Tag Archives: 14th Infantry Base Depot

On this day 14th July 1915

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

1777 Pte Thomas Arthur Chatterton, a labourer from 35 Barn End Cottages in Thornset near to New Mills, suffered GS wound in the head and was admitted to 1st NMFA then transferred to the 50 CCS and 2 General Hospital. He re-joined the 1/6th Battalion on 30th July 1915.

 1777 Pte Thomas Arthur Chatterton

Thomas enlisted in Whaley Bridge in January 1913 and served with “H” Company. He was the Son of Mr Moratio Chatterton of Thornsett and was employed at Waterside Paper Mill. He attended Thornsett Independent Chapel. 1777 ChattertonThomas was wounded five times, but on each occasion recovered and returned to duty. In total he returned to England 3 times for hospital treatment before returning to France.

1777 Chatterton medal roleThomas served overseas in the 1/6th (Feb ’15 – May ’16), 1/5th (Dec ’16 – June ’17) and 10th () Battalions.

1777 Chatterton page 1Page 1 of his Army service record recording that Thomas arrived in France on the 25th February 1915 and was first wounded on the 17th July 1915 with a GSW in the head. After returning to the 1/6th Battalion he was again wounded with a GS wound on the 12th September 1915 and transferred to Hospital in England.

1777 Chatterton page 2Page 2 of his Army Service Recording that Thomas returned to the 1/6th Battalion in France with the 6th Reinforcement on the 4th March 1916. However, he again returned to England on the 11th May 1916 suffering from mayagia (muscle pain) and influenza.

He returned to France with the 25th Reinforcement on the 19th November 1916 and was posted to the 5th Battalion from the 14th Infantry Base Depot at Calais.

Thomas was wounded for the 3rd time on the 4th May 1917; but remained at duty.

He was wounded for the 4th time two months later on the 3rd June 1917, this time with a GSW in the back and was transferred to England.

Chatterton court martialIt would seem that Thomas was arrested on the 24th September 1917, tired by a district court martial and sentenced to 2 years detention for deserting His Majesty’s Service.

1777 Chatterton page 3However, Thomas returned to France with the 40th Reinforcement on the 19th October 1917 and posted to the 14th Infantry Base Depot in Calais. He was transferred to the 10th Battalion on the 24th October 1917 and killed in action on the 15th March 1918.10th Battalion March 1918Thomas’s luck finally ran out when he was the only man of the 10th Battalion to be killed during a period of heavy bombardment by the Germans.Hermies Hill

On this day 7th January 1917

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The Battalion relieved the 5th Battn in the right sector of trenches near to SOUASTRE.

Received a draft of 180 other ranks, but 160 were only partly trained. All 180 were sent to the Brigade Training Depot.

This draft of men most likely comprised the 26th, 27th and 28th Reinforcements.

These three reinforcements are interesting in that they were the last ones in which men were issued with Territorial Force numbers.

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The 26th Reinforcement comprised 47 men and again many of these were numbered alphabetically from 242594 George Hall through to 242624 Nelson Woolven. Interestingly, the majority of the men in this draft had previously seen overseas service with other Territorial Battalions of the Sherwood Foresters. In order to avoid a conflict of Regimental Numbers, and possibly in preparation for the Territorial Force Renumbering that was soon to occur, these men were issued with numbers from 20001 to 20039 (if they were not men of the 1/6th Battn).

6448 ShawArmy Form B. 103. Casualty Form – Active Service for 6448 Frank Shaw who arrived in France on 8th December 1916 from the 5th Reserve Battalion and was posted to the 14th Infantry Base Depot. Frank was a postman from Radford and had enlisted into the 7th Sherwood Foresters in December 1915.

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The 27th Reinforcement is harder to research but some information can be obtained from:-

263002 GelsthorpeArmy Form B. 103. Casualty Form – Active Service for 263002 Gelsthorpe who arrived in France on 4th January 1917 from the 5th Reserve Battalion. 

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The 28th Reinforcement comprised 92 men that were primarily numbered in alphabetical order and several men had already seen overseas service with the South Nottinghamshire Hussars. The 28th Reinforcement numbered as follows:-

7710 (242501) Robert Abbot through to 7798 (242586) Arthur E Wright.

7721 BransonArmy Form B. 103. Casualty Form – Active Service for 7721 Archibald Branson who arrived in France on 4th January 1917 from the 5th Reserve Battalion and was posted to the 1/6th Sherwood Foresters under Army Order 1499 of 1916. Archibald was a workhouse man from Stapleford and had enlisted originally into the South Notts Hussars in November 1915.