Category Archives: Soldiers

5260/269838 Pte Herbert Cook

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A gamekeeper who served with the 1/6th and 1/7th Battalions before being transferred to the ‘Messenger Dog Service’ of the Royal Engineers

Service with the Notts & Derby Regiment

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.

Transfer to the Royal Engineers

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.

Influenza and return to England

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.

97981 Pte Herbert Trusler

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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.

Transfers from the 2/6th Battalion to the Kings Liverpool Regiment

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Probably in August 1918 from the 14th Infantry Base Depot

Reduced to cadre and disbanded: 31 July 1918

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.

5th Battalion Notts & Derby Transport

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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.

3152 Pte Frank Webb from Stow-on-the Wold

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Enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France with the 11th Reinforcement in June 1916. Served with A Company and was wounded and captured during a trench raid on the Talus in July 1916.

Many thanks to Ken Holmes for sending this picture

Full details of the Talus raid are here

It is unclear whether Franks was killed on the raid or died as a POW; however, it would appear from the “Nachlassliste’ that he was killed during the raid and his body was not recovered and buried.

31 Ambulance Train: 3rd-21st December

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2/6th Casualties from the battle of Cambria

241743 L/Cpl Archibald Frank Ashton with a gun shot wound in the thumb. Entrained at Grevillers from a casualty clearing station and detrained at Etaples. Born in 1896 and was an insurance clerk from Chisworth in Derbyshire. He enlisted in Manchester in December 1915. Served with C Company and later died as a prisoner of war at Meschede POW camp on 21st June 1918 aged 23. He is buried in Niederzwehren Cemetery, Stadtkreis Kassel, Hessen, Germany and was the son of John Albert and Lavinia Ann Ashton of 65 Fatting Hay in Chisworth.

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70788 Pte John Robert Lister. An early member of the 1/8th Battn (3994) and arrived in France on 27th October 1915. He was later transferred to the 1st (70788), 2/6th and 15th Battns. Disembodied 7th April 1919. He was gassed on the 3rd December 1917 and entrained from Achiet-le-Grand (45th and 49th Casualty Clearing Stations). Later served with the 1/5th Battalion.

12901 Pte Anthony Fallowfield suffered a shrapnel wound to his neck, neck and knee. Entrained from Achiet-le-Grand on the 4th December. Original enlisted into the 9th Battalion and arrived in the Balkans on 1st July 1915. Later served with the Northumberland Fusiliers, Machine Gun Corps and Royal Engineers.

240770 Pte Ernest Longden suffered a shrapnel wound to the wrist and entrained from Achiet-le-Grand on the 4th December. Enlisted in October 1914 and later served with the 8th Battalion.

22630 Pte John Bland from Pleasley and suffered a shrapnel wound to the head and was entrained from Achiet-le-Grand on the 4th December. Enlisted in January 1915 aged 34 he was transferred to the 2/6th Battalion in August 1917. Later served with the Labour Corps.

240972 Pte John George Southam from Wirtksworth and enlisted in October 19145. Suffered gun shot wound in the shoulder. Entrained Achiet-le-Grand on 3rd December 1917 and detrained at Etaples. Later served with the 8th Battalion.