267676 Pte Joseph Bennett 2/7th Battalion (Robin Hoods) died of phthisis
Joseph is buried in Worksop (Retford Road) Cemetery
On this day 14th October 1917
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Category Archives: Casualties
Frederick Wheeler died of pulmonary oedema at Brookwood Asylum
Fredrick Wheeler was a 28 year old wood cutter from Surrey and attested in Guilford in February 1916 and posted to the Army Reserve. On the 8th April 1916 he was mobilised and posted to the 3/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters the following day.
His Attestation was Certified at the Chesterfield Administrative Centre by Captain Thomas Swann. At this time he was given the 6th Battalion Regimental number of 5435.
Captain Thomas Swann
Frederick was later transferred to the 5th Reserve Battalion Sherwood Foresters, which was an amalgamation of the 3/5th and 3/6th Battalion that occurred on the 1st September 1916. He was renumbered 6200. In early 1917 he received the 6-digit number 202721 as part of the Territorial Force renumbering.
It appears that Frederick suffered from periods of melancholic depression and he was transferred to Brookwood Asylum st some point during May 1916. He later took his own life on the 7th October 1917.
Frederick is buried next to his older brother Shadrick in Thursley (St. Michael) Churchyard, Surrey. Two other brothers William and Frank also appear to have served during the Great War.
On this day 4th October 1917 – ‘Nothing of importance happened’….but!
“Nothing of importance happened”
1/8th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
But…..
‘Our most unpleasant experience undoubtedly was on October 4th when we got caught in the bombardment connected with an attempted Boche raid on the 7th Battalion whom we were relieving … B Company unfortunately got mixed up with some of the shelling and lost several men, including Sergt. Drabble, who was killed.
[1/8th Battalion History]
305127 Sergeant William Henry Drabble aged 22 and Son of William and Alice Drabble of Easthorpe, Southwell in Nottinghamshire.
306365 Pte George Henry West from Mansfield. His wife Clara died in 1918 leaving four orphaned children all under the age of 8 years.
307608 Pte Archibald Lovegrove aged 21 and Son of George Lovegrove of 43 Arundel St., Derby.
1/7th Battalion casualties for September 1917
1/8th Battalion casualties for September 1917
John Eaton Blackwall, Commanding 1/8th Sherwood Foresters
Killed in action or died of wounds
- 325007 Pte A Robertson aged 27
- 307669 Pte William Arthur Beckett
- 305322 Pte William Smith Bell
- 305636 Pte George Oswald Darwin
- 306883 Pte L Lilley
- 305476 Pte Cyril White Parkin
- 21805 Pte Tom Gilbert from Brampton in Chesterfield
- 36333 Pte Harry Cornelius Smedley
Missing believed killed during a trench raid
- 305673 Lance Sergeant Josiah Blythe aged 28 and from Sutton in Ashfield
- 306353 L/Cpl Herbert Charles Key aged 22 and from Newark
- 305324 Pte Walter Cecil Randall aged 20 and from Retford
- 325025 Pte Eugene Stewart aged 35 from Pothmahomack
- 325044 Pte Stanley Thorne
1/5th Battalion casualties for September 1917
On this day 29th August 1917
71133 Pte George Hawkins was killed in action
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).
On this day 26th August 1917
267466 Cpl Alfred Brown from Retford was killed in action
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
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]
