No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
25th: Situation normal. During the night five small patrols lay out in the vicinity of the enemies wire without encountering any of their patrols. Work on our trenches 146 & 147 considerably hampered by the enemies machine gun fire.
Casualties NIL.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
24.7.1916 BELLACOURT: A patrol of 2/Lts E KERSHAW & FR OLIVER & 2 OR penetrated gap in TALUS are they lay on bank. Whilst there they were challenged by a German patrol who fired, severely wounding 2/Lieut OLIVER. Pte Webb missing. Others got back with valuable information.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
25th: Trenches again. A party of 2 Offs & 2 men went out on patrol & apparently walked into German trench. 1 Off & 1 Man missing. Officer was hit (& probably killed – 2/Lt Oliver.
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
Army Service Record for 3158 Pte Frank Webb, a hairdresser from Stow-on-the-Wold who enlisted in October 1914, which records his death as a Prisoner of War. Frank had only arrived in France with the 11th Reinforcement in June 1916.
Frank’s body was not recovered after the War and he is now Commemorated on the ARRAS MEMORIAL.
2nd Lieutenant Frederick Richard Oliver (above) was Commissioned (from the 1/5th Battalion) in December 1915 and joined the 1/6th Battalion on the 6th June 1916. Frank’s body was not recovered after the War and he is now Commemorated on the THIEPVAL MEMORIAL.
The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918,
The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave.
24th: A quite day. During the night a patrol reached a point close to the SW corner of the TALUS but none of the enemy were seen.
1 Officer and 1 OR wounded.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Also on this day 3044 Pte Thomas Richard Seymour of the 1/8th Battn was killed in action. At this time the 1/8th Battn were holding the front line trenches of the RIGHT SECTOR. Thomas is now buried in GOMMECOURT WOOD NEW CEMETERY at FONCQUEVILLERS (Plot IV, Row C Grave 7).
However, he was the only man of the 139th Infantry Brigade to be originally buried in a small soldiers cemetery just behind the front line.
Burial Return from the No 19 Graves Registration Unit dated September 1920 and recording the exhumation and reburial of 10 men who had originally been buried at Bretencourt Military Cemetery located at 51. R. 27. d. 1. 4. (see below)
BRETENCOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY on the West side of the bridge between Bretencourt and Blamont Mill, in the commune of RIVIERE. Here were buried 233 French soldiers and 38 from the United Kingdom; three men of the Indian Labour Corps; and one German prisoner.
23.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Battn relieved 5th in RIGHT SECTOR. “A” Company in Battalion reserve in Village.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
July 23rd: A quite day.
2/Lieuts KERSHAW and OLIVER and 2 other ranks (6th Sherwoods) reconnoitred the “TALUS” between 10.30pm & 2.30 am (24th).
This point consists in a bank 6-8′ high & 150-200 yards long. 200 yards distant from the German front line. It has been connected to the latter by a SAP.
The party crawled through a gap in two rows of barbed wire and reached the edge of the TALUS. The enemy were heard to walk along the bottom of the bank and to stop immediately opposite our patrols.
One of them challenged and fired at 2/Lt OLIVER who was wounded. Several other shots were fired and four bombs thrown at our party, of whom 2/Lt KERSHAW & 1 man succeeded in reaching our front line, but 2/Lt OLIVER & 1 man were missing.
Battalion reliefs were completed by 12 midnight. The 6th & 8th Battalions going into the RIGHT and LEFT sectors respectively.
Casualties:-
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]
22nd: Drafts as under arrived for the 5th & 7th Sherwoods as under:-
Major Walter Gordon NEILSON CMG, DSO, ARGYLL SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS, left to take up appointment as GSO 2 Headquarters 4th Army. See here.
Enemy again trench mortared the RIGHT SECTOR, doing some damage to SAP 17, killing 1 Officer (2/Lieut J H BONE), 1 other ranks killed & one other rank wounded. Our guns retaliated & the mortaring ceased.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
James Carney, a pit linker from Chesterfield, died of wounds received on the 17th July at the 20 Casualty Clearing Station and is buried in WARLINCOURT HALTE BRITISH CEMETERY at SAULTY.
James was born in Tangeree County Tyrone and enlisted into the 3/5th Sherwood Foresters in August 1915. He arrived in France with the 6th Reinforcement in March 1916.
21.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Preliminary patrol of TALUS under 2/Lt FR OLIVER.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
21st: A quiet day in the trenches, our patrols are working hard trying to discover entrance through German wire.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
20.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Very heavy bombardment of trenches by enemy. “A” Company under Capt VO Robinson moved up to reinforce within 1 minute of receiving order from OC 5th Battn. Lt CEV CREE & 3 OR killed & 15 wounded.
Lieutenant Charles Edward Victor Cree
July 20: Huns woke up & were unpleasant but not as bad as we were. Lieut Cree killed by a shell in the early morning. I lived in cellar for a long time with telephone down there. I attended funeral of Victor.
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
“News has been received by his sisters, Mrs. McGough and Mrs. Lynch, Schofield’s Yard, New Square, Chesterfield, on the death in action of their brother, Pte. Edward Churchill, Sherwood Foresters.”
“He was killed almost instantly by a shell which burst and killed our officer and other two poor fellows. His comrades take it very hard as he was a good and brave soldier, who died doing his duty, and gave all for his King and Country.”
“Private Churchill was 24 years of age and worked at Grassmoor Colliery before the War. He leaves a widow and three children.”
[THE DERBYSHIRE TIMES, SATURDAY, AUGUST, 5th, 1916]
“Mrs French, 53, Wharf Lane, Stonegravels, Chesterfield. Has received information that two soldiers who were billeted with her, while stationed in the town have been wounded, while a chum of theirs was killed. Her Son-in-law writing from the Front says:
“Just a line to let you know that H Maycock has got wounded in the leg, and a bad wound too. We dropped in for it, not half. J. Crompton has been killed and Vero Wounded. When I saw The Derbyshire Times I could have cried to see my only pal’s photo in it. We have to smile to save us from crying. It would open people’ eyes when they saw The Times, but someone has to fight, the duty must be done.”
Pte. Tom Vero is also in the Sherwoods and lived with his brother, lately deceased, in Chatsworth Road. He is 19 years of age and worked at Grassmoor Colliery.”
[THE DERBYSHIRE TIMES, SATURDAY, JULY, 29th, 1916]
20: About 12-45 am the enemy started to bombard on our whole front, concentrating on trenches 146, 147 & 148. The bombardment on these trenches was particularly severe & on CHURCH & BELLACOURT STREETS. The latter was completely flattened out for over 100 yards between the Support & front lines.
About 2 am there was a lift & the enemy in two small parties raided SAPS 14 & 15. In the former (SAP 14) there was a dugout with the entrance blown in, in which there were 3 men imprisoned. There was a small hole through which the Germans threw a grenade, which only wounded one of the men.
In SAP 15 there was only one man left alive & he was buried up to the waist. He feigned being dead & the enemy cut off his shoulder strap & took his steel helmet & also his gas helmet. They did not proceed beyond this point. As the man had no shoulder badge no identifications were obtained.
From the Bombardment our casualties were:
The enemy were very quit for the rest of the day.
We carried out a small bombardment of the enemies trenches (especially the BLOCKHOUSE) at 6.30 pm & 9.30 pm.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Location of these Trench Burials on a contemporary trench map dated 1916.
Edward Victor Cree, Edward Churchill, John Crompton and Francis Melbourne are buried next to each other in Plot I, Row G, Graves 5-8.
19.7.1916 BELLACOURT: GOC inspected Battn (Maj Gen W THWAITES) & said he was pleased with the appearance of the men.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
July 19: Started to make ourselves unpleasant. Our Arty very noisy at ——
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
19th: The GOC Division inspected the transport of units today and also the 6th and 8th Battns Sherwood Foresters. The turn out of the transport was very good indeed and the GOC was highly pleased.
He also spoke very highly of the turn out of the 6th Battn SF. The enemy kept up an intermittent artillery fire today on our front trenches & subsequently lifted on to BELLACOURT, going very near the Headquarters of the 6th Battn Sherwoods.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
18.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Officers joined from England:-
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
18th: The enemy trench mortared trenches 145 & 144 today doing considerable damage & cutting the wire. The enemies back lines & villages were bombarded this evening. They threw very little back however.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
17.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Lieut DS FOX to Transport Course, HAVRE. 2/Lt HIPKINS to be L. GUN Officer.
Lieutenant Donald Storrs Fox
2/Lt Frederick Wystan Hipkins
17.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Preliminary patrol of the TALUS under 2/Lt E KERSHAW.
17.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Battn relieved by 5th SF in RIGHT SECTOR & went into Bde Support in village of BELLACOURT. providing Garrisons of BOUNDARY, BURNT FARM, STARFISH & ORCHARD POSTS. ‘A’ Coy remained in support of 5th Battn.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
July 17: Moved back to support in village of ———-. Lived in a large chateau all very comfortable & really clean once more. Sorry to hear Tiny Simpson has died of wounds in hospital.
Tiny Simpson may be a reference to 2/Lt Herbert Simpson who died of his wounds on the 7th July and is buried in St. Sever Cemetery in Rouen.
[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]
17: The following reliefs took place this evening. The 5th Sherwood relieved the 6th Sherwoods in the RIGHT SECTOR trenches, the latter Battalion going into Brigade Reserve BELLACOURT. The 8th Sherwoods were relieved in the LEFT SECTOR trenches by the 7th Sherwood & proceeded to Divisional reserve in BAILLEUVAL.
The relief was completed without incident by 11.30 pm. Gas was discharged by the 137th Inf Brigade on our right this evening. This brought on a good deal of straafing but we got very little.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
16.7.1916 BELLACOURT: 2/Lt BN Parker joined from England.
Very little is known about Bertram Noel Parker other than he lived at Robertswood in Matlock.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
16th: The 137th Brigade took over trenches 133-140 from the 6th Battn SF this afternoon & was completed by 4.30 pm. Subsequently the 6th Sherwood Foresters took over trenches up to 152 from the 8th Sherwoods. This relief was complete at 9 pm (see Operations Order No. 73).
Disposition of Units now:-
RIGHT SECTOR Trenches 141-152: 6th Sherwoods
LEFT SECTOR Trenches 153-166: 8th Sherwood
5th Sherwoods in Brigade Reserve in BELLACOURT finding garrisons for BOUNDARY, STARFISH, BURNT FARM & ORCHARD POSTS.
7th Sherwoods in Divisional Reserve in BAILLEUVAL.
The enemy opened early this AM with 4 trench mortars against the OSIERS Trench Section, doing very considerable damage to the trench. We had 10 Casualties. There appeared to be 4 guns – two large & two small.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 