1/6th Battalion and Labour Corps; arrived in France in 1916 and wounded on 1st July 1916

Unfortunately very little is known about Francis Yates, but it would appear that he arrived in France in 1916, served with “B” Company and was wounded on the 1st July 1916 [Information from 1/6th Battalion casualty book formerly kept in Officers Mess at Chesterfield Drill Hall].

Interestingly his medal index card does not record his 4-digit Regimental number (4478), whilst the 6-digit number (241531) would suggest that he was ‘still with’ the Sherwood Foresters in Spring 1917. His 4-digit number indicates that he enlisted in early August 1915.

Indeed, there is a reference in the Grantham Journal on Saturday October 16 1915, that Privates Philip Larkin, Frederick Watts and Francis Yates of the 3/6th Battalion where brought before Chesterfield Borough Bench for being ‘absent without leave’. At the time the 3/6th Battalion were camped at Belton Park with the rest of the 3rd North Midland Division.

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At some point Francis was posted to the Labour Corps and given the regimental number 601701. From a search of the Army Service Records of 601763 Pte Eli Rushton, 601795 Pte Wilkinson Haworth and 601798 Pte Edward Rumbol (who all have similar 6017** regimental numbers) it would appear that this transfer happened in June-July 1918.