed places with No.9 platoon & went into support trench about ¼ mile behind. Put on sentry 1 hr on & 2 off. Warm day again.

Aug 28th. Off duty from stand down till 2-30 p.m. Then on fatigue till 4-30 & 6 till 7-30. Very (bath Yser) warm day. Few shells rather close about 3 a.m. but rifle grenades etc. in front trench. On sentry at night again.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

1964 Pte. Matthew Booth, a 28 year old quarryman from Wirksworth suffered a shell wound to the head on 25th August and was admitted to 1st NMFA, 10 CCS and 28 Div CCS. He died of his wounds on the 26th April and was buried in Soldiers Cemetery.1664 Booth

3460 Pte. Ernest Gasser, a 31 year old miner from Staveley, suffered a shell wound in the back on 27th August and was admitted to 1st NMFA and 10 CCS. He died died of his wounds at 1.30 pm on 28th August 1915 in the 28 Div CCS and was buried in the Soldiers Cemetery.3460 Gasser

On these days 21st-22nd August 1915

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No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Aug 21st. Roll call 7-30 a.m. Went to see Dr. at 10 a.m. (bad feet).

Rifle inspn 11-30 a.m. boots & clothes at 12 o’clock. Cricket & football in afternoon & after tea. Band played in evening again. Very nice day.

Cricket match

Aug 22nd. Roll call 7-30, church parade 9-30 a.m. Service at 10 a.m. with 8th Batt. Went to service at 7 p.m. as well. Very nice day again.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

Sick and wounded men included:-

979 Pte James Huckles

22.8.15

Hernia and admitted to 17 CCS and 23 General Hospital. Transferred to England on 25.9.15 and discharged on 3.3.16 (para 392 XXI KR).
1365 Pte Benjamin Savage 23.8.15

Acute urticaria and admitted to 1st NMFA and 46 NMD CSS. Re-joined Battalion on 31.8.15.
2053 Pte Bert Birley 23.8.15

Neurasthenia and admitted to CCS and 24 General Hospital. Transferred to 46 NMD Base Depot and re-joined Battalion on 3.11.15.
1440 Pte Ernest Turner 23.8.15

Foreign body in eye and admitted to 1st NMFA and 46 NDM CCS. Re-joined Battalion on 30.8.15.

 

 

On this day 20th August 1915

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20.8.1915 G.22.B.8.5.: Moved 1 a.m. into bivouacs G.22.B.8.5. all Brigade out. Capt. CB Johnson took over Adjt. from Capt. CJ Wheatcroft who had acted from 31.7.15 on Capt Johnson going to hospital.

[WO/95/2694]Girton CrossGirton Cross taken in 2006 by Aurel and posted on the Great War Forum.

Aug 20th. Got to bivouacs somewhere near Poperinghe about 3 a.m. quite done up. Put packs on transport wagons about half way. Had tea & soup at bivouacs. Then got down & slept till about 1 p.m. Had something to eat & then fixed bivouacs up. Band played in field 6 – 7 p.m. Nice day. 50 reinforcements from entrenching batt arrived.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]3348 howlettService record for 3348 Pte. Frederick George Howlett recording his arrival in France with the II Reinforcement in June 1915 and posting to the 2nd Entrenching Battalion. He joined the 6th Battalion in the field on the 17th August 1915.

 The men wounded included:-

1709 Pte Albert Smith 19.8.15

Transferred to England and discharged due to wounds on 17.8.16 (para 392 XVI KR).
1981 Pte Joseph Henshaw 19.8.15 Wounded in the field.
1967 Pte W Wright 19.8.15 Wounded in the field.
1681 Pte George Byfleet 20.8.15

GS wound to hand and admitted to 10 CCS, 24 General Hospital and 46 NMD Convalescent Depot. Transferred to 46 NMD Base depot on 10.9.15 and re-joined Battalion on 7.10.15.
1448 Sgt William Wibberley 20.8.15

Influenza and admitted to 46 DRS. Returned to Battalion on 26.8.15.

On this day 19th August 1915

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19.8.1915 Sanctuary Wood: Relieved by 4th Royal Fusiliers Lt.-Col. Sweeney (9th Brigade). Casualties to dat Lt Rivington & 2/Lt. Brown wounded. OR killed 8, wounded 52 (died 2).

 War Diary [WO/95/2694]

 

The 8 men killed during this trench duty were:-

  • 2838 Pte. George Birks (died of shrapnel wounds to the head)
  • 1811 Pte Percy Guy (died of GSW to the rich leg and forearm)
  • 1652 Pte. John Crowder (died of pleuresy)
  • 1902 Pte. Norman Wolley (killed in action)
  • 1861 Pte. Percy Schwartz (killed in action)
  • 1480 Pte. Frederick Brown (killed by shell explosion)
  • 2365 Sergt. William Furness (killed by shell explosion)
  • 1689 Pte. Frank Morgan (killed by shell explosion)
  • 2936 Pte. John Redfern (killed by shell explosion)
  • 1752 Pte. Albert Richardson (killed by shell explosion)
The names of 58 men that were sick or wounded during this trench duty are also known

Aug 19th. Things fairly quiet again & nice day. Came out about 10-30 p.m. being relieved by 4th Royal Fusrs (Regs). Been in for 16 days this time. 90 incl sick.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

 

On these days 16th-18th August 1915

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No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Aug 16th. Things fairly quiet all day, also at night. Very nice day except for two thunderstorms about 10 & 11 a.m. Went to dressing station at 7 p.m. to have feet dressed, after which they felt much better.

Aug 17th. Things fairly quiet again in trenches, but aeroplanes fairly busy. Nice day, but wet dark night.

Aug 18th. Things fairly quiet till 5-30 p.m. Then rather violent artillery duel till about 6-15. Woods just behind & dump seemed German objective. Tree fell on police dug-out 2 injured. Went to dressing station about 4 p.m. to have feet seen to again. Nice day.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

The sick and wounded men included:-

3246 Pte Phillip Dakin 16.8.15 ODS and admitted to 12 General Hospital and 9 Stationary Hospital. Transferred to 1 CD on 2.9.15 and 46 NMD base Depot on 28.9.15. Re-joined Battalion on 7.10.14.
2239 Pte George Gregson 16.8.15 Transferred to England.
3431 Pte Percy Cooke 17.8.15 Cephalalgia and admitted to 46 DRS. Re-joined Battalion on 31.8.15.
2206 Pte Sidney Sharman 17.8.15 Slightly wounded and admitted to 17 CCS. Developed fever and admitted to Hospital in Etaples on 27.8.15. Transferred to Detail Camp on 7.9.15 and NMD Base Depot on 9.9.15. Re-joined Battalion on 24.9.15.
1318 Pte William Wragg 17.8.15 Shock and admitted to 46 DRS. Re-joined Battalion on 18.8.15.
809 Pte Jim Cook 17.8.15 Shrapnel wound in right upper arm. Contracted Typhoid fever and transferred to England on 8.9.15.
1755 Pte Samuel Drabble 18.8.15 Transferred to 175th Tunnelling Company. Re-joined Battalion on 18.12.15.
85 Sergt James Hills 18.8.15 Wounded in the field.
1803 Pte Charles Bunting 18.8.15 GS wound in the cheek and admitted to 17 CCS and 25 General Hospital. Transferred to England on 24.8.15. Returned to France on 4.3.16 with the 6th Reinforcement.
1838 Pte Frank Mellor 18.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2001 Pte Frederick King 18.8.15 Returned to England and discharged due to wounds on 16.5.16 (para 392 XVI).
2070 Pte Joseph Fretwell 18.8.15 Returned to England and discharged due to wounds on 17.7.16 (392 XVI KR).
2545 Pte Harry Lomas 18.8.15 GSW in the neck and transferred to England on 1.9.15. Returned to France on 4.3.26 with the 6th Reinforcement.

 

On this day 15th August 1915

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No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Aug 15th. Things fairly quiet till about midday, then rather large “whiz bangs” over our trench till 2 o’clock. Hartley slightly wounded. Afterwards A Cos trench bombarded by heavy shells. J Redfern, Morgan & Sgt Furness killed & wounded. Vic Campbell buried, but rescued. At 7 p.m. went to dressing station with sore feet, but retd to trench at 9 p.m. & carried on as usual. Nice day.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

shell

Five men were killed by this shell burst:-

1480 Pte. Frederick Brown a 22 year old pipe moulder from Brimington.

1689 Pte. Frank Morgan a 24 year old miner from Barlborough.

2365 Pte. William Furness.

2936 Pte.  John Redfern from Chesterfield.

1752 A Richardson1752 Pte. Albert Richardson from Chinley.

None of these men have a known grave and all are commemorated on the Ypres Memorial. They were most likely buried just behind the front line and their graves were subsequently ‘lost’ at the end of the War, which is be borne out by the fact that a few personal processions of Frederick Brown were subsequently returned to his family.1480 brown