Tag Archives: 5th Reserve Battalion

On this day 1st February 1917

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The 6th Notts & Derby were in the front line trenches of X2 sector at Foncquevillers, having relived the 5th Battalion during the evening of the 31st January.

The Battalion remained in the front line for the next 4 days, before being relieved by the 5th Battalion and moving to Hulley to commence special training.

During this time in the front line the Battalion suffered 1 man killed:-

7765/242555 Pte. Walter Morris, who was from Sutton-in-Ashfield, died at the 20/43 Casualty Clearing Station and is buried in WARLINCOURT HALTE BRITISH CEMETERY, SAULTY.

7765 Morris

S Notts Hussars

Walter had originally enlisted into the South Nottinghamshire Hussars (42758) and was one of several men that were compulsory transferred from the 3/1 S. Notts Hussars to the 5th Reserve Battalion of the Notts & Derby Regiment. By this time the 5th Reserve Battalion were an amalgamation of the 3/5th and 3/6th Battalions. Walter joined the 1/6th Notts & Derby with the 28th Reinforcement in January 1917.

On this day 8th December 1917

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3740 Pte. Frank Nicholls, a miner from Brampton, died of wounds in the 7th General Hospital on 8th December and was buried in LONGUENESSE (ST. OMER) SOUVENIR CEMETERY. He was 21 years old and the son of Edmund and Elizabeth Nicholls of 1 the fold, Chatsworth Rd., Chesterfield.

Frank enlisted on January 29th 1915 and trained with the 3/6th Reserve Battalion before being posted to the 1/6th Battalion in France. He arrived in France with the 6th Reinforcement on 4th March 1916 and joined the 1/6th Battalion ‘in the field’ on the 16th March.

He was scalded on the right foot by tea on the 29th April 1917 and after being admitted to the 1/3 NMFA, 58 CCS and 14 General Hospital (Wimereux) he was eventually transferred to England on 17th May 1917. He received treatment in Evington Military Hospital in Leicester before being discharged from Hospital on the 18th July.

Hospital

After being discharged Frank was posted to the Regimental Depot in Ripon and then the 5th Reserve Battalion. He returned to France on the 10th September 1917 with the 40th Reinforcement and was initially posted to the 14 IBD before taken on strength of the 1/6th Battalion.

Frank received a gun shot wound in the head on 24th November that caused a severe skull fracture. He was admitted to the 1st NMFA and transferred to the 7th General Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds on the 8th December.

Wounded

Frank was the only fatal casualty for that particular trench duty.