Monthly Archives: August 2014

On these days 11th-12th August 1915

Leave a reply

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

Aug 11th. Still in trenches as usual. Same as yesterday but shelling was slacker. Very nice day.

Aug 12th. As usual, but very little shelling until 5 p.m. then a small duel for about ½ hour. Aeroplanes busy again. Sykes & Berresford (S) wounded. Nice day but rather misty at dawn.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

Wounded men included:-

1690 Pte Fred Phillips 11.8.15 Debility and admitted to 5 CCS and 24 General Hospital. Transferred to 46 NMD Convalescent Depot on 25.8.15 and NMD Base Depot on 22.9.15. Re-joined Battalion on 7.10.15.
2266 Pte Joseph Bestwick 12.8.15 Transferred to England on 12.8.15 and discharged on 8.11.16 (para 392 XVI KR).
1952 Pte John Edge 12.8.15 Transferred to England on 12.8.15 and discharged due to sickness on 3.5.16 (para 392 XVI KR).

On this day 10th August 1915

Leave a reply

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

Aug 10th. Felt better after a nights rest, so carried on as usual. Artillery duel just before daybreak, but not so violent as usual & desultory shelling all day. Very nice day.

 [3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

1861 Pte. Percy Schwartz a coal miner from Mosbrough was killed in action aged 24. Percy enlisted at Staveley in April 1913 and worked for the Sheffield Coal Company. His body was not recovered after the War and he is Commemorated on the Menin Gate.

1861 Schwartz

Wounded men included:-

1858 Pte John Wade 10.8.15 Shrapnel wound in the head.
2366 Pte Ernest Spencer 10.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2372 Pte Ben Bagshaw 10.8.15 Wounded in action in the field
2754 Pte Albert Brough 10.8.15 Wounded and transferred to England on 10.8.15. Discharged on 19.9.17 (para 392 XVI KR).
2899 Pte Clarence Campbell 10.8.15 Wounded by shellfire.

2372 Ben Bagshaw2373 Bagshaw record

On this day 9th August 1915

Leave a reply

9.8.15 Sanctuary Wood: Recapture of trenches at HOOGE by 2nd Battalion on right.

2nd Lieutenant WL Brown joined.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Aug 9th. Still in trenches. Violent bombardment of German trenches from 3 a.m. till about 5-30. Then 2nd S.F., D.L.I., E.Yorks, 1st Leics etc. charged & took 3 lines of trenches just on our left, lost by liquid fire. At night had a bilious attack so lay down & had a good sleep. Dull day.

[3289 Pte. G.W. Beardsley, 11 Platoon “C” Company]

 William Leonard Brown

Brown WL

Wounded men included:-

2040 Pte Joseph Adkin 9.8.15 GS wound in the back and admitted to RPBG Hospital. Transferred to 1 CD and 46 NMD Base Depot on 14.9.15. Re-joined Battalion on 7.10.15.
2045 Pte John Blackburn 9.8.15 Wounded in the field and returned to Battalion.
2046 Pte Tom Middleton 9.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2851 Pte Edmund Sykes 9.8.15 Wounded in the field with C Company.
3059 Pte John Firkins 9.8.15 Wounded in the field and transferred to England.
980 Pte Joseph Huckles 9.8.15 GS wound to face and admitted to 10 CCS and 25 General Hospital. Transferred to 46 NMD Base Depot and returned to Battalion on 7.12.15.

980 huckles2040 adkin

On this day 8th August 1915

Leave a reply

8.8.1915 Sanctuary Wood: Lieuts G.K.K. Maughan, C.A. Brown and E.V. Cree joined.

Maughan-Brown-Cree

Aug 8th. Same as yesterday. 4 more in B Co wounded by “whiz bangs”. Nice day.

[3289 Pte. G.W. Beardsley; 11 Platoon “C” Company]

1602 Pte. Norma Woolley, a 21 year old cola miner from Brimington was killed in action. Norman had enlisted in March 1912 and arrived in France with the 46th Division in February 1915. He had originally served with “F” Company.1602 Wooley

Norman was buried just behind the front line (A11) in Sanctuary Wood and after the war his body was recovered and he is now interned in Hooge Crater Cemetery.1602 Woolley

The other wounded men included:- 

1970 Pte Thomas Sheldon 8.8.15 Admitted with shock to the 1st NMFA and returned to duty on 13.8.15.
298 Pte Edward Burgess 8.8.15 Returned to England and discharged due to wounds on 14.6.16 (para 392 XVI KR).
1591 Pte Jack Guy 8.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2022 Pte John Goddard 8.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2124 Pte Bernard Bland 8.8.15 Shrapnel wound in left leg & foot and admitted to 18 FA, 10 CCS and 18 General Hospital. Transferred to England on 16.8.15. Returned to France on 18.3.16 with the 7th Reinforcement and re-joined Battalion on 9.4.16.
2352 Pte Joseph Waterhouse 8.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2437 Pte Cyril Flint 8.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2479 Pte Thomas Garley 8.8.15 GS wound in right arm and admitted to 18 FA. Returned to Battalion on 10.8.15.
2829 Pte George Stanley 8.8.15 Transferred to England and discharged due to wounds on 27.10.16 (para 392 XVI KR).
2910 Pte Albert Wain 8.8.15 Wounded in the field and re-joined Battalion.

On this day 7th August 1915

2 Replies

7.8.1915 Sanctuary Wood: Constructed new Battalion Headquarters in field in rear of A12.

Aug 6th: In trenches on “C” Co headquarters guard. At night 1 hr on & 2 off, in daytime 2 hrs on & 4 off & no fatigues. Violent artillery duel just before daybreak & desultory shelling all day. Dull day & showers at intervals.

Aug 7th: In trenches. Same as yesterday. 6 wounded in B Co (inc Lieut Rivington) by whiz bangs, but not seriously. Attd 5th Army Corps.

[3289 Pte. G.W. Beardsley; 11 Platoon “C” Company]

The sick and wounded included:-

1313 Pte Albert Coleman 6.8.15 Synovitis of right knee and admitted to 1st NMFA. Re-joined Battalion on 14.8.15.
1631 Sgt Maurice Limb 6.8.15 Neuralgia and admitted to 18 FA. Returned to Battalion on 12.8.15.
1146 Pte John Wood 6.8.16 Wounded in the field.
1443 Pte Tom Allcock 6.8.15 GSW in right hand and shoulder and admitted to 10 CCS and 16 General Hospital. Transferred to England on 11.8.15. Returned to France on 20.5.16 with the 10th Reinforcement.
1522 Pte Benjamin Stubbins 6.8.15 Shell wound in left arm and admitted to 18 FA, 28 CCS and 16 General Hospital. Transferred to 46 NMD Base depot on 12.8.15 and re-joined Battalion on 16.8.15.
1550 Pte William Hulse 6.8.15 Shrapnel wound in left hand and transferred to England on 20.8.15. Discharged on 17.8.16 (para 392 XVI KR).
1551 Pte Herbert Lomas 6.8.15 Shell wound and returned to Battalion*.
2675 Pte Morgan Walters 6.8.15 Myalgia and chronic nephritis rheumatism and admitted to 4 General Hospital. Transferred to England on 20.9.15 and discharged on 12.4.16 (para 392 XVI KR).
1730 Pte John Boam 6.8.15 Returned to England and discharged due to wounds on 17.7.16 (para 392 XVI KR).
1734 Pte Thomas Owen 6.8.15 Shell wound in the scalp and admitted to 18 FA, 10 CCS and 16 General Hospital. Transferred to England on 10.8.15. Returned to France on the 10.11.15 with the V Reinforcement.
1811 Pte Percy Guy 6.8.15 GSW in right leg and forearm and admitted to 10 CCS and 16 General Hospital. Died of wounds at 9 pm on 8.8.15.
Lt Gordon Rivington 7.8.15 Wounded by shellfire.
1462 Pte James Ford 7.8.15 Shell wound in left side and admitted to 10 CCS, 10 General Hospital and 46 NMD Convalescent Depot. Re-joined Battalion on 3.11.15.
2989 Pte Edwin Large 7.8.15 Wounded in the field.
1652 Pte John Crowder 7.8.15 Pleurisy and admitted to 1st NMFA and 50 CCS. Died of pleurisy on 8.8.15 and buried in Soldiers Cemetery at Hazebrouck.

13th Trench Duty 5th – 19th August 1915

1 Reply

5.8.1915 Sanctuary Wood: Took over A8-12 & B1, B2 from the 5th Battalion. Order of Companies A B C D. Relieved in Maple Copse by 2nd Battalion.

Two men killed during the relief were:-

1776 Pte. John Barber a calico printer from New Mills who killed in action.1776 Barber1776 Barber 2

2838 Pte. George Birks a miner from Chesterfield who suffered a shrapnel wound and died later that evening at the 28th Casualty Clearing Station.2838 Birks 22838 Birks

The wounded men included:-

1663

 Pte Henry Hodgkinson 5.8.15 GS wound in the mouth and admitted to 10 CCS and 23 General Hospital. Transferred to England on 17.8.15. Returned to France on 18.3.16 with the 7th Reinforcement.
18 Cpl William Else 5.8.15 Wounded in the field.
2161 Pte Samuel Johnson 5.8.15

Shell wound in the forehead and admitted to 10 CCS and 22 General Hospital. Transferred to 46 NMD Convalescent Depot and returned to Battalion on 6.10.15.
2174 Pte John Oxspring 5.8.15 Wounded in the field.
3437 Pte Albert Baguley 5.8.15

Shell wound in the face and admitted to 10 CCS and 22 General Hospital. Transferred to CC and 46 NDM Base Depot. Re-joined unit 7.10.15.

2174 Oxspring

John Oxspring3437 Baguley

Albert Baguley

On this day 3rd August 1915

Leave a reply

3.8.1915 Maple Copse: Moved into support relieving 4/Leicester Regiment. B Company in support of 8th Battalion in SANCTUARY WOOD.

Very long bombardment on both sides.

2379 Pte Fred Bagshaw 3.8.15 Wounded in the field.
3020 Pte William Fry 3.8.15 Bullet wound right forearm and admitted to 22 General Hospital. Returned to Battalion.

August 1915 – 2014

Leave a reply

War Diary August 1915August 2014

Once again many thanks for visiting – July was a record with 3667 page views and 661 visitors – I am amazed at so much interest!

Some new content added this past month:-

  • Added a page on ‘1917’ – Gommecourt Advance.
  • Added a new page on ‘5th Battn’ – 1578 Percy Wildsmith.
  • ‘Nominal Role’ – D Company (Bakewell).
  • Added the names of 976 N.C.O.s and men that sailed to France in 1915 – see end of ‘1915’
  • Updated the Officers pages.
  • Revised the ‘Regimental Band’ page.
  • Completely revised ‘Regimental Histories and Downloads’.
  • Added a list of Officer Casualties to the ‘2/6th Battn’ page.
  • A few new pictures added to ‘1860’s-1907′, ‘1908’ and ‘1909’.

Whats next:-

  • Will start to work on ‘1916’ – Lost Cemeteries of Gommecourt (although I seem to have misplaced some of my old research)
  • The ‘North Midland Division’
  • ‘1917’ – Lens, Leiven & Fosse 3 etc.

AND FINALLY, still trying to identify these two Senior N.C.O.sUnkonwn SergeantsThe man on the left is wearing the Egypt Medal (1882-1889) and The Khedive Star (1882 issue) – suggesting that he had previously served with the 2nd Battalion Derbyshire Regiment.

The man on the right is often seen with the Regimental Pet from c1908-1911.