The following Officers and NCO were mentioned in the Dispatchers of the Field Marshall Commanding in Chief for gallant service in the field:-
Surgeon Major AW Shea
QM and Hon Captain WD Jamieson
2207/240469 Sgt John Peter Middleton
24/5/18: Hostile artillery less active. During the night one of our patrols encountered an enemy post which had been unoccupied on previous nights. Our patrol was fired on and sustained some casualties.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Son of Frederick Hyman of Basford; husband of Grace Annie Hyman of Ranby, Retford in Nottinghamshire. Walter arrived in France in 1916 and served with the 1/7th Battalion. He was later transferred to the 1/5th Battalion after the Territorial Force renumbering in the spring 1917. Walter does not have a known grave and is Commemorated on Loos Memorial; its possible that he was missing on patrol.
See here.
23.5.18: Lieut Col BW VANN and Surgeon Major AW SHEA to hospital.
Bernard William Vann
Arthur Wilson Shea
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
23/5/18: Quite day with rather less harassing fire.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
22/5/18: Hostile artillery again rather active firing bursts of harassing fire. A relief of 139th Infantry Brigade 138th Infantry Brigade was due to take place night 22nd/23rd but was cancelled.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Son of Thomas and Mary Shaw of Oak Hill Farm, Whatstandwell in Derbyshire.
21/5/18: An enemy patrol about 30 strong attempted to rush our post at X.16.c.65.75 at 3.40am. They were driven off, abandoning a rifle and a large number of bombs.
“The enemy would occasionally open short concentrated bombardments of the line. In this common or garden everyday kind of warfare the Battalion was unfortunate enough to lose 2/Lieuts. Badcock and Clarkson, Corporal Warren, White and Rycroft who were all killed. Clarkson had not been with the Battalion long, but he had been sufficiently long enough for us to realise that we had lost a good and courageous officer.
Several of the long service N.C.O’s and men were wounded. Sgt. Mapletoft was a great loss to No. 4 Platoon, and to the Battalion, whilst Dumelow, Haywood, Rodgers and Mountain were men one could ill afford to lose.
Jack Bates “A” Coy’s ever cheery and smiling runner managed to be wounded no less than five times in as many weeks. It wasn’t c coincidence with him: it was a habit!
Four officers, Tompkinson, Tyrell, Blood and Captain Potter were wounded, but with the exception of Blood all managed to come back to the Battalion before the big attack in September.”
Image Courtesy of Stephen Sharp
Enlisted in July 1915 and arrived in France in 1916. Previously wounded on 23.4.17 during the attack on Fosse 3 at Lievin. Son of George and Elizabeth Boden, of Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.
Son of Ellen and the late William Henry Neale. Native of Doncaster. Arrived in France with the 43rd Reinforcement in January 1918 and initially posted to the 1/6th Battalion at K IBD. Later transferred to the 1/5th Battalion.
Previously served with 2/7th Battalion.
20.5.18 ESSARS: Battn relieved by the 1/8th Sherwood Foresters and moved into Brigade Support of the ESSARS SECTOR.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
20/5/18: Hostile artillery less active. Enemy is reported to be putting out wire in X22b and X 15b.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
17/5/18: Hostile artillery very active during early morning, firing being of a harassing nature.
18/5/18: Hostile artillery again active. At 8.30pm a light barrage of 105 mm shells and TM bombs was fired down on front line of right subsection.
19/5/18: At 3.15am the enemy attempted to raid one of posts near the RUE DU BOIS. He was driven off by rifle and LG fire before reaching our lines. Hostile artillery again active. 20 enemy aircraft crossed our lines during day.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
81365 Pte John Perkins aged 29. Husband of B. Perkins, of 20, Berkeley St., Thurmaston, Leicester.
203005 Pte Albert Joseph Wakefield aged 30. Son of Frederick James and Hannah Maria Wakefield, of Derby; husband of Elizabeth Wakefield, of 9, Eton St., London Rd., Derby.
203388 Pte George Dennis from Hucknall.
4397/241493 Pte Harry Brumby died of wounds aged 24. Son of William and Emma Brumby, of Pilsley, Bakewell, Derbyshire. Arrived in France in 1916 and only served overseas with the 1/6th Battalion.
307263 Pte Herbert Cooper died of wounds aged 20. Son of James and Ellen Cooper, of 1, Leopold Villa, Albany Rd., Angel Rd, Edmonton, London.
328032 Pte Albert Armstrong killed in action aged 30. Son of John Frederick and Isabella Armstrong, of 54, Vicarage St., Nottingham. See here.
Hostile artillery active on front line of right sub sector during early morning and on LE HAMEL in the afternoon. Some green gas shells were fired on LE HAMEL.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
67021 Pte Albert Beastall died of wounds aged 28. Son of Albert and Mary Ann Beastall of 114 Outram St., Sutton-in-Ashfiel in Nottinghamshire.
14.5.18 VAUDRICOURT: The Battalion relieved the 1/6th North Saffs Regt in Brigade Support of the ESSARS SECTOR.
2/Lieut GW BUCKLOW proceeded to England to join RAF.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Brigade in Divisional Reserve. Training was hampered owing to the Brigade being ordered to be ready to move at very short notice. 139th Infantry Brigade relieved 137th Infantry Brigade in the ESSARS SECTION on night 14/15 May.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 