No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Sept 29th. On sentry. Felt beastly wet at stand down. Things fairly quiet with us, but attacks & counter attacks on our left. Showers at intervals.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
28.9.1915: Battn inspected by Major General Stuart Wortley.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Edward James Montagu-Stuart-Wortley, CB, CMG, DSO, MVO
(31 July 1857 – 19 March 1934)
Sept 26th. Went to communion 9 a.m. & ordinary church parade 11 a.m. Very nice day. Also to voluntary service at 6 p.m. Still standing to. Lieut. Brown buried.
Sept 27th. Finished standing to at 8 a.m. Rifle inspn at 10 a.m. On fatigue at range 1-30 till 4. At night went to Ouderdom to hear pierrots. Very good. Dull day but fine. Kersey to hosp.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
Wounded men included:-
| 1456 | L/Cpl | John Kersey | 26.9.15 | Died of wounds at Le Havre. |
| 1104 | Cpl | Joseph Dudley | 28.9.15 | Transferred to England and discharged due to wounds on 18.5.16 (para 392 XVI KR). |
During the evening of the 25th the 1/7th Battalion ‘stood to’ as the 1/8th Battalion made a ‘demonstration’ against the Germans. It was most likely during this action that William Brown was shot by a sniper.Sept 25th. Heavy bombardment by our artillery, so stood to from 4 a.m. onwards. Rose about 7-30 a.m. & had breakfast. Rifle inspn 10 a.m. Paid 20 frs at 2-30 p.m. Dull day & showers at intervals. German trenches taken at Hooge, La Bassee & Neuve Chapelle & also on French front.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
24.9.1915: Battn stood to until 25th as a consequence of attack by 5th Corps.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Sept 24th. Rose about 7-30 a.m. & had breakfast. 9-30 a.m. rifle, bayonet, clothes & boot inspn. 10-30 set off to Poperinghe for a bath, enjoyed same. Parcel from home arrived. Dull day, but fine till about p p.m. & then rain at intervals. Band in afternoon.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Sept 23rd. Got to wooden huts about 1 a.m. – much better than bivouacs. Hot soup served out & then slept till about 10 a.m. Rifle & bayonet inspn 2 p.m. Band played 2 till about 3-30 p.m. 25 more reinforcements arrived. Nice day, but rain from 8 p.m. till midnight.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
Army Service Record for 3541 Pte Carter recording his arrival to the 1/6th Battalion on the 24th September 1915.
Men sick or wounded included:-
| 1770 | Pte | George Clements | 23.9.15 |
Transferred to England on 23.9.15. Returned to France on 4.3.16 with the 6th Reinforcement. |
| 1736 | Pte | William Stuart | 23.9.15 |
Shell wound in right foreleg and left thigh. Admitted to 46 DRS and 3 Stationary Hospital. Transferred to England on 15.9.15. Returned to France on 3.7.16 with the 13th Reinforcement. |
22.9.15 Canal I33: Battn relieved by 5th Battalion & moved to Bivouacs.
Casualties:- Killed O.R. 7, Wounded:- 2/Lt. JS Sampson (8.9.15) Lt. D Storrs Fox (9.9.15) & 11 Other Ranks.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Sept 22nd. Same as yesterday till dinnertime. German trenches bombarded from 4 till about 5 p.m. & they replied later. Packed up after tea & were relieved by 5th S.F. about 8 p.m. 5 killed & 11 wounded by shells in A Co. Nice moon light night, so had a very good passage out. Hot cocoa about halfway. Few of us (me included) put packs on transport wagons when about ¾ way out. Done 18 days this time.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
| 1679 | Pte | Charles Smith | 22.9.15 | Shrapnel wound in the face and re-joined Battalion. |
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Sept 21st. Rose about 4-30 a.m. & stood to. Breakfast at 6-30 & then slept till dinner time. Washing & writing in afternoon. Not selected for listening post at night so got down to sleep. Very nice day again. Aeroplanes busy.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
“I am very sorry to let you know that my dear cousin Hugh has been killed in action on Tuesday night at 10.45.p.m. He was buried yesterday at 3. Pm. at a little place amongst other fallen heroes. I shall look after his grave as long as I am any where near it. He was shot through the right breast and I think the bullet must have gone through his heart as he died instantly”.
2881 Pte. Hugh Bagshaw, a 17 year old collier from Fernilee (Whaley Bridge) was killed in action and buried in Chester Farm Cemetery.
Hugh enlisted into the 2/6th Battalion at Buxton on 15th October 1914 where he signed the Imperial Service Agreement. He was transferred to the 1/6th Battalion the 26th June 1915 and disembarked from Southampton on the 28th June with the II Reinforcement and disembarked at Rouen. He was posted to No. 2 Entrenching Battalion and joined his unit ‘in the field’ on the 17th August 1915.
Men sick or wounded included:-
| 1857 | Pte | Ernest Hadfield | 21.9.15 |
Admitted to 46 DRS with shock. Re-joined Battalion on 6.10.15. |
| 1369 | Pte | Fred Schofield | 21.9.15 |
Rheumatic fever and admitted to 46 DRS. Re-joined Battalion on 24.9.15. |
| 1327 | Pte | Walter Holmes | 21.9.15 | Wounded in the field. |
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Sept 20th, Finished fatigue about 4 a.m. & then same as yesterday till tea time. Hill 60 again bombarded. Weather still very nice, but rather chilly at night. Went with range finder 7-30 till 10 p.m. looking for German guns. Then got down to sleep. G Fearn wounded while on listening post but not seriously. [3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
3140 Pte George Taylor was wounded in action.
3161 Pte. John Davies from Clay Cross was transferred to England and later posted to the 3/6th Battalion. After returning to France on the 29th June 1916 with the 12th Reinforcement he was transferred to the 4th Reserve Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment.
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Sept 19th. Came off listening post about 4-30 & then same as yesterday till teatime. Went on fatigue at 8 p.m. Very nice day again. Hill 60 bombarded again.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
The men killed during this bombardment were all from “A” Company:-
The men were buried next to each other in Chester Farm Cemetery.
The wounded men included:-
| 819 | Sgt | George Fearn | 19.9.15 | Wounded whilst in a listening post. |
| 1839 | Pte | Stanley Wykes | 19.9.15 | Tonsillitis and admitted to 1st NMFA, 12 CCS and 3 General Hospital. Transferred to England on 3.10.15. Returned to France on 4.3.16 with the 6th Reinforcement. |
| 2964 | Pte | Frank White | 19.9.15 | Transferred to England on 19.9.15. |
| 3344 | Pte | John Candlin | 19.9.15 | Wounded in the field. |
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Sept 17th. Stood to about 4-45 a.m. Breakfast at 6-30. On fatigue 8 a.m. till dinner time. Slept in afternoon and went on listening post.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
3161 Pte. Walter Bates, a miner from Clay Cross, was killed in action aged 31 and is buried in Chester Farm Cemetery.
The wounded men included:-
| 2278 | Pte | Isaac Elliott | 17.9.15 |
Psoriasis and admitted to 1st NMFA, 17 CCS and 4 Stationary Hospital. Returned to duty on 4.10.15. |
| 1463 | Pte | Arthur Marchington | 17.9.15 | Wounded in the field. |
| 1679 | Pte | Charles Smith | 17.9.15 | Shrapnel wound in the face. |
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 