Category Archives: Casualties

On this day 3rd July 1917

Leave a reply

3.7.1917 TRENCHES: Battalion relieved by 31st Canadian Battalion.

Casualties during whole tour :- 2 OR Killed, 11 OR wounded (in addition to 1st July).

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

July 3rd: Line held by 139 Brigade.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

Poppy

2684/240688 Pte George William Slater was killed in action aged 24. George was the Son of Mr and Mrs Samuel Slater of bank side in Youlgrave. George enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France in June 1915.

4349/241469 Pte Albert Bacon suffered a gun shot wound in the left shoulder and returned to England. Albert enlisted in July 1915 and arrived in France with the 7th Reinforcement in March 1916. Prior to enlisting he was a labourer from Youlgrave.

2982/240831 Pte Percy Carter suffered a severe gun shot wound in left toe and transferred to England. Percy was a fitter and turner from Chesterfield and enlisted in October 1914. He originally arrived in France in February 1915 and returned again in February 1918 where he served in the Army Service Corps.

1803/240273 Pte Charles Bunting suffered a gun shot wound in the abdomen and died in the 7th Casualty Clearing Station. Charles was a pre-War Territorial who served in “E” and arrived in France in February 1915. Charles had previously been wounded in August 1915.1803 bunting

On this day 21st June 1917

Leave a reply

208/200012 Transport Sergeant Arthur Oldknow

1/5th Battalion was killed on this day

“The transport had very uncomfortable journeys in this sector, especially when passing Fosse Cite de Loos. On 21st June 1917, the whole column was wiped out by shell fire – All the animals were killed, the wagons wrecked, rations and ammunition strewn around. This necessitated the turning out of a fresh column & rations, and, as was invariably the case, they got through eventually. Unfortunately Sgt. Oldknow was killed by the first shell that dropped. He was a transport section in himself, one of those who not only did things, but got things done….”208 oldknow 3

Arthur’s brother, William Henry, also served with the 1/5th Battalion see here

21.6.1917 FOSSE 10: Lt.-Col CB JOHNSON rejoined and resumed Command of Battalion.

Johnson CB

Cyril Benton Johnson

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

June 21: No Change. See disposition of units App 9.21 June 1917M12 and N7 June 1917

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

On this day 17th June 1917

Leave a reply

No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

June 17 Trenches: Quite day.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

Despite 139 Brigade recording ‘quite day’ the 1/7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters had 45 casualties including 10 men killed or dying of gas poisoning over a period of 3 days.

Enemy Gas On night 15/16 at 11/30 pm the enemy shelled the area between the RIGHT Company Posts in NOVEL and the Company HQ with 300 to 400 Priester Gas Bombs causing 45 casualties mostly in D (Right) Company.

Granatenwerfer 16

The effects of the gas lasted about 30 minutes but all the outposts were kept fully manned and a relief of posts carried out immediately the gas cleared. The following were killed or died in hospital:-

  • 265246 Sergt Joseph Read D Coy
  • 266647 Pte A Marson D Coy
  • 269830 Pte E Marshall
  • 267823 Pte H Hawthorne D Coy
  • 267376 Pte F Richardson D Coy
  • 269292 H Hindle D Coy
  • 305650 H Johnson C Coy
  • 267941 John Thornley D Coy
  • 269862 WJ Long C Coy
  • 265818 Pte Lawrence William Wykes

On this day 5th June 1917

Leave a reply

Poppy7691/242488 Alfred Percy Beeston died of wounds

Formerly 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.

On this day 3rd June 1917

2 Replies

3.6.1917 LIEVIN SECTOR: 2/Lt LN JOHNSON MC killed in action whilst on working party (M.30.C.9.5).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

Poppy

Casualties from the 3rd June 19171868:242606 Offord

Alban Offord from Retford died aged 21

  • 1658/240201 Sergt William Booth aged 26. 
  • 4398/241494 Pte Harry Cooper aged 47.
  • 5122/241864 Pte Harry Fuller aged 24.
  • 7751/242541 Pte William Howitt-Walker.
  • 2540/242605 Pte Walter Moxon aged 28.
  • 1868/242606 Pte Alban Offord aged 21.
  • Lieut Leslie Nethercote Johnson aged 29.

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.

Fosse No.10 Communal Cemetery Extension

Fosse 10 cemetery242606 OffordFosse 43-47

Noeux-Les-Mines Communal CemeteryNoeux-Les-Mines Communal Cemetery

Other men wounded on this day

  • 3665/241163 Pte ARTHUR BUXTON
  • 2204/240467 Pte FRED HURLER
  • 2563/240639 Pte ERNEST MATTHEWS
  • 2277/240501 Pte FRANK DRABBLE
  • 2867/240771 Pte ALBERT BAGSHAW
  • 2609/240660 Pte ARTHUR COLLIER
  • 3890/241264 Pte WALTER BLAIR
  • 4215/241401 Pte WILLIAM SIMMONS
  • 4190/241390 Pte JOHN HENRY CRYAN
  • 4399/241495 Pte JAMES BLAKEMORE
  • 3400/241053 Pte HERBERT STEEPLES
  • 3302/242408 Pte ERNEST BRAZIER
  • 7731/242521 Pte ARTHUR AUGUSTUS DEACON
  • 7721/242511 Pte ARCHIBOLD BRANSON
  • 4559/241568 Pte PERCY HARMER
  • 5183/241874 Pte HERBERT TAYLOR
  • 5809/242627 Pte RICHARD WEBB
  • 2493/240602 Pte FRED MOORCROFT
  • 4075/241346 Pte JIM RAMSKILL

On this day 31st May 1917

Leave a reply

31.5.1917 TRENCHES: Lieut JL PERCIVAL rejoined Battalion from 2nd Entrenching Battalion.

percival

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).

Red Mill May 1917

Casualties during tour:-

  • Killed 5 other ranks
  • Gassed 27 other ranks
  • Wounded 18 other ranks

Casualties May 1917

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Poppy

3194/240941 Alfred Morris Reginald Moore died on this day

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.

3194 Moore 2

Alfred died of his wounds at the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester.

3194 Moore

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.

On these nights 29th to 31st May 1917

1 Reply

Nights of 29th-31st Trenches: Attempted raids by enemy on “A” Company (RIGHT COY) successfully repulsed.

Sergeants RAVEY and BOAM especially distinguished themselves.Ravey

240076 Sergeant John George Ravey

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

PoppyCasualties during the German raids

2108 Tom Depledge2108/240418 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.

FOSSE NO.10 COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, SAINS-EN-GOHELLE

A ‘Derbyshire Territorial Row’

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’.

Fosse 10 cemetery

 

Fosse 10 C 1-3fosse 49-50

The Wounded

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.

On this day the 28th May 1917

Leave a reply

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.1761 slack

  • 236 Pte William Bennett
  • 1761/240251 Pte Richard Slack a collier from Clay Cross
  • 1765/240253 Pte Ernest Whalley a miner from Pilsley
  • 2088/240405 Pte William Shrewsbury a miner banksman from Alftreton
  • 2958/200782 Pte Joseph William Smedley 
  • 3243/240974 Pte Edenezer Flint a quarryman from Wirksworth
  • 4143/241373 Pte Edwin Brook
  • 5330/241880 Pte Victor Major Mitchell
  • 7799/242587 Pte Harold English

On this day 12th May 1917

Leave a reply

12.5.1917 TRENCHES: Battalion relieved by 5th Sherwood Foresters and moved into Brigade Reserve in dugouts at West end of CITE ST PIERRE.

Stubbs deathCasualties:- Lieut. FWA STUBBS 4 other ranks killed and 10 other ranks wounded. The men killed were buried in Maroc British Cemetery.

  • 3409/241058 Corporal William Ball
  • Lieutenant Frederick William Arthur Stubbs
  • 4070/241343 Pte Edward Scott
  • 260001 Pte James Alfred Goodger
  • 7725/242515 Pte Thomas Cheetham

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Maroc British Cemetery Maroc

The 1/6th Battalion buried eight of their men in Maroc British Cemetery between 8th and 28th May 1917.

MAROC Row O

These five casualties of the 45th Trench Duty are buried next to each each in Row O along with other Sherwood Foresters from the 139th Brigade. Indeed, 34 men of the 139 Infantry Brigade are buried at Maroc.

Row P

The remaining two men of the 1/6th Battalion are buried in Row P along with several Germans.

On this day 8th May 1917

Leave a reply

8.5.1917 TRENCHES: Military Medal awarded to following NCOs & men for gallantry on 23rd April at FOSSE 3 DE LIEVINmilitary_medal_obverse

  • 2973/240827 L/Cpl Albert Ernest Bedford a pottery worker from Whittington Moor240827 Bedford April 1917
  • 242476 Pte Kenneth Bresser242476 Bresser April 1917
  • 4113/241360 Pte Albert Evans241360 Evans April 1917
  • 1637/240194 Pte Thomas Wheatcroft a gas worker from Matlock 240194 Wheatcroft April 1917

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

Trenches May 8: Enemy fairly quite. MAROC and Level Crossing at GRENAY shelled.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

Poppy

260001 Pte James Alfred Goodger and 7725/242515 Pte Thomas Cheetham were killed in action on this day

7725:242515 Cheetham

7725/242515 Pte Thomas Cheetham aged 20 and formerly of the South Nottinghamshire Hussars see here 260001 Goodger

260001 James Alfred Goodger had previously served with the 2nd Battalion and was the first man to by issued with the 26**** numbering series

MAROC Row O

A “Sherwood’s Row” in Plot II of Maroc British Cemetery in Grenay