30 Jan 18: The Battalion provided a party of 12 Officers and 450 other ranks to strengthen the reserve line in the LE RUTOIRE and VERMELLES Section.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
30/1/18: Amalgamation of the 7th Sherwood Foresters took place on 30th. 400 men of 6th and 8th Sherwood Foresters leave for digging near VERMELLES.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
29 Jan 18: 10 Officers and 185 OR posted from 1/7th Sherwood Foresters and joined the Battalion.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Nominal Roles will be sent to the Battalion as early as possible.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Unfortunately the Nominal Roll that was written in January 1917 no longer exists. However by examining the Victory and British War Medal Rolls it is possible to identify some of the men that most likely transferred from the 1/7 to 1/6th Battalion at this time.
Note that all the men have 4-digit Territorial Force number indicating that they arrived in France in 1915 or 1916
4732/201742 Pte Archibald M Mackenzie died of pleurisy. Son of George and Mary MacKenzie of New Cumnock in Ayrshire and is buried in New Cumnock Old Church Cemetery.
Archibald enlisted in October 1915 into the 3/5th Battalion and was transferred to the 1/5th Battalion on 6th August 1916 when he arrived in France. He returned to England 3 weeks later with pleurisy and was treated in Trent Bridge Military Hospital in Nottingham. Archibald was discharged on the 26th March 1917 in consequence of ‘being no longer physically fit for War service’.
425/2907/265736 Pte Alfred Harold Calvert died aged 41 and is buried in Dover (St. James’s) Cemetery. Only Son of the late William and Elizabeth Calvert, of 52 Long Row in Nottingham.
Alfred was an original member of the 1st Nottinghamshire (Robin Hood) Rifle Volunteer Corps and enlisted into the 7th (Robin Hood) Battalion Sherwood Foresters in April 1908 (#425) and subsequently re-enlisting in 1914 (#2907). He arrived in France with the North Midland Division in February 1915 and was still serving with the 7th Battalion at the time of the Territorial Force renumbering in Spring 1917 (#265736). At some point he transferred to the 250th Employment Company of the Labour Corps (#223955).
26/1/1918: Orders have been received to the effect that 1/7th Sherwood Foresters will be amalgamated with the 2/7th Sherwood Foresters.
A nucleus of 12 Officers and 200 Other Ranks to be sent to 2/7th Sherwood Foresters and remainder of 1/7th Sherwood Foresters to be sent as drafts to the remaining three Battalions of the 139th Brigade. The brigade is then henceforward to be composed of three Battalions instead of four.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
24 Jan 18: Lt HD VAUGHAN (2/1 SHERWOOD RANGERS) posted to Battalion and joined for duty.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
24-25/1/18: First two days in back area devoted to resting, bathing and cleaning. Training grounds are sufficient for present requirements.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
23 Jan 18: Lt WT STEPHENS authorised to wear badges of rank of CAPTAIN.
Warren Trestrail Stephens
Warren Trestrail Stephens was Commissioned into the Artist's Rifles and was later to win the Military Cross.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
23/1/18: Relief of TM Battery and MG Company. MG Company moves to CENSE LA VALLEE where it is concentrated with the other MG Companies of the Division for tactical training as a MG Battalion.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
22 Jan 18: Battalion moved into billets at LAPUGNOY.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
22/1/18: Relief of Battalions completed. PHILOSOPHE was persistently shelled all day but no casualties caused to relieving troops. Brigade HQ moves to BURBURE.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
3026/240856 Pte William Carrington enlisted into the 6th Reserve Battalion in October 1914 aged 22. He was a miner by trade and lived at 34 Queen Street in Mosborough near Sheffield. He transferred to the 1/6th Battalion on 16th August 1915 and arrived in France with the III Reinforcement on 19th August.
William was twice taken sick in France; the first time with frost bite on 27th November 1915, whilst the Battalion were at Richebourg-L’Avoue and the second time in October 1917. On both occasions he rejoined the Battalion. ‘in the field’.
In early January 1918 William was admitted to a base hospital with bronchitis and acute endocarditis [a serious bacterial infection of the heart and lungs]. William died on the 22nd January aged 26 and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. He was the Son of George Carrington of 5 Palmer St., Halfway in Sheffield.
The autopsy request signed by Lt. Henry L Forbes of the MEDICAL OFFICERS RESERVE CORPS, United Sates Army. This form confirms that William was treated in the 13 (Harvard) American Red Cross Base Hospital.
1st Lieutenant Henry Forbes (Surgeon) is seated amongst the staff of the hospital (above) prior to their departure to France in 1917.
21 Jan 18: Battalion relieved by 9th LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS and moved to NOEUX-LES-MINES.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
21/1/18: No special activity. Relief of support and reserve Battalions took place.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
18/1/18: HV gas fired on PHILOSOPHE in the morning. In the afternoon the enemy were seen to be relieving in G5. Our artillery caused some casualties.
19/1/18: Hostile activity active in registration during the day. Movement seen was above normal and relief still appears to be in progress. Our relief by 34th Infantry Brigade to be complete on 23rd inst.
20/1/18: Hostile artillery fairly active. Our snipers accounted for one of the enemy.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 