7.6.1917: LONDON GAZETTE Capt FM DICK awarded MILITARY CROSS and CSM HH HOLLAND awarded DCM.
Frank Mackenzie Dick and Henry Houlsworth Holland
7.6.1917 FOSSE 10 SAINS EN GOHELLE: 2/Lt KH BOND transferred to England.
Kenneth Hills Bond
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
6.6.1917 LIEVIN SECTOR: Battalion relieved by 5th LINCOLNSHIRE REGT and moved into Divisional Reserve at FOSSE 10 SAINS EN GOHELLE.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
5 May: On the night of 5th/6th June the 7th Sherwood Foresters took over all posts North of Absalom Trench exclusive from the 5th Sherwood Foresters.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
815/240065 Pte Peter Bond died of wounds aged 27Peter was a labourer from Bakewell and a Pre-War Territorial who enlisted in December 1908 aged 18 and served with “D Company. He arrived in France with the 46th Division in February 1915. He was the son of Martha bond of Rock Terrace, Bakewell; husband of Emily Bond of 3 Bridge St., Derby Rd., Chesterfield. He is buried in Chocques Military Cemetery.
Frederick was a coal miner from Pilsley and a Pre-War Territorial who enlisted in June 1913 aged 22 and served with “G” Company. He arrived in France with the 46th Division in February 1915. After being wounded he returned to England and was discharged in March 1918.
7691/242488 Alfred Percy Beeston died of woundsFormerly 1029 in 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry and arrived in Egypt 27.4.15. Posted to the 1/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters in late 1916 and served with “A” Company. Fatally wounded on 5.6.17 at Lievin.
He is the only 1/6th Sherwood Foresters to be buried in Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension.
3.6.1917 LIEVIN SECTOR: 2/Lt LN JOHNSON MC killed in action whilst on working party (M.30.C.9.5).
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
2nd Lieut. LN Johnson’s death occurred on the 3rd June while in charge of a working party in the Bois de Raiumont, when an advanced trench was being dug for the assembly position of the 138th Infantry Brigade, who attacked from there a few days later.
Johnson was one of the Battalion’s most popular officers……and his grave is in the little cemetery between Fosse 10 and Sains-en-Gohelle, where rest the bodies of a good many of the Battalion’s Rank and file.
1/6th Battalion Regimantal History
Alban Offord from Retford died aged 21
The men were buried in either Fosse No.10 Communal Cemetery Extension in Sains-en-Gohelle, which was the site of the North Midland Field Ambulance, or in Noeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery by the 7th Casualty Clearing Station.
2.6.1917: Lt & Adjt E KERSHAW MC and LT HW HIGHAM on short leave to England (10 days). Lieut J TAYLOR performed the duties of Adjt during absence of Lieut Kershaw.
Edward Kershaw and Harold Woolf Higham
Joshua Taylor
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
2-4th June: During this period work was concentrated on digging the assembly trench in the Cite De RIAUMONT. The enemy paid a good deal of attention to this work and frequently trench mortared and gassed our working parties.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
1.6.1917:
2/Lt R EVANS assumed Command and payment of Letter “A” Company vice Capt ROBINSON.
Richard Evans and Victor Owen Robinson
Lt GKK MAUGHAN assumed Command and payment of Letter “C” Company vice Lt HIGHMAN.
Gardyne Keith Kilgour Maughan and Harold Woolf Higham
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
In the line at LIEVIN W of LENS June 1 1917:
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
John was a pre-War Territorial who enlisted in November 1911 and served with “A” Company. He arrived in France in February 1915 with the 46th North Midland DIvision. Later served with Royal Fusiliers and Royal Field Artillery.
31.5.1917 TRENCHES: Lieut JL PERCIVAL rejoined Battalion from 2nd Entrenching Battalion.
John Lakeman Percival, MC
31.5.1917 TRENCHES: CAPT VO ROBINSON, MC proceeded on 1 months leave to England.
NIGHT 31st May/1st June Trenches: Relieved by 5th Sherwood Foresters and went into Brigade Reserve with HQ at RED MILL M.27.d.75.70. (LENS 36c SW1).
Casualties during tour:-
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Alfred enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France in June 1915. He served with “B” Company and was wounded on the 25th May at Cite St Pierre.
Alfred died of his wounds at the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester.
He was born at Whaley Common and the son of Harry and Sabina Moore of Elmton Rd., Creswell. He is buried in Creswell (St. Mary Magdalene) Churchyard. See here for more details.
Alfred’s brother Joe Maxwell Moore was also killed in action with the 1/6th Battalion on the 3rd September 1918 during the attack on Hunter Post and Scott Post. See here.
30.51917 Trenches: Draft of 24 other ranks arrived as reinforcements.
30.5.1917 Trenches: Lieut GKK MAUGHAN rejoined from short leave to England.
Gardyne Keith Kilgour Maughan
30.5.1917 MARQUEFFLES FARM: Divisional Commander presented medal ribbons to the following:-
BAR to MILITARY CROSS CAPT VO ROBINSON
DC MEDAL 240513 Sergeant F LONGSON
MILITARY MEDAL 240076 Sergeant JG RAVEY, 242442 Pte L BEASTALL, 241360 L/Cpl A EVANS
MARQUEFFLES FARM was next to MARQUEFFLES coal mine at the foot of the Northern slopes of the Lorette Ridge. The Companies were all billeted in the farm, and the Officers in tenet outside, while a home made marquee was used as a mess.
Nights of 29th-31st Trenches: Attempted raids by enemy on “A” Company (RIGHT COY) successfully repulsed.
Sergeants RAVEY and BOAM especially distinguished themselves.
240076 Sergeant John George Ravey
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Casualties during the German raids
2108/240418 L/Cpl Tom Depledge aged 26 and a collier from Fernilee. A pre-War Territorial and the son of John and Mary Depledge of Horwich End, Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire.
7703/242494 Pte John Harris aged 23 and son of John Edward and Eliza Mary Harris of Whit wick in Leicestershire.
2195/240461 Pte Bernard Taylor aged 22 and the son of Thomas and Betsy Alice Taylor of 6 Wimbourne Rd., Radford in Nottingham.
4943/241818 Pte Thomas Herbert Beastall aged 25 and son of John and Emma Ann Beastall of 14 Chapel St., Ripley in Derbyshire.
2766/240721 Pte Jasper Parks a coal miner from Chesterfield.
Many of the 1/6th Battalion men killed between May and July 1917 are buried in FOSSE NO.10 COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, SAINS-EN-GOHELLE and there are several ‘Sherwood Rows’.
1687/240215 Pte Willie Coleman a miner from Barlborough and a pre-War Territorial who served with F Company and signed the Imperial Service Agreement at Eckington in May 1912. First wounded in June 1915 he returned to France with the 6th Reinforcement in March 1916 he suffered from shell shock on the 30th May 1917 and later returned to his unit. Disembodied on Demobilisation in February 1919.
3779/241218 Pte Harold Dolby from Brimington enlisted into 2/6th Battalion in February 1915 and wounded with A Company. During a brief period of home leave in late 1916 Harold married his girlfriend Ethel. Died of wounds on the 12th March 1918.
3819/241233 Pte Francis William Hobbs enlisted into 2/6th Battalion in February 1915 and served with A Company 1/6th Battn. MM, LG 9.7.17 (for Gallantry on 23rd April 1917 at Fosse 3 De Lievin) and Bar LG 18.10.17 (for action on 18th August 1917)
4113/241360 Pte Albert Evans enlisted into 3/6th Battalion in March 1915 and served with “A” Company. MM, LG 18.6.17 (for Gallantry on 23rd April 1917 at Fosse 3 De Lievin); Died of natural causes (accident in a Coal Mine when he was crushed in a fall) on 10.3.39 aged 55.
4287/241434 Pte Herbert Boam enlisted into 3/6th Battalion in May 1915 and served with “A” Company.
The following men of “D” Company were wounded by gas shelling and admitted to the North Midland Field Ambulance and 35 General Hospital in Calais.
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 