Tag Archives: Brigade Training Depot

On this day 7th January 1917

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.