15.7.18 TRENCHES: Battalion relieved by 1/6th Battn S. STAFFORDSHIRES and moved into Divisional Reserve. Two Companies and HQrs in VERQUIN, two Companies in VAUDRICOURT PARK.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
28.4.18: Battalion relieved by 1/5th Lincolnshire Regiment and moved into Divisional Reserve at VERQUIN.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
28/4/18: 139th Infantry Brigade is relieved in ESSARS SECTION by 138th Infantry Brigade.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
202168 L/Cpl Sidney Earle Keeler aged 23. Son of John Edmund and Anna Maria Keeler, of Manor Farm, Roughton, Norwich.
201856 Pte Thomas Edward Walton aged 24. Son of Mr. C. E. and Mrs. S. H. Walton, of 19, Vale St., Derby.
241479 Pte George Arthur Page aged 41. Son of George and Zilpah Page, of 6, Bank Yard, Low Pavement, Chesterfield.
306071 Pte Ernest Cross aged 39. Son of George and Sarah Ann Cross, of 56, William St., Newark, Notts.
306497 Pte Fred Townsend aged 19. Son of William Townsend, of Wellingore, Lincoln.
23.7.1917 FREVILLERS: Battalion moved to DROUVIN.
1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]
July 23: Brigade marched to VERQUIN area.
139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]
19.10.1915 VERQUIN: Moved to LAPUGNOY.
[Lapugnoy is a small farming and forestry town situated 5 miles west of Bethune]
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Oct 19th. Rose about 8 a.m. Packed up in morning, & set off from Verquin at 2 p.m. Got to Lapugnoy about 5 p.m. & billeted in barns. Nice day but rather cold at night.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
18.10.1915 VERQUIN: Bn addressed by Maj.-Gen. STUART WORTLEY.
Captain EM Johnson returned.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Oct 18th. Rose at 7 a.m. fell in for inspn at 8-30, but dismissed till 10-30, then inspected by Gen. Stuart – Wortley, who made a congratulatory speech afterwards & promised us 10 days rest. In afternoon went to concert by pierrots – very good. At night went with McT. & had a feed. Nice day except for cold wind.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
1507 Pte. Joseph William Marsden, a grocers assistant from Bakewell was transferred to England on this day following his wounding following a shell burst.
Joseph had originally enlisted in November 1911 aged 17 and lived on Monyash Road. He was attested by Lieut. Herbert Cliffird Brooke-Taylor and served with “D” Company. He was posted to the 6th Reserve and then to the Command Depot at Ballyvonare before joining the 5th Reserve Battalion in December 1916. Joseph was eventually discharged on the 24th August 1917 in consequence of “being no longer physically fit for war service”.
In fact Joseph was suffering from neurasthenia, which we now know as ‘shell shock’, and he received a pension of £30.
17.10.1915 VERQUIN: 2/Lt WH Holderness joined for duty.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
William Harold Holderness (WO374/34089)
Oct 17th. Rose at 8 a.m. Church parade with 5th batt at 10 a.m. & communion after. Got packs back again. Had a walk round with McT again. Nice day again. 50 reinf.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
16.10.1915: VERQUIN: Details joined Battn. Capt EMB Taylor to Command C Company.
Edward Mallalieu Brook-Taylor
Draft of 50 NCOs & men joined from Entrenching Battalion.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
Many of the men that formed this draft had arrived in France with the II Reinforcement on the 26th June 1915 and has served with No.2. Entrenching Battalion. Amongst these men were:-
Army Service Record for 3105 Pte James Brocklehurst recoding his departure from Southampton on 26th June and arrival in Rouen on the 29th June with the II Reinforcement. A Nominal Roll dated 23rd July 1915 records him joining No. 2. Entrenching Battalion with his subsequent transfer to the 1/6th Battalion on the 16th October 1915. James was killed 5 weeks later in the trenches at Richebourg.
Oct 16th. Got to Sailly about 1 a.m. had hot tea & then slept in a field till about 4-30 a.m. Set off again & got to Verquin at 7 a.m. Some billeted in barns, but No.11 platoon in a kind of wash house. Had breakfast & then slept till dinnertime. Cleaned up in afternoon & had a walk round later. Nice day. Had a fire & some straw at night so very comfortable. Got a parcel from C’field.
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
15.10.1915: Major John Eaton Blackwell took over Command of 8th Sherwood Foresters vice Lt.-Col. George Herbert Fowler (killed in action).
15.10.1915: Total casualties:-
Bn moved to billets at Verquin.
War Diary [WO/95/2694]
The names of the dead and wounded can he found here.
Oct 15th. Slept on dump till about 6 a.m. then drew rations & went back & relieved 4th Leics in reserve trench. Many dead & wounded in front of their trench, but as morning was misty S.Bs. fetched them in till mist cleared. Shells & whiz bangs at intervals all day. Much bombing about 6 p.m. Relieved about 10 p.m. by Grenadier Guards. Very glad to get out. Only had bread, biscuits, jam, bully beef for 3 days, & only water to drink – no fires. 7th & 8th Sherwoods charged & took Hohenzollern Redoubt, but lost many men. (About 6000 cas in div).
[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]
The bodies of all of the men of the 1/6th Battalion who were killed in action were not recovered or identified after the War and they are now commemorated on the Loos Memorial.For more information see the ‘Lost Cemeteries of Hohenzollern’.
Derbyshire Territorials in the Great War 