5.5.1917 FOUQUIRES: Capt HH JACKSON MC relinquishes acting rank of CAPTAIN.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
5/IX/17: Hostile trench mortars rather more active than usual. Hostile aircraft also active during the day
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
4/IX/17: At 12.5 am a patrol reported a large party (stated to be 150 strong) in NO MANS LAND in G4b. Artillery, rifle and LG fire was opened and nothing more was seen of this party. Enemy preserved a quite attitude. Fresh wire was observed to have been put out at the point at which party was reported. A wiring party was dispersed by LG fire in A27b and d and casualties believed to have been caused.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
203636 Pte William Birch 1/5th Battalion and son of William Henry and Constance Birch of 16 Sheffield Rd., Creswell was killed in action aged 34.
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
3/IX/17: At 12.5 am Enemy put down a heavy barrage on our trenches in A28c & G4b and at same time shelled our communication trenches of right sub sector. At the same time a party of 50 Germans was reported to have been seen in NO MAN’S LAND by a patrol. LG, rifle and artillery fire was opened and nothing further was seen of the enemy. Remainder of the day was quite.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
2.9.1917 FOUQUIERES: CAPT HH JACKSON awarded Military Cross for Gallantry in connection with the raid of 13th August.
Humphrey Henry Jackson
London Gazette: Lieut EMB Taylor to be Captain at 18.8.17.
Edward Mallalieu Brook-Taylor
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
2/IX/17: At 4.55 am enemy put down heavy barrage of artillery and trench mortars of various calibre’s on our front and support lines and CTs of right sub sector (Map 36c NW ref A28C & G4B).
At 5am barrage lifted off front line & four parties of enemy, totalling 170 men attempted to raid our trenches in G4b. He only succeeded in entering one or our posts, all the garrison of which had been wounded. A few of his men appeared to cross our front line between the posts, but the majority were driven back before reaching our trenches. One prisoner was captured by us, whereas the enemy failed to secure identification. Our casualties were slight.
Prisoner stated that raiding party consisted of 150 men of the “Army STOSS TRUPP” and 20 men of 22nd Pioneer Battalion. His statements appeared unreliable.
Army STOSS TRUPP = shock troops or stormtroopers
The 22nd Pioneer Battalion appear to be part of the 19th Ersatz Division
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Died of wounds leading a wiring party
1.9.1917 CAMBRIN SECTOR: Battn relieved in the line by 5th Sherwood Foresters and marched into billets at FOUQUIRES on relief.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
1/IX/17 CAMBRIN SECTOR: Hostile artillery more active then hitherto. Considerable hostile movement was seen about 1000 yards behind enemy line. 5th Sher For relieved 6th S For in RIGHT SUBSECTOR, 7th S For relieved 8th Sher For in LEFT SUBSECTOR.
8th moved to Brigade support in ANNEQUIN.
6th moved to Brigade reserve in FORQUIRES.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
2/Lt David Tanner of the 1/8th Battalion
and
307044 Corporal Harry Wright
“The first tour was very quite, but was marred by the unfortunate loss on patrol of 2nd Lieut. D. Tanner, and Corpl. Wright on August 30th. Tanner very gallantly undertook to reconnoitre a Boche post, and took out with him Corpl. Wright and two men. The two men got back safely, but Tanner and the NCO were missing, and were reported later to have either been killed or to have died of wounds”.
[1/8th Battalion History]
Husband of Emma 159 Sutherland Road, Longton. Aged 40 and buried at Philosophe British Cemetery Mazingarbe in France.
Although the Commonwealth War Graves Commision and Soldiers Died in the Great War record George as serving with the 1/6th Sherwood Foresters, it seems more likely that he was serving with the 1/6th North Staffordshire Regiment, which suffered a number of casualties on that day as recorded on the Grave Registration Report (which includes Hawkins recorded as 1/6 North Staffs).
The Notts & Derby Medal Roll record’s George moving from the North Staffs to the 16/Sherwoods and being renumbered. He was then posted to the 1/6th Sherwoods (top). The register of his effects, however, record’s his attachment to the 1/6th North Staff (bottom).
28.8.1917: Major W SEATON assumed Temporary Command of the Battn during the absence on leave of Lt Col. CB JOHNSON.
28.8.1917: 2/Lt C RADFORD joined the Battn from England
Cyril George Radford
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
27th-29th: Quiet days. Extended Bde front northwards, taking over a portion of front from 5th Inf Bde.
30th-31st: Quiet days. Enemy snipers more active than usual, but caused no casualties.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
26.8.1917 CAMBRIN SECTOR: Battn relieved 1st Bn King’s Royal Rifle Corp in RIGHT SECTOR.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
26th: Relieved 99th Infanftry Brigade in the line in CAMBRIN sector. Capt EJ Ginling 5th Lincs Regiment formerly Staff Captain of 138th Infantry Brigade appointed Brigade Major and joined the Brigade today.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
A well known and highly esteemed member of the Retford Territorial Company was killed in action last month in the person of Sergt Alfred Brown, 31, Diamond Jubilee Terrace, Ordsall who had only been in France nine weeks. He was 35 years of age.
He joined the Volunteer Company in 1898 and in 1911 rose to the rank of Sergeant. He was mobilised at the outbreak of the war with the 8th Sherwood Foresters and trained recruits of the Regiment at Newark. He was musketry instructor at Belton Park, Grantham and was instructing snipers on Cannock Chase during the whole of 1916 when the school broke up. Then Sergt Brown went to train recruits at Saltfleet until going to France on June 26th last as instructor of sniping and was later transferred to another Regiment.
Great sympathy is felt for the widow who is left with three children. Captain K Hills Bond wrote as under to Mrs Brown:-
“It is with the very deepest regret that I have to inform you of your husband’s death for I know of the grief that this letter will bring to you. I feel so helpless to do anything even to console you in your great sorrow…..he was killed quite instantaneously by a shell striking the side of the trench where he was standing and I am sure that he felt no pain at all”.
[Retford Times 14 Sept 1917]
See here for full biography
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 