Wounded in Dublin with the 2/7th Battalion
Dixon Vestry enlisted into “A” Company the 2/7th Battalion on 2nd February 1916 and was wounded in Dublin during the Easter Rising. He was treated in King George Hospital in Dublin.
He was discharged on 4th August 1916 in Ornamore, Co Galway and was awarded a Silver War Badge.
A 1917 conscript who served with the 1/7th and 1/6th Battalions
Harold Herbert Pagett was born in January 1899 and was from Derby. His father George was a congregational minister and his was mother Sarah Ann. Both the 1901 and 1911 Census place the family at Avondale Road in Derby. Harold attended Derby School and won a scholarship to Hastings Street Higher School.
Harold was conscripted in Spring 1917 – most likely into the 3 (Res) Battalion. He would have arrived in France in late 1917/early 1918. Harold only served overseas with the 7th and 1/6th Battalions. It is likely that he joined the 7th Battalion after the 1/7th Battalion merged with the 2/7th Battalion. He was later transferred to the 1/6th Battalion probably in the Summer of 1918.
He married Dorothy Whatmough in Surrey in 1934 and they settled at Frimley where Harold was a tutor “for Army, Navy and Air Force”. He died in Surrey in 1971.
Served with “C” Company and was wounded on 19th August 1916 at Bellacourt during a German bombardment of the billets
George was from Matlock Bath and enlisted into the Notts and Derby in July 1915. Following training (with either the 2/6th or 3/6th) he arrived in France in 1916 (only entitled to a Pair) and served with the 1/6th Battalion. He was wounded during a bombardment of “C” Company billets – see here.
George was later posted to the Labour Corps presumably after his wounding.
Fatally wounded by a ‘bursting rifle grenade’ in May 1915
Alfred was a millwright from Newark who enlisted into the 8th (Nottinghamshire) Battalion in March 1912 aged 18. He arrived in France with 46th Division in march 1915.
Albert and several men of 2/Lt Oates Platoon conducted a raid on the German trenches in the Kemmel Sector when they met a German patrol and Alfred was fatally wounded.
Alfred with several men from the 139th Brigade is buried in Locre Churchyard.
A gamekeeper who served with the 1/6th and 1/7th Battalions before being transferred to the ‘Messenger Dog Service’ of the Royal Engineers
Herbert Cook was a 31 year old gamekeeper from Pulborough in West Sussex when he attested for General Service on the 26th November 1915.
Herbert was mobilised from the Army Reserve on the 22nd March 1916 and posted to the 3/6th Battalion with the Regimental Number 5290. Following training he was transferred from the 6th Reserve Battalion to the 1/6th Battalion on the 5th July 1916.
Herbert arrived in France with the 14th Reinforcement and was attached to the 14th Infantry Base Depot. He was transferred to the 1/7th Battalion on the 22nd July 1916, probably due to the loses that the 1/7th had suffered on 1st July 1916 and given the number 2026 [this is a numbering system used in 1916 to moved men between the different Territorial Battalions of the Notts & Derby to avoid duplications]. In the spring of 1917 Herbert received his 6-digit TF number (269838) – see here.
Herbert was posted home on the 17th August 1917 possible due to being wounded and he returned to France on the 10th October. On the 29th January 1918 Henry was transferred back to the 1/6th Battalion when the 1/7th Battalion was disbanded.
IWM photograph Q7345. “Three dogs at the Central Kennel of the Messenger Dog Service, GHQ. Note the cylinder [hanging from the dog’s neck] in which the message was carried”.
On 14th March Henry was transferred to the “Messenger Dog Service” of The Royal Engineers.The “Messenger Dog Service” of the Royal Engineers was a unit established during World War I to use dogs for communication, particularly for carrying messages between the front lines and headquarters. For more information see here.
Henry contracted influenza and was admitted to Wharncliffe Hospital in Sheffield in March 1919.
Henry transferred to Class “Z” Army Reserve on 20th September 1919 following demobilisation.
From Sheldon and a hammer driver on the Northeastern Railway; killed in action on the 4th October 1918 whilst serving with the 12th KLR
Following training Herbert was posted to the Sherwood Foresters in December 1918 and transferred to the 2/6th Battalion in early spring 1918 possibly after the German Spring Offensive. See here for more details about Herbert.
Herbert was killed in action with the 12th KLR on the 4th October 1918.
At the time of his death the 12/KLR were sending patrols to harass the retreating German Army. in total the Battalion lost 7 men killed in action or died of wounds between the 3rd and 5th of October. Only 4 of these men have a known grave.
Probably in August 1918 from the 14th Infantry Base Depot
Following the disbandment of the 2/5th and 2/6th Battalions some of the men were compulsory transferred to the Royal West Surrey (Queen’s) Regiment and posted either the 1/22nd or 1/24th (County of London) Battalions (The Queen’s) in August 1918 and allotted new regimental numbers.
In addition, at least 59 men were transferred the 1st, 8th or 12th Battalions of the Kings Liverpool Regiment and allotted the numbers 99636 to 99715 – see below.
Most likely taken at Hindlow Camp in 1910
Stood at the back is 2 Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant Harry Petrie. Harry was born in Winchester in 1872 but moved to Derby where he was a sorting clerk and telegraphist. He enlisted in to the 5th Battalion on the 1st April 1908 having previously served in the 1st VB, the Sherwood Foresters from 1890. He arrived in France on the 1st March 1915 and was discharged time expired in April 1916, aged 44.
The stone walls and leather equipment makes me certain that this is Hindlow.
Served with the 1/7th Battalion and was killed by a sniper on the 17th April 1916
Served with the 2/8th and 1st Battalions. Was present in Ireland
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 