No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
29th: Quite day
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On this day 29th January 1917
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On this day 29th January 1917 a fatal accident at the 2nd Army Workshop
1466 Pte. George Lindsay Clay was killed in an explosion at the 2nd Army Workshop and was sent to the 15 Casualty Clearing Station for burial in HAZEBROUCK COMMUNAL CEMETERY.
George was from Matlock and a gas fitter by trade and worked at the Matlock District Gas Company. He enlisted into the 6th Battalion in June 1916 aged 19 and attended both the Abermaide and Clumber Annual Camps. He arrived in France with the 46th North Midland Division in February 1915, but was attached to the 2nd Army Workshop in August 1915.
During the Court of Inquiry Lieutenant R Howell R.F.A. recored that at 4.45pm on the 29th January 1917 he heard a large explosion near to the oxyacetylene plant. This explosion killed 3 men:-
- 13073 L/Cpl G.W. Irons of the 11th Battn The King’s (Liverpool Regiment).
- A/L/Cpl Clay of the 1/6th Battn Notts and Derby Regiment.
- 200369 Pte. H.F. Thomas of the 1/5th Battn Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
All three men are buried next to each other in Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery
On this day 28th January 1917
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
28th: Quite day.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On this day 27th January 1917
27.1.1917: Relieved by 5th Battalion and moved to Divisional Reserve.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
27th: 5th and 7th Battalions take over the front line.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
On this day 26th January 1917
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
26th: A continued bombardment of the Enemy’s trenches carried out by our artillery and trench mortars.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
93 Sergeant William Leadbeater of the 1/5th Battalion was fatally wounded
William was a 1st VB and pre-War Territorial
On these days 24th and 25th January 1917
24.1.1917: Lieut G Glossop struck off strength being sick in England.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
24th-25th: Situation normal.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
1/8th Battalion suffered three fatal casualties on this day
The three men are buried next to each other in Plot 1, Row F
4018 Pte Reginald Knee the only son of Rose Knee of 35 Cross St. in Newark. Reginald was an apprentice turner and enlisted in the 3/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters at Newark in May 1915 aged 19. Following training he arrived in France on the 16th July 1916 with the 14th Reinforcement.
4538 Pte John Harry Spence son of William and Myra Spence of Mount Sorrel in Loughborough.
Private J. Spence (21), of the Sherwood Foresters, was killed by a trench mortar shell on Jan. 23. His parents live at Granite Corner, Mountsorrel. Letters have been received from the deceased’s officer and the regimental chaplain, the latter speaking of him as being a very fine man, upright and honest, and a hard working soldier, adding that he died a noble death. Before his enlistment Spence was employed at the Campion Cycle Works, at Loughborough.
[The Leicester Mercury, Friday February 2nd 1917]
4368 Pte John Vellam Stafford son of William and the late Sarah Stafford of the Green, Radcliffe-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire. For more info ration please see here.
On this day 24th January 1917, 1554 Pte Roy Woodhouse died of wounds received on the 1st July 1916
Roy Woodhouse was a painter and decorator and enlisted into “E” Matlock Company in January 1912 aged 19. He was the son of Elias and Clara Woodhouse of “Tor Side” on Jackson Rd in Matlock.
Roy arrived in France with the 46th North Midland Division in February 1915 and suffered a gun shot wound in the left forearm on the 1st July 1916. After treatment in the 3rd North Midland Field Ambulance, 20 Casualty Clearing Station and 16 General Hospital he returned to England on the 6th July 1917.
Following treatment Roy was transferred to the Command Depot at Ballyvonare before transferring the 5th Reserve Battalion Sherwood Foresters on the 24th January 1917. He died later that day in Strensall Hospital from haemorrhage in the the lateral ventricle and is buried in St Giles Church in Matlock.
42nd Trench Duty 23rd – 27th January 1917
23.1.1917: Relieved 5th Battalion
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
23rd: Enemy airplanes flew very low over FONQUEVILLERS. 6th and 8th Battalions take over the front line.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
3815 Pte John Bennett of “B” Company and 4311 Pte William Else of “D” Company (gas poisoning) were wounded at this time.
On these days 21st and 22nd January 1917
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
21st and 22nd: Enemy registered both our sub sectors. Enemy aircraft action.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
The men killed or fatally wounded at this time
3354 Pte Vincent Horridge
read Vincent’ story here
4666 Pte Francis William Henry Goodchild
4216 Pte Joseph Chapman
On this day 20th January 1917
No record in the 1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
20th: Artillery activity continued. Souastre shelled in the morning and evening, our heavies replying on Ablainzevelle.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 