An Incredible Military Cap Badge Find

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Superb find! Links 1917 to 2014
Thanks for posting
History of 21st Battalion here
https://derbyshireterritorials.wordpress.com/21st-battalion/

pete6917's avatarWalton Tales

The recent loss of sand from our beaches has uncovered a remarkable piece of military history, albeit a rather small one.

Former Walton lifeboatman, Keith Richardson, picked up this remnant of an army cap badge while searching among the stones and rocks around Sloper’s Nose at Southcliff.

found

It is only the name part of the cap badge which is made of brass.

The remainder of the badge which was formed in an inferior metal has not survived.

This is what the full cap badge would have originally looked like.

full

Keith kindly showed me his find as he wondered if this same badge appeared on the military group photo which I posted here back in November last year.

Subsequent information from military historians can be seen here.

The 29th Provisional Battalion of the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment became the 21st Sherwood Forresters on 1st January 1917 and was based initially…

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On these days 22nd-25th May 1915

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No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]

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Whit Sunday, MAY 23rd. We had Church Service on enlined Picket, this is if they want reinforcing one Company every night. We have just had (7.30) two German Taubes over, two of our Guns drove them back, and two of our aeroplanes followed them over their own lines.

MAY 24th. Whit Monday we were inspected by General Sir H. Plumer. Early this morning the Germans started using gas again, and with a very strong wind the people in the village 7 miles behind the firing line were drove out of their houses, and there was a very heavy artillery duel all night through.

We went in the trenches on MAY 25th at 11 p.m., where we relieved our 5th Battalion in K 2 , B trench.

[1415 Cpl. Alfred Afford]

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22nd May 1915. We were inspected by General Plummer our new General. Everything as usual.

23rd May 1915. Church parade. Everything as usual.

24th May 1915. I slept near the door and just where my mouth was there was a hole. In the early morning I wakened in a dazed condition, my throat burning, and my head going all round. I couldn’t understand it because I had been having such good health. I struggled through the day as best I could and we were told that there had been a heavy dose of gas along the line and it had been felt our way. It didn’t strike me then what I was suffering from. I wrote my usual letter with much difficulty and went to bed early thinking I should be much better next morning.

25th May 1915. I wakened up next morning feeling worse than I did the day before. I struggled on through the day until afternoon. We were to go in the trenches that night. I felt so bad I went to the doctor. He couldn’t understand it. He took my temp and it was 101. He didn’t know what to do at the finish. He sent for a motor ambulance and I was taken to the hospital at Logre. When I got there my temp was 102 .

[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]

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May 22nd. Breakfast at 7-30 a.m. on train. Arrd Rouen about 9 a.m. & rode to No3 Stationary Hospital. Seen by doctor there & sent to convt camp. Grand day. Slept on a sring bed – quite a treat. Concert 6-30.

May 23rd. Breakfast 7-30. Whitsunday. Service 8-30. On fatigue till 12. Saw doctor 9-30 a.m. & sent to No6 Gen Base. Grand day again.

May 24th. Roll call 6 saw doctor 7 a.m. Breakfast 8 a.m. Set off at 9-30 toappear before Medical Board. Verdict 1 month at Conv Depot. Retd there 2 p.m. Sports in afternoon & after tea. String band present (Whit Monday) then distn of prizes & concert at Y. M.C.A. Grand day again.

May 25th. Breakfast 7 a.m.Paraded at 8 a.m. & saw Colonel, then on fatigue till 12. Went to doctor for medicine 2 p.m. & 5 p.m. Grand day again.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

 

On this day 21st May 1915

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Kemmel 21.5.1915: Relieved by 5th Battalion & to bivouacs & SEIGE FARM.

Casualties OR 3 killed & 7 wounded.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

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bivoaucMAY 21st. We are being relieved tonight by our 5th Battalion, on being relieved we went and billeted under canvas about 4 miles from the firing line.

[1415 Cpl. Alfred Afford]

21st May 1915. We had two wounded and then at midnight we left for our billets at Kemmel being well received by the old woman.

[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]

photo

May 21st. Went to convent at 9 a.m. Left about 10 a.m. Rode to Clearing Hospital at Bailleul. Left rifle & equipment there & then to station. Left there at 1-15 in Red Cross train arr. St Omer 4-15 p.m. Boulogne 7-15 p.m. Nice dinner & tea on train. Saw 4 train loads of new troops. (K’s). Dull day. Left Boulogne 8-30. Etaples 9-30 for Rouen.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

On this day 19th May 1915

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Kemmel 19.5.1915: Handed our J3 Right & J3 new trenches to 7th Battalion.

War Diary [WO/95/2694].

J3 left and J3 new

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MAY 17th. We went up to the trenches to relieve the 5th Battalion in T. 6. Trench on Reserve trench till MAY 19th. We were shelled heavy and had to retire into some dug outs close by, one shell dropped close and hit the M.G’s two only received slight scalp wounds.

[1415 Cpl. Alfred Afford]

Bramwell

19th May 1915. We got the usual shelling and at night we had three wounded and one killed, the killed being Tom Bramwell, one of the wounded being Eyre from Chapel.

[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]

May 19th. Left Kemmel at 8-30 a.m. for Locre. Exam’d at Convent by O.C. N.Mid Fd Amb & recommended for a rest. Stayed in a barn at Locre. Dull day.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

21st Battalion in 1917

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21st battnDue to some recent interest in the 21st Battalion on the Great War Forum, I have spent a little time updating this page and adding some new content.

In particular, I have been trying to identify those men that were serving with the 21st Battalion on the 1st March 1917 at the time of the Territorial Force renumbering.

Whilst this list can never be comprehensive, it never-the-less provides an indication of the composition of the Battalion at that point in time.

See here.

As always, it’s still a work in progress.

6th Trench Duty 17th-21st May 1915

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Kemmel 17.5.1915: Returned to trenches for 4 days.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

See here for more details.

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MAY 17th. We went up to the trenches to relieve the 5th Battalion in T. 6. Trench on Reserve trench till MAY 19th. We were shelled heavy and had to retire into some dug outs close by, one shell dropped close and hit the M.G’s two only received slight scalp wounds.

[1415 Cpl. Alfred Afford]

May 17th. Went to communion in a field 8 a.m. Rained all morning & dull in afternoon. Set off to trenches near Dickebusch at 8-30 p.m. Wretched night raining all the time.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

17th May 1915. Everything as usual, took stock of the medical drugs and went to the Hospital for new supplies. At night we went to the trenches at Rossingol. We had a very quiet night getting one man wounded at the dressing station about 3-30 a.m. He had a wrist broken with a bullet.

[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]

On this day 15th May 1915

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No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694].

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15th May 1915. Everything going on as usual. Most of the men went for a bath to Bailleul.

May 15th. Rose about 11 a.m. Weather turned out very nice towards evening. Set off to Bailleul for a bath about 12-30 but got turned back, otherwise nothing doing.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

On this day 14th May 1915

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Kemmel 14.5.1915: 1 a.m. Relieved by 5th Battalion. One Company to SEIGE FARM. 2 in bivouac, 1 in Farm WEST of LITTLE KEMMEL on road to LOCRE.

Casualties: 1 Officer killed, OR 1 killed 25 wounded.

[WO/95/2694].

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We are expecting to be relieved today. We were relieved by our 5th Battalion, and instead of going back to our own Billets at Locre we were billeted just behind the firing line near to Kemmel. This farm is called Siege Farm.

[1415 Cpl. Alfred Afford]

Everything went on as usual until night when there was a two hour bombardment. We had two wounded. We were relieved by the 5th Battalion. We got to our billets about midnight. Nearly all the men were bivouacing out. We had to go to an Estaminet and we had a job to get in for the people did not want us, but after a little waving of hands and a few gestures we laid down on the floor while morning. It surprised me at the dressing station the way the farmers tilled their land and went on with their work only taking cover when they began shelling. Near the dressing station the Derbyshire Artillery were stationed, when they gave a volley it being enough to frighten anybody.

[2381 Pte. George Potter Bagshaw]

Began to rain about 2 a.m. & continued all day. Things quiet with us but trench mortar, rapid fire etc. on our right about 6 Came out about 11 p.m. being relieved by 5th S.F. Bad passage. Bivouacked in a field near Kemmel, although still raining. Wretched night.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

 

 

5th Trench Duty 9th-14th May 1915

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KEMMEL 9.5.15: Returned to Trenches after 3 days rest and took over trenches J1 to L4&6 from 8th Infantry Brigade, 2nd ROYAL SCOTS, 1st & 4th GORDONS and a portion from 2nd SUFFOLKS to the left.

Trenches not very good – Communicating Trenches bad – HQrs ROSSIGNOL ESTAMINET.

War Diary [WO/95/2694].

J K trenches