Category Archives: On this day

On this day November 2nd 1914

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Buxton 1914:

Established Headquarters, Empire Hotel, Buxton.

Arrivals, 182 men.

[2/6th Battalion War Diary, WO-96-3025-3]

On 2nd November 1914, the Headquarters of the 2/6th Battalion were established at the Empire Hotel in Buxton. 184 men were clothed and dispatched from the Depot at Chesterfield the same day. By the end of November 1914 the Battalion had enlisted 977 NCOs and men. Many of the Officers gazetted to the Battalion had also arrived before the end of the month. The Battalion left Buxton and moved to Luton on the 3rd February 1915.

Iron harvest near Authuille Wood

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Found in no-mans-land where the 11th Sherwood Foresters attacked on the morning of 1st July 1916.

The attack failed and they suffered 518 casualties, amongst whom was Sergt John Connaughton from Chesterfield.

Officers taken in 1915

241346 Pte Jim Ramskill

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241346 Ramskill.JPG

4075/241346 Pte Jim Ramskill aged 36 and husband of Margaret Ramskill of 22 Aucklands Place off Beetwell St. in Chesterfield. Jim was an original rifle volunteer (Time Expired) who enlisted in September 1914 and was posted to the 11th (Service) Battalion Sherwood Foresters. He was discharged in February 1915 as medically unfit, but re-enlisted into the 3/6th Battalion in March 1915 and arrived in France in 1916. He served as a signaller with “A” Company and had previously been wounded on the 3rd June.

Jim was killed in action on the 4th August 1917.

[Many thanks to Jim’s great nephew Steve for sending this photo]