20004 Pte Albert Statham
It seems likely that Albert was wounded and transferred to Hospital in England. After his return to France he was then posted to the 1/5th Battalion (December 1916); hence the renumbering to 20004 from his original 4-digit number (2375)
In trenches but no record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
10th: Hostile battery active during the morning and afternoon.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
In trenches but no record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
9th: Our artillery and trench mortars carried out a bombardment.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
In trenches but no record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
8th: FONQUEVILLERS and our left sub sector shelled both in the morning and the evening.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
7.1.1917: Relieved 5th Battalion in RIGHT SECTOR.
Draft of 180 Other Ranks (160 partly trained) joined Battalion and sent to 139 Brigade Training Depot.
80 of these men comprise the 28th Reinforcement (see below), but the origin the of the other 100 men is not clear.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
7th: 6th and 8th Battalions take over the front line.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Some of these these men came from the 14th Infantry Base Depot and formed the 28th Reinforcement to the 1/6th Battalion.
This Reinforcement comprised many men from the South Nottinghamshire Hussars (left) and Derbyshire Yeomanry (right).
Army Service Record for 7804/242592 Pte Percy McNeil recording that he had left Folkstone on the 4th January 1916 and had been posted to the 14th Infantry Base Depot before transferring to the 1/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters.
Percy had originally enlisted into the South Nottinghamshire Hussars on the 22nd August 1914 and embarked for Gallipoli (via Alexandria) in August 1915. He was taken sick with enteritis and dysentery and returned to England on Hospital Ship FORMOSA in February 1916. After treatment and recuperation he was transferred to the 5th Reserve Battalion Sherwood Foresters before disembarking from Folkestone for Boulogne in January 1917.
Army Service Record for 669 Pte John Atkinson of ‘D Squadron’ 1/1st South Nottinghamshire Hussars who also transferred to the 5th battalion Sherwood Foresters on the 2nd January 1917, two days before leaving for France.
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
6th: East edge of FONQUEVILLERS and Trench 52 again shelled during the afternoon.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
On the 5th January in the afternoon we decided to again follow the same procedure, to send them over and the same retaliation. About the fifth grenade I was told that the General was in the line observing the hits. He came round to me and remarked that we were doing very good work and asked how long we kept it up? I told him that as soon as the Germans made it too hot for us we gave up for the day. He said “Keep up the good work”, and left.
The Germans by this time were giving it to us thick and heavy. I loaded again, took the cord half way round the barricade when crash! A blinding explosion of mortar or some such missile had fallen on our emplacement. The result, our emplacement and our unfired grenade were blown to smithereens and the fragments of the Trench mortar and our grenade were distributed around our position.
At first I was stunned, then I realised I was wounded. I was bleeding from several wounds in the face and neck. What was worse I could not see. They led me down the trenches and to the Regimental Aid Post and then to a Casualty Clearing Station. I was examined by a Surgeon Major who told me that my fighting days were finished because for the time being at any rate I was blind. Fragments of the metal had entered my eyes.
[2305 Pte Frank Longson]
5th: An organised bombardment of enemy trenches North of GOMMECOURT carried out to which they replied by shelling our left sub sector.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
4th: FONQUEVILLERS and our left sub sector shelled during the afternoon and evening.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
3.1.1917: Battalion relieved by 5th Battalion and moved back to Brigade Reserve.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
3rd: 5th and 7th Battalions take over the front line.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
2nd: LINCOLN LANE damaged by Enemy Trench Mortars.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
