Pictures of the very short Summer Camp of 1914 in Hunmanby are hard to find and this is only my second……….
The reason being – War was declared and the men of the Sherwood Foresters quickly returned to their home station for mobilisation.
This is epitomised by the entry in Sergeant Percy Walker’s diary…
The picture shows men of the 5th or 6th Battalions cooking by the roadside…
And just for comparison – here is the Robin Hood Rifles…..same photographer……just taken later
Many thanks to Pery’s great grandson son Granville, who has very kindly sent me copies of family photos and Percy’s diary, we can now fill in Percy’s service with the Sherwood Foresters.
Born in 1882 in Wirksworth, Percy was a painter by trade, and by 1911 was living at 10 Chapel Lane with his new bride Florence.
Percy enlisted into the 2VB on the 9th of February 1901 aged 19, and served with them until their disbandment on the 31st March 1908, during which time he rose to the rank of Corporal.
Percy enlisted into the 6th Battalion on its formation on 1st April 1908 and was given the early regimental number of 9. He was assigned to No. 3 Section of the Left Half Company Commanded by 2/Lt Francis Edward Wintle. E Company was Commanded by Captain Joseph Albert Wheatcroft.
On the outbreak of the War Percy started to keep a diary, which now throws light on those early days of the War and the training undertaken by the North Midland Division in the Harpenden and Luton areas.
Percy’s diary records the training that they undertook, such as route marches, outpost work and Company/Battalion Drill. During this time Percy and the other men of the Division were billeted in private residences and the diary provides the names and addresses of these houses.
In April 1916 Percy would have served for 8 years in the Territorial Force, which meant that he was ‘time expired’. It appears from his Medal Index Card, Medal Roll and Silver War Badge Role that this was the case and he re-enlisted (or was conscripted) into the Sherwood Foresters and was posted to the 1/6th Battalion and given the new regimental number of 5672. He arrived in France on the 12th August 1916 and it appears that he was still with the 1/6th Battalion at time of the Territorial Force renumbering in spring of 1917 (new number of 241979).
At some point, and for some reason (possibly through wounding), Percy was transferred to the 15th Battalion.
In May 1917 Percy was wounded (GW) with VI(I) [gunshot wound of back and spine (simple flesh contusions and wounds)] and IX(I) [gunshot wounds of lower extremities (simple flesh contusions and wounds)]. At the time of his wounding the 15th Battalion were holding the front line and support trenches.
Percy was discharged in January 1918 aged 35 years and was awarded a Silver War Badge and a King’s Certificate of Discharge. He also received a pension.
Both John (242122) and Victor (242335) were original members of the 2/6th Battalion and are buried next to each other in Templeux-Le-Guerard British Cemetery.
John was the husband of Louisa Brown of 141 Fairfoot Rd., Bow in London. He was born in London.
Victor was the son of Richard and Louisa Bonsall of Monyash, Bakewell in Derbyshire.
Hancourt: The Battalion marched to L.3.c.7.8. and took over the front line from the 2/5th Lincolnshire Regiment
[WO-95-3025: 2/6th Battalion War Diary]
A recent purchase that I am very happy with because I believe the recipient – 118815 Pte Harry Watson – has a special tale to tell in the story of the 1/6th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters.
Harry was issued the Regimental Number of 118815, which were numbers issued to conscripted men posted to the 3rd/4th and 5th/7th (Reserve) Battalions for training in early summer 1918.
From studying surviving service records we can draw some broad conclusions:-
Men numbered between 118044 (Pte William Walters) and 118239 (Pte Sidney Nunn) were posted to the 3rd or 4th Battalions between 25th and 29th May 1918. Following training these men arrived in France in Sept/Oct 1918.
Men numbered between 118272 (Pte Charles Leedel) and 118287 (Pte Street) were posted to the 5th Reserve Battalion at Saltfleet on the 28th and 29th May 1918. Following training these men arrived in France in Sept/Oct 1918.
Men numbered between 118431 (Pte Hartwell) and 118547 (Pte Walker) were posted to the 3rd Battalion at Sunderland between on the 12th and 13th June 1918. Following training these men arrived in France on 4th Oct 1918.
Men numbered between 118785 (Pte McLocklin) and 118889 (Pte Hand) were posted to the 5th and 7th Reserve Battalions at Saltfleet between 18th and 20th June 1918. Following training these men arrived in France in mid Oct 1918.
From his service number of 118215 we can surmise that Harry Watson was posted to either the 5th or 7th Reserve Battalions in mid June 1918 and was highly likely to have arrived in France and posted to the 1/6th Battalion in October 1918.
And why is that important?……..It would make Harry one of the last reinforcements to join the 1/6th Battalion, most likely to replace losses following the storming of the Hindenburg Line.
Note: On the medal roll there is no longer a distinction between the 1/6th and 2/6th Battalions, the latter of which had been finally disbanded on 31st July 1918.
Unfortunately, I carelessly let this Medal Pair ‘get away from me’ on a well known internet auction site last night, but I thought that I would still try to piece together Frederick’s story.
Frederick was one of approximately 112 men who were transferred to the 2/6th Battalion, the Sherwood Foresters from the Bedfordshire Regiment and issued the new Regimental numbers running from 103024 (Herbert Meekins) to 103137 (George Webster). Many of these men had previously been numbered with a post-1917 6-digit Bedfordshire Territorial Force Regimental number (see below).
Fortunately the Service Records of at least two of this group of 112 men still exist:
103035 Pte John Male from Bath (see above).
103065 Pte Horace Crowle from Cornwall.
These documents confirm that Pte John Male and Pte Horace Crowle – and by inference Pte Frederick Blaydon – were posted to the 5th Reserve Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, before proceeding to France from Folkestone on the 28th March 1918.
They arrived at “L” Infantry Base Depot and were transferred to the 2/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters on the 31st March 1918. This transfer was due to the losses suffered by the 2/6th Battalion (178th Bde, 59th Division) on the 21st March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive.
John Male was killed in action with B Company, 2/6th Battalion on the 16th April aged 48. He was the Son of Mr and Mrs Male of 13, Maytree Rd., Bitterne, Southampton. John’s body was exhumed near Kemmel Hall in July 1919 and he is now buried in La Clytte Military Cemetery.
Horace Cowle served with B Company and was listed as ‘missing in action’ during the defence of Kemmel on the 18th April 1918 aged 19. He was the son of Mr and Mrs Crowle of 1 Chapel Terrace, St. Blazey, Cornwall. Horace is commemorated on The Ploegsteert Memorial.
Horace had enlisted underage in November 1915. He arrived in France in December 1916 and was posted to the 1st Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. However, in January 1917 he was returned to England.
Frederick Blaydon was later transferred to the 1/6th Battalion when the 2/6th was reduced to Cadre in May 1918 and survived the War.
The 2nd Derby Militia were raised 12th January 1855 and designated the ‘Chatsworth Rifles’ on 22nd May 1855. They became the 3rd Battalion, the Derbyshire Regiment on 1st July 1881 finally amalgamating with 5th Battalion on 1st April 1891.
[The images of the writing slope box were kindly sent by Luke Kreciala]
Francis was born on the 28th April 1821 in Coed. He moved to Glapwell House near Chesterfield when his father inherited the estate. He was Commissioned into the 2nd Derby Militia as a Lieutenant on the 14th December 1863; promoted to Captain on the 14th December 1867 and retired in 1872. He died unmarried in December 1883 at the Hotel Valley in Anglesey.
Undated list of Officers of the 1st Derby and 2nd Derbyshire (Chatsworth Rifles). Note that Francis Hallowes is not listed, but his relative Thomas Richard Francis Brabazon Hallowes is (note misspelling of his surname). TRFBH Hallows was Commissioned into the 6th Dragoon Guards in 1873.
George was posted to the 16th Battalion, the Chatsworth Rifles with 125 other men in early Sept 1916. These men were issued with the Regimental numbers 70052 to 70177.
In 1916 this numbering system was used to transfer men from the Territorial Battalions of the Sherwood Foresters to the Regular and Service Battalions under Army Order 204/A.C.I. 1499.
George was captured at Thiepval on 9th October during the attack on the SCHWABEN REDOUBT.
George was interned in Giessen POW Camp when he sent this card.
Edmond was part of a draft of at least 140 men that were mobilised and posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, the Sherwood Foresters between 12th-13th June 1918. The 3rd Battalion was was part of the Tyne Garrison based in Sunderland and was responsible for training new recruits, along with the 4th (Extra Reserve), 5th (Reserve) and 7th (Reserve) Battalions.
The men were issued regimental numbers between (at least) 118431 (Frank Hartwell from Hucknall) and 118571 (Walter Kirkham). The service records of at least six of these men still exist, and based on these records it is possible to piece together the movements of Edmond and his comrades.
Following training the men disembarked from Dover to the Base Depot in France on the 4th October 1918 and were initially posted to the 11th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters.
However, before they could reach their unit they were transferred to the 1/6th (and 1/5th) Battalions, presumably to make up for losses during the storming of the Hindenburg Line between 29th September and 3rd October. This would be one of the last reinforcements that the 1/6th received – possible reinforcement number 57.
It took six days for the 59th Division to travel by train from their training areas in England to Southampton Docks. This mobilisation used 35 trains.
It took over 6 days to move the Division from Southampton to Boulogne.
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 