20.5.18 ESSARS: Battn relieved by the 1/8th Sherwood Foresters and moved into Brigade Support of the ESSARS SECTOR.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
20/5/18: Hostile artillery less active. Enemy is reported to be putting out wire in X22b and X 15b.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
17/5/18: Hostile artillery very active during early morning, firing being of a harassing nature.
18/5/18: Hostile artillery again active. At 8.30pm a light barrage of 105 mm shells and TM bombs was fired down on front line of right subsection.
19/5/18: At 3.15am the enemy attempted to raid one of posts near the RUE DU BOIS. He was driven off by rifle and LG fire before reaching our lines. Hostile artillery again active. 20 enemy aircraft crossed our lines during day.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
81365 Pte John Perkins aged 29. Husband of B. Perkins, of 20, Berkeley St., Thurmaston, Leicester.
203005 Pte Albert Joseph Wakefield aged 30. Son of Frederick James and Hannah Maria Wakefield, of Derby; husband of Elizabeth Wakefield, of 9, Eton St., London Rd., Derby.
203388 Pte George Dennis from Hucknall.
4397/241493 Pte Harry Brumby died of wounds aged 24. Son of William and Emma Brumby, of Pilsley, Bakewell, Derbyshire. Arrived in France in 1916 and only served overseas with the 1/6th Battalion.
307263 Pte Herbert Cooper died of wounds aged 20. Son of James and Ellen Cooper, of 1, Leopold Villa, Albany Rd., Angel Rd, Edmonton, London.
328032 Pte Albert Armstrong killed in action aged 30. Son of John Frederick and Isabella Armstrong, of 54, Vicarage St., Nottingham. See here.
20.5.18 ESSARS: Battalion relieved the 1/5th Sherwood Foresters in the left sub sector of the ESSARS SECTOR.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
16/5/18 ESSAR SECTION: Hostile artillery very active during afternoon and evening and night firing heavy bursts on different areas. Inter-Battalion reliefs during the night.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Hostile artillery active on front line of right sub sector during early morning and on LE HAMEL in the afternoon. Some green gas shells were fired on LE HAMEL.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
67021 Pte Albert Beastall died of wounds aged 28. Son of Albert and Mary Ann Beastall of 114 Outram St., Sutton-in-Ashfiel in Nottinghamshire.
14.5.18 VAUDRICOURT: The Battalion relieved the 1/6th North Saffs Regt in Brigade Support of the ESSARS SECTOR.
2/Lieut GW BUCKLOW proceeded to England to join RAF.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Hardy, of Stapleford in Nottinghamshire
Brigade in Divisional Reserve. Training was hampered owing to the Brigade being ordered to be ready to move at very short notice. 139th Infantry Brigade relieved 137th Infantry Brigade in the ESSARS SECTION on night 14/15 May.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
10.5.18: Relieved by the 1/4th Leicester’s and took over bivouacs in VAUDRICOURT PARK.
Casualties during the tour:-
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
10/5/18: Quite day. 139th Infantry Brigade relieved by 138th Infantry Brigade during the night 10th/11th
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
9/5/18: A patrol reported the CENSE DU RAUX being used as a HQ or a cookhouse. We attempted to destroy bridges at X23a.20.25. and at X23a.4.2. but only succeeded in partially destroying them owing to faulty charges.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
The following men were wounded:-
Note: all the men have 4-digit Territorial Force numbers which means that they arrived in France during 1915-16.
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 