No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
11th & 12th Aug: Quiet days.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On these days 11th and 12th August 1917
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On this day 10th August 1917
10.8.1917 St Elie Sector: Relieved by 5th Battalion and moved into Brigade Reserve at PHILOSOPHE.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
10 Aug 4am: Movement reported in the enemy lines just North of the Hulluch-Vermelles Road and a heavy barrage put down on our right subsection. our artillery and machine guns opened and no hostile attack developed.
That evening 5th and 8th Battalions relieved 6th and 7th Battalions in the right and left subsection respectively.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On this day 9th August 1917
2/Lt Richard Evans was mortally wounded in action aged 20
The son of the Rev. Arthur Evans and Margaret Emma Evans of 11 Marlborough Lane in Bath. He was a native of Snelston near Ashbourne. Richard is buried in BETHUNE TOWN CEMETERY, which was the location of the 33 Casualty Clearing Station.
On this day 7th August 1917
4307/241442 Pte Isaiah Bonner from Clay Cross was killed in action aged 26
Isaiah Bonner enlisted in June 1915 and arrived in France in 1916. He was killed during a German gas bombardment of the trenches held by the 1/6th Battalion in the evening of the 7/8th August.
Isaiah is buried with a number of other North Midland Territorials who were killed in the trenches during August 1917
Isaiah Bonner
7.8.1017 St Elie Sector:
- 2/Lt W JACKSON joined Battn from England.
- Capt (T Maj) R Evans (6th South Staffs) posted to Battalion (and transfered to 1/4th Leicestershire Regiment in May 1918).
Authors note: Both W Jackson and R Evans are difficult men to identify, but possibilities are:- Captain Robert Evans WO374/23140
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
6/7 Aug: Quiet days – weather gradually improving.
7/8 Aug: Our right sub sector heavily bombed by gas from trench mortars during the night. Our casualties very slight.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
49th Trench Duty 5th – 8th August 1917
5.8.1917 St Elie Sector: Battn relieved 5th Battn in RIGHT SUBSECTION.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
On this day 5th August 1917
5.8.1917: 2/Lt VH ARMITAGE MC awarded the Belgian Decoration “Chevalier de L’Ordre de la Boutonne”
Vernon Hay Armitage
C in C’s list No 145
To be Captain: Lieut CJ Wheatcroft
To be A/Capt: Lieut J Tolson and HH Jackson
To be Lieut: 2/Lt DS Fox
Cyril John Wheatcroft, Joseph Tolson, Humphry Henry Jackson and Donald Storrs-Fox
5.8.1917 St Elie Sector: Battn relieved 5th Battn in RIGHT SUBSECTION.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
4/5 August: 8th Sherwood Foresters carried out a raid on Enemy trenches in G5C.
3014/305888 L/Cpl Herbert Taylor was missing presumed killed during the raid
5th Aug: Philosophe heavily shelled during the evening (over 350 shells fell)
Amongst the 1/5th Battalion men killed were:-
- 5533/202268 Pte William Pawsley and son of Mrs MA Pawsey of 5 Sea View, Lower Halstow in Kent.
- 203448 Pte Albert Shaw from Worskop who died of wounds in the 1st Casualty Clearing Station.
- Lieut Loris Stiles Spargo aged 25 and son of Nicholas and Ellen Spargo of Tregolls in Truro, Cornwall.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On this day 4th August 1917
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
3/4 Aug: Heavy artillery and trench mortar barrage put down on our posts in the right sub sector during the night.
4/5 Aug: 8th Sherwood Foresters carried out a raid on enemy trenches in G5C.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
241346 Pte Jim Ramskill and 241239 Pte Richard Walters died on this day
Although there is no record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary two men of the Battalion were killed in action on this day in 1917.
4075/241346 Pte Jim Ramskill aged 36 and husband of Margaret Ramskill of 22 Aucklands Place off Beetwell St. in Chesterfield. Jim was an original rifle volunteer (Time Expired) who enlisted in September 1914 and was posted to the 11th (Service) Battalion Sherwood Foresters. He was discharged in February 1915 as medically unfit, but re-enlisted into the 3/6th Battalion in March 1915 and arrived in France in 1916. He served as a signaller with “A” Company and had previously been wounded on the 3rd June.
3829/241239 Pte Richard Walters enlisted in February 1915 and arrived in France in 1916 and was wounded on the 1st July 1916. His brother Walter, who served with the 1st Battalion, was also killed in action on the 21st July 1915. Richard Walters was the husband of Sarah Walters of 3 South Place off Barker Lane in Brampton Chesterfield. See here
Jim Ramskill and Richard Walters are buried next to each other in Philosophe British Cemetery. They are amongst a number of North Midland Territorials who were killed in August 1917.
One these days 1st – 3rd August 1917
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Philosophe 1st to 3rd Aug; Normal. Artillery and trench mortar artillery on our front. Our snipers accounted for a number of enemy moving in St Elie.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On this day 31st July 1917
Night 30/31.7.1917 TRENCHES: Battalion relieved by 1/5th Sherwood Foresters and went into support at PHILOSOPHE: 2 Companies remaining in the line in support to 5th Battalion.
Casualties during tour:- 8 other ranks wounded. 
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
On this day 30th July 1917
30.7.1917 LABOURSE: 2/Lt J MACKAY joined Battalion from England.
James Mackay
Served in France with the 1/6th Battalion from 30th July 1917 to 15th February 1918. Transferred to the Labour Corps.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 