Category Archives: Officers

On this day 16th October 1917

16/10/1917 HILL 70: Battalion relieved 1/5th Battn in the line.

London Gazette Second Lieutenants to be Lieutenants as from 1.7.17:

  • R Evans (d of w)
  • T Greaves
  • KH Bond MC
  • FW Hipkins
  • VTG Hore
  • WA Lytle MC
  • E Kershaw MC
  • WT Stephens
  • FS Rowland MC
  • WL Cooper

october-1917-officers

Second Lieutenant to be Lieutenant from 26.7.17: AF Briggs

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


16/X/17: Movement above normals on tracks behind enemy’s lines. Inter-Battalion reliefs during night.

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

On this day 23rd September 1917 and a change in Command

Vann

Major BERNARD WILLIAM VANN MC (8th Sherwood Foresters) assumed Command

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


23/IX/17: Relief complete. Enemy artillery inactive on our trenches but shelled back areas heavily during the day.

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

On this day 21st September 1917 – Hill 70

21.7.1917 LES BREBIS: Battalion relieved 1st LEICESTERS and 1st WEST YORKS in SUPPORT on HILL 70 RIGHT.

LIEUT COLONEL CB JOHNSON killed in action.

MAJOR W SEATON assumed temporary Command.

Johnson CB

Cyril Benton Johnson was killed by a shell whilst going up to the trenches just in from of Loos. He died instantly and was buried at the little Cemetery of Sailly-Labourse. He was 27 years old.Johnson LN death

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


21/IX/17: We commenced relieving portions of the 71st and 18th Infantry Brigades in HILL 70 Sector.

21-september-1917h26c-1917

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


1878/240311 Corporal Wilfred Higginbottom was killed in action

johnson-higginbottomWilfred was a Pre-War Territorial from Chesterfield who served in “A” Company and is now buried next to his Commanding Officer.

 

On this day 2nd September 1917 – a German raid

2.9.1917 FOUQUIERES: CAPT HH JACKSON awarded Military Cross for Gallantry in connection with the raid of 13th August.Jackson HH

Humphrey Henry Jackson

London Gazette: Lieut EMB Taylor to be Captain at 18.8.17.

Brooke-Taylor EM

Edward Mallalieu Brook-Taylor

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


2/IX/17: At 4.55 am enemy put down heavy barrage of artillery and trench mortars of various calibre’s on our front and support lines and CTs of right sub sector (Map 36c NW ref A28C & G4B).A28C G4B 1917

At 5am barrage lifted off front line & four parties of enemy, totalling 170 men attempted to raid our trenches in G4b. He only succeeded in entering one or our posts, all the garrison of which had been wounded. A few of his men appeared to cross our front line between the posts, but the majority were driven back before reaching our trenches. One prisoner was captured by us, whereas the enemy failed to secure identification. Our casualties were slight.

Prisoner stated that raiding party consisted of 150 men of the “Army STOSS TRUPP” and 20 men of 22nd Pioneer Battalion. His statements appeared unreliable.

Army STOSS TRUPP = shock troops or stormtroopers
The 22nd Pioneer Battalion appear to be part of the 19th Ersatz Division

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


Geoffrey Petrie BarlowBarlow

Died of wounds leading a wiring party

On this day 28th August 1917

28.8.1917: Major W SEATON assumed Temporary Command of the Battn during the absence on leave of Lt Col. CB JOHNSON.

28.8.1917: 2/Lt C RADFORD joined the Battn from England

Radford CG

Cyril George Radford

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


27th-29th: Quiet days. Extended Bde front northwards, taking over a portion of front from 5th Inf Bde.

30th-31st: Quiet days. Enemy snipers more active than usual, but caused no casualties.

Storrs Fox

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

On this day 24th August 1917

24.8.1917: Lieut BE JOHNSON, Lt ES WOOD and 2/Lt KH BOND authorised to wear badges of Captain.Johnson and Bond

Brian Eccles Johnson and Kenneth Hills Bond

Edgar Stanley Wood transfered to the Royal Flying Corp in March 1918 and after a months training he joined No. 7 Squadron in France flying RE8 reconnaissance planes. He was wounded on the 4th May 1918 and did not return to flying duties. More information on 7 Squadron can be found here 

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


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

On this day 23rd August 1917

23.8.1917: Lt & Adj E KERSHAW MC promoted to A/Capt whilst Adjutant.

Kershaw

Edward Kershaw taken November 1917 and with his MC ribbon clearly visible

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


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

On this day 9th August 1917

2/Lt Richard Evans was mortally wounded in action aged 20Evans

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 5th August 1917

5.8.1917: 2/Lt VH ARMITAGE MC awarded the Belgian Decoration “Chevalier de L’Ordre de la Boutonne”Armitage

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 Foxwheatcroft tolson jackson 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.Hulluch

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


4/5 August: 8th Sherwood Foresters carried out a raid on Enemy trenches in G5C.G5C 1917Raid August 1917

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 Shaw
  • 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 30th July 1917

30.7.1917 LABOURSE: 2/Lt J MACKAY joined Battalion from England.Mackay

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]