Enlisted in October 1914 and served with 2/6th and 10th Battalions. Admitted to Hospital in January 1919 with a shell wound to the arm.
240624 Sergeant George Henry Wigley
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Category Archives: Soldiers
2345/26451 Pte Herbert Boot
A brass moulder from Nottingham who enlisted in September 1914. Arrived in France in June 1915. Served with the 1/7th and 1/6th Battalions and suffered a GSW in the side – date unknown.
Shot through the head by a machine gun bullet whilst lying on the parapet
306314 Pte James Arthur Godber from Huthwaite. A reserve stretcher bearer who served in Ireland with the 2/8th and in France with 2/6th Battalions.
James Arthur Godber was 28 years old and married to Mary. They lived at 104 Blackwell Street and James was a miner at New Hucknall Colliery. He had served in Ireland with the 2/8th Battalion where he was wounded with four bullets that were never removed. He was still serving with the 2/8th (or 3/8th) Battalion at the time of the Territorial Force Renumbering in the Spring of 1917. James proceeded in France in the summer of 1917 and was posted to the 2/6th Battalion. He was killed during the Battle of Cambrai on 2nd December 1917.
Although the letter states that “it would comfort those at home to know that he had a decent burial in a British cemetery” his body was not recovered after the War and he is Commemorated on Cambrai Memorial at Louverval. Mary died before she could received a pension.
4957/241828 Frederick Salmon
Enlisted December 1915; Served with overseas with the 2/6th and 2nd Battalions
7756/242545 Pte Charles Arthur Kent
Enlisted in May 1915 and was in the 28th Reinforcement to the 1/6th Battalion in January 1917. Later served with the 5th Battalion and the Army Service Corps.
Discharged due to sickness in April 1918 aged 34. Awarded a pension for “deafness and incontinence of wine”.
242013 Pte Walter Harwood from Dulwich
Enlisted in June 1916 and was one of the Londoners posted to the 2/6th Battalion in September 1916; made prisoner of War during the Battle of Cambria.
Walter enlisted in June 1916 and arrived in France with the 2/6th Battalion in February 1917. He was captured on the 1st December 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai when he was wounded in the arm and leg. He was interned in Dulman POW Camp and was demobilised in March 1919 and awarded a pension.
Walter died in May 1922.
4762/201761 Pte Arthur ‘Jack’ Baldwin
Served with the 1/5th Battalion in France from 1916; wounded twice with “A” Company, the 10th Battalion.
Jack seated left with the three men that appear to belong to the Robin Hood Rifles.
Jack has a 4-digit Regimental number indicating that he arrived in France before the 1917 Territorial Force renumbering. He was still serving with the 1/5th Battalion at the time if renumbering. At some point he transferred to the 10th Battalion. Jack was later wounded in April 1918.
1433/305127 Sergeant William Henry Drabble from Southwell
A pre-War Territorial who arrived in France in March 1915 and was killed in action on the 4th October 1917.
Post card sent from Sergeant William Henry Drabble to his mother Alice from Braintree in early 1915. The message describes a planned Inspection by the King, which occurred on the 19th February 1915.
William would have first served with “H” (Southwell) Company and then with “B” (Newark and Southwell) Company when they merged in early 1915.
William is buried in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe (grave ref. II.U5) along with his 3 comrades that died during that trench duty.
“Our most unpleasant experience undoubtedly was on October 4th when we got caught in the bombardment connected with an attempted Boche raid on the 7th Battalion whom we were relieving … B Company unfortunately got mixed up with some of the shelling and lost several men, including Sergt. Drabble, who was killed.“
[The Sherwood Foresters in the Great War 1914-1919, 1/8th Battalion]
“Information has been received by Mr. and Mrs. Drabble, Easthorpe, Southwell, that their eldest son, Serge. W. H. Drabble, Sherwood Foresters was killed in action on October 4th, two days prior to his 23rd birthday. Sergt. Drabble was offered a commission in February last, but he declined. For nearly 12 months prior to the War, Sergt. Drabble was assistant with Mr. G. T. Smith, grocer, Bridge Place, Worksop, by whom he was highly esteemed. Of a very genial disposition, he made many friends amongst the young men in the town. He was a keen footballer and a member of the Worksop Thursday Team. The news of his death will be deeply felt by his friends in Worksop, and their sympathy will go out to his parents in their bereavement.“
[Worksop Guardian 2 November 1917]
After the War William’s mother received a pension.
2512/305608 L/Cpl Ellis William Hudson, a miner from Mansfield
Enlisted into the 8th Battalion in August 1914, arrived in France in June 1915 (1st Reinforcement), transferred to 2/8th and 2/6th Battalions, wounded and made a Prisoner of War on 21st March 1918. Disembodied in March 1919.
In the 1911 Census we can see that Ellis is a 19 year old coal miner living with his extended family in Newgate Lane, Mansfield.
Service with the 1/8th and 2/8th Battalions: 1914-1918
Ellis enlisted into the (2/)8th Battalion in August 1914 and signed the Imperial Service Agreement at Mansfield. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in December 1914 and arrived in France in June 1915 with the 1st Reinforcement.
It would appear that at some point in the Summer of 1917, Ellis was transferred to England (possibly through being wounded) and he married Edith Brough. However, his wounding is not mentioned on his Military History Sheet.
Ellis returned to France and was posted to the 2/8th Battalion on 20th September 1917 and later transferred to the 2/6th Battalion in January 1918 when the 2/8th Battalion were disbanded.
Kaiserschlacht – the German Spring Offensive: 21st March 1918
A “Next of Kin” record for Ellis Hudson, which records that he wrote home in April 1918 and that a Red Cross List from September 1918 records that he was in Munster II POW Camp. It also records that he had been wounded in the fingers and shoulder.
Repatriation and Discharge: Jan-Feb 1919
Ellis was repatriated to England in December 1918 and following a letter from his pre-War employers, “The Bolsover Colliery Company Limited”, he relinquished his unexpired portion of the 2 months released Prisoner of War leave and returned to work.
Ellis was awarded a pension died in October 1975 aged 83.
3406/241056 Pte Richard Clewlow
A collier from Danesmore who arrived in France in 1916 and served until the end of the Great War. Here he is wearing the 1914 Pattern equipment.
These items were sold on eBay – I didn’t win the auction – but I think that his story needs to be told.
Made an attack on Cite St Edwards [sic] at 2.45 AM. Got into German trenches held it until 8.0 AM but had to retire on account of being run out of bombs + ammunition. I was out numbered by the Germans. Come into support for D Coy Cite St Laurence [sic].
2nd Lt Evans killed at 4pm – see here.
Relieved West Yorks in support on Hill 70. CO Col C B Benson killed – see here.
Moved into front line + relieved the Durham Light Infantry – see here.
One hours P drill. Relieved 5th S.F. in support in Hurdle Trench shelled all the way coming in from Loos – see here.
Raid. Missing. Sgt Salt M, L/C Brailsford WH, L/C Simpson, Pte Metcalfe C, Pte Ormerod, Pte Richardson.
Came up from Brigade Reserve ready for the attack.
In reserve.
Made an attack taken the village of Magny 5,000 prisoners 9 field guns we had tanks in action 32nd Division through us and advanced a way forward – see here.
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 