Sherwood Foresters - 8th Bn (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 8th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) between 1908 and 1914. The 7th and the 8th Battalions of this regiment were administered by the Nottinghamshire County Association whereas the 5th and 6th Battalions were administered by the Derbyshire County Association.

Until the 1st April 1908, the 8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters had been the 4th Nottinghamshire. By August 1914 it was headquartered at Newark, its eight companies drawing men from the following areas: 

A Company: Retford, with a drill station at Ollerton

B Company: Newark

C Company: Sutton-in-Ashfield

D Company: Mansfield

E Company: Carlton, with drill stations at Burton Joyce and Bingham

F Company: Arnold, with drill stations at Basford, Eastwood, Daybrook and Hucknall

G Company: Worksop, with a drill station at Shireoaks

H Company: Southwell with drill stations at Calverton and Farnsfield

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the Notts & Derby Infantry Brigade in the North Midland Division. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 8th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters.

301 joined on the 1st April 1908 

952 joined on the 22nd August 1910 

1091 joined on the 25th March 1911 

1417 joined on the 19th March 1912 

1822 joined on the 19th May 1913 

1970 joined on the 17th March 1914 

2088 joined on the 9th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Newark on the 11th September 1914, the original 8th Battalion now becoming the 1/8th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/8th Battalion. A 3/8th Battalion would be formed at Newark on the 26th February 1915. The 2/8th Battalion would serve overseas from February 1917 but the 3/8th never did so, becoming the 8th Reserve Battalion in April 1916 and ultimately being absorbed by the 7th Reserve Battalion. 

Use the regimental numbers above to estimate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example, if your man had the number 1500 and lived in Mansfield, he would have joined in 1912 and probably served with D Company which was the Mansfield company. 

The photo I have used on this post shows officers of the 8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters and was published in The Tatler on the 13th January 1915.

Remember. I research soldiers! Drop me a line if you need help 

To search for photos of your Sherwood Foresters ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Sherwood Foresters - 7th (Robin Hood) Bn (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 7th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) between 1908 and 1914. The 7th and the 8th Battalions of this regiment were administered by the Nottinghamshire County Association whereas the 5th and 6th Battalions were administered by the Derbyshire County Association.

Until the 1st April 1908, the 7th (Robin Hood) Battalion, Sherwood Foresters had been the Robin Hood Rifles, 1st Nottinghamshire Rifle Volunteers. The battalion had an inauspicious start in 1859 when just six names were put forward after the Lord Mayor and the Lord Lieutenant sought to raise a volunteer unit. However, by March 1908 the 'Robin Hoods' was a two-battalion corps with no fewer than eighteen companies and a strength of 1500 men. 

The new 7th Battalion was headquartered at Derby Road, Nottingham and all eight companies drew men from the city of Nottingham. By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the Notts & Derby Infantry Brigade in the North Midland Division. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 6th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters.

293 joined on the 1st May 1908 

899 joined on the 3rd March 1909

1198 joined on the 24th February 1910 

1285 joined on the 10th January 1911 

1475 joined on the 8th January 1912 

1760 joined on the 4th April 1913 

1946 joined on the 29th January 1914 

2624 joined on the 16th September 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Notingham on the 19th September 1914, the original 7th Battalion now becoming the 1/7th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/7th Battalion. A 3/7th Battalion would be formed at Nottingham on the 1st March 1915. The 2/7th Battalion would serve overseas from February 1917 but the 3/7th never did so, becoming the 7th Reserve Battalion in April 1916 and ultimately absorbing the 8th Reserve Battalion. 

Use the regimental numbers above to estimate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example, if your man had the number 1500 he would have joined this battalion in early 1912.  

The photograph on this post shows men of D Company, 7th Battalion; winners of Sir Charles Seely's Football Challenge Shield in 1909. The original photograph appears in the regimental annual for 1910.

Remember. I research soldiers! Drop me a line if you need help 

To search for photos of your Sherwood Foresters ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Sherwood Foresters - 6th Bn (TF)

Above, men of the 6th Bn march out of their annual camp, 1909.

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) between 1908 and 1914. The 5th and the 6th Battalions of this regiment were administered by the Derbyshire County Association whereas the 7th and 8th Battalions were administered by the Nottinghamshire County Association.

Until the 1st April 1908, the 6th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters had been the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Sherwood Foresters and it was headquartered at 10 Corporation Street, Chesterfield, its eight companies drawing men from the following areas: 

A Company: Chesterfield

B Company: Chapel-en-le-Frith with drill stations at Edale, Hathersage, Peak Dale and Chinley

C Company: Buxton, with a drill station at Ashbourne

D Company: Bakewell, with a drill station at Stoney Middleton

E Company: Wirksworth, with drill stations at Cromford and Matlock

F Company: Staveley, with drill stations at Clowne, Eckington and Brimington

G Company: Claycross, with drill stations at New Tupton and South Wingfield

H Company: Whaley Bridge, with drill stations at New Mills, Disley and Hayfield

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the Notts & Derby Infantry Brigade in the North Midland Division. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 6th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters.

21 joined on the 1st April 1908 

1134 joined on the 22nd April 1909

1216 joined on the 10th February 1910 

1317 joined on the 30th January 1911 

1524 joined on the 11th January 1912 

1870 joined on the 14th April 1913 

2121 joined on the 16th February 1914 

2250 joined on the 15th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Chesterfield on the 14th September 1914, the original 6th Battalion now becoming the 1/6th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/6th Battalion. A 3/6th Battalion would be formed at Chesterfield on the 1st March 1915. The 2/6th Battalion would serve overseas from February 1917 but the 3/6th never did so, becoming the 6th Reserve Battalion in April 1916 and ultimately being absorbed by the 5th Reserve Battalion. 

Use the regimental numbers above to estimate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example, if your man had the number 1111 and lived in Bakewell, he would have joined probably in March or April 1911 and probably served with D Company which was the Bakewell company. 

Remember. I research soldiers! Drop me a line if you need help 

To search for photos of your Sherwood Foresters ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Sherwood Foresters - 5th Bn (TF)

This post will look at regimental numbering in the 5th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) between 1908 and 1914. The 5th and the 6th Battalions of this regiment were administered by the Derbyshire County Association whereas the 7th and 8th Battalions were administered by the Nottinghamshire County Association.

Until the 1st April 1908, the 5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters had been the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Sherwood Foresters. The 5th Battalion was headquartered at Derby and its eight companies drew men from the following areas: 

A Company: Derby

B Company: Derby

C Company: Derby

D Company: Long Eaton, with a drill station at Melbourne

E Company: Ripley, with drill stations at Codnor Park, Alfreton and Butterley

F Company: Belper, with drill stations at Horsley, Crich and Kilburn

G Company: Ilkeston, with drill stations at Long Eaton, Heanor and Langley Mill

H Company: Swadlincote, with a drill station at Repton

By August 1914 the battalion formed part of the Notts & Derby Infantry Brigade in the North Midland Division. 

Here are some sample regimental numbers and joining dates for the the 5th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters.

423 joined on the 9th May 1908 

802 joined on the 3rd February 1909

1199 joined on the 23rd March 1910 

1329 joined on the 11th January 1911 

1545 joined on the 29th March 1912 

1764 joined on the 2nd January 1913 

2096 joined on the 5th May 1914 

2257 joined on the 8th August 1914 

A reserve or ‘second-line’ battalion was formed at Derby on the 16th October 1914, the original 5th Battalion now becoming the 1/5th Battalion and the new reserve battalion becoming the 2/5th Battalion. A 3/5th Battalion would be formed at Derby on the 29th March 1915. The 2/5th Battalion would serve overseas from February 1917 but the 3/5th never did so, becoming the 5th Reserve Battalion in April 1916 and ultimately absorbing the 6th Reserve Battalion. 

Use the regimental numbers above to estimate when a man would have joined this battalion between 1908 and August 1914. For example, if your man had the number 1800 and lived in Crich, he would have joined this battalion in 1913 and probably served with F Company. 

The photo I have used on this post shows officers of the 5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters and was published in The Tatler on the 4th November 1914.

Remember. I research soldiers! Drop me a line if you need help 

To search for photos of your Sherwood Foresters ancestors, check my British Army Ancestors website.

Sherwood Foresters - Other Rank PoWs 1914

There are 530 men on this list of Sherwood Foresters soldiers who were captured by the Germans on or before Christmas Day 1914. This data has been transcribed from the  following Imperial War Museum collections:

B.O.2 1/285: a thirty-page typed list of Sherwood Foresters Prisoners of War.  No date or sender.
B.O.2 1/286: a fifteen-page typed list of Sherwood Foresters Prisoners of War dated 6th Jan 1919 and date stamped 28 Jan 1919 by Lichfield Infantry Record Office. Addresses and ranks appear to pre-date information contained in B.O.2 1/285.

My full transcription of these men (not reproduced here) also contains the home address and/or next of kin address of all of the men. For more information about these so-called 'Princess Mary tin PoWs' see my 1914 PoWs page. The majority of these men will also have records published by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Searching is free; finding your man is another matter entirely.

The full transcription is available for sale for £25. Contact me if you would like to purchase a copy.

 I research soldiers! 

Contact me if you need help with your military ancestor.

9820 Lance-Corporal J Adams, 12242 Private J Addison, 9822 Private C H Allen, 8594 Private H Allen, 12013 Private A Allitt, 9445 Private W H Allott, 9565 Private P Altoft, 10060 Private C Anderson, 11972 Private H Ashall, 10013 Corporal W Ashmore, 9191 Private J Ashton, 8956 Private R Aspinall, 10374 Sergeant E Astill, 11913 Private J Astill, 11870 Private G Atkins, 8685 Private J Attenborough, 9909 Private F Attenborough, 11944 Private A Ault.

11402 Private A Bacon, 8825 Private J Bailey, 8703 Private J Bailey, 8541 Private T Bailey, 11906 Private W Bailey, 9321 Private A Ball, 8480 Private W Banks, 10000 Private W Barber, 12152 Corporal B Barker, 9362 Private B Barnaby, 8877 Private R Barnett, 10833 Private S Barnett, 12133 Private H Barrowcliffe, 12212 Private C W Bartholomew, 10076 Private A H Barton, 8773 Private J Beard, 10052 Private S Beardmore, 9142 Private J H Beardsmore, 8901 Private E Beasley, 10028 Corporal C E Beck,  9287 Private G F Beckett, 11826 Corporal N Bennett, 10718 Corporal R Bennett, 10955 Private S Bennett, 11478 Corporal W Berral, 9170 Corporal H Beswick, 9568 Private E Bewley, 9053 Private J Billyard, 9317 Private G Blakeway, 9186 Private J Bland, 11985 H B D Bohan 12161, Private H V Bond, 12172 Private A Bonsall, 9908 Private G Booth, 8517 Private J Bowler, 9875 Lance-Corporal W Bowman,9723 Private J Bradshaw, 6280 Corporal T Bradshaw, 9947 Private A E Braithwaite, 9136 Private J Brannan, 12053 Corporal L Bray, 8884 Lance-Corporal F Brentnall, 12258 Private W Brett, 11752 Corporal P Brinklow, 10298 Drummer W Brittle, 9048 Private G Broadhurst, 9543 Private T Brown, 9164 Private W Brownlow, 8706 Private T Bull, 8534 Corporal W Burbury, 9644 Sergeant P Burke, 9780 Private F Burman, 8641 Private W Burns, 12156 Private A Burrows, 11899 Private C Burton, 10067 Private W Burton, 9665 Private J Bush.

9231 Private J Campion, 9456 Corporal J Carter, 8634 Private P Chamberlain, 12225 Private F Chantry, 8849 Private C Chapman, 12169 Private H Chapman, 11409 Private H Cheek, 11827 Corporal T H Chell, 10015 Private C Chesterton, 9266 Private A China, 9489 Lance-Corporal A Clark, 10016 Private G Clarke, 9787 Private J Clarke, 12046 Lance-Corporal H J Clay, 12115 Private A Cole, 9899 Private C Colley, 11320 Private J W Collings,10164 Private W Collis, 9330 Private T Colson, 12124 Corporal F Coltman, 11828 Corporal W Comery, 9676 Lance-Corporal A Conley, 6995 Private F H Cooper, 12099 Private J W Cooper, 8939 Private A Corker, 11019 Private A Corner, 11984 Private S Costall, 9563 Private H Cosway, 8832 Private E Cotteridge, 12227 Private N Cox, 5921 Sergeant H Cragg, 9751 Private T Crane, 8632 Private J Crawford, 9323 Private A Cresswell, 9451 Corporal C Crinage, 8546 Private G Crocker, 9892 Private R Crooks, 8628 Private J Cunningham, 11454 Corporal G Cutler, 9494 Private W Cutts, 12308 Private W H Cutts.

9792 Private B Davenport, 9219 Private J Davidson, 12138 Private W Davidson, 8797 Private C Davis,  11994 Private J Dawes, 6960 Private H Daykin, 9410 Private E Dennis, 9978 Private S Dennison, 11401 Private F G Dibden, 9363 Private E Dicken, 9383 Private E Dickerson, 9905 Private J Dickinson, 11774 Private H Dickson, 8664 Private H C Dobbs, 9083 Private H J Doncaster, 9638 Private A Dove, 8813 Private J Drake, 12126 Private W Drakefield, 10707 Private W Drury, 9547 Private W Drury, 9483 Private W Dudson.

12052 Private Charles Arthur Earl, 9530 Private William Henry Eatherington, 8526 Corporal W F Ellicock, 9745 Private E Elms, 11682 Drummer F Else, 10124 Private E Elsmore.

9811 Private A Farmer, 9944 Private C Farrant, 9129 Private W Farrow, 9028 Private J Fawcett, 11260 Private G Fearis, 11882 Private A Fell, 9830 Private A Fisher, 10836 Private L Fisher, 9394 Private T Fitzgerald, 7330 Private G Fletcher, 10612 Corporal W Fletcher, 10129 Lance-Corporal John Flint, 10139 Lance-Corporal E W Ford, 9481 Private A Fowler, 9235 Private J Fowler, 12101 Private W Fox, 12042 Private E Frost, 9637 Sergeant H Fulton.

11917 Private A Gale, 10654 Private E Gale, 12193 Private J H Garner, 9771 Private W H Gasson, 10711 Sergeant J Geary, 12209 Private J Geddes, 9926 Sergeant Charles George, 6457 Private W Gerrard, 8668 Private A Giddings, 10167 Private J W Gilbert, 8622 Lance-Corporal A Gill, 9509 Private J Gilliatt, 10006 Private T W L Gothard, 9943 L/Cpl Thomas Grant, 10582 Private W Green, 10292 Corporal T E Greenhalgh, 10798 Private A Greenwood, 15183 Private R Gribble, 9233 Private William Grierson, 12122 Private E Grigg, 7194 Private J Grimwood.

8709 Private J Hackett, 10880 Private T Hall, 9697 Private G Hallam, 12058 Private G H Hallam, 12044 Corporal J F Hallam, 11196 L/Cpl William James Hallam, 10165 Sergeant A Handley, 12106 Lance-Corporal A Hanson, 8844 Private J Harding, 9741 Private H Hardy, 9627 Private H Harker, 10625 Private J Harris, 9148 Private G Harrison, 9662 Private W Harrison, 10109 Private E Harvey, 12155 Corporal E Harvey, 9687 Sergeant Harvey, 8760 Private T Hatherley, 12154 Private T A Hawley, 10090 Private W Haycox, 9273 Private W H Hazard, 8766 Lance-Corporal G Heard, 9803 Private H Heard, 10043 Private Thomas Hemsley, 9699 Lance-Corporal L Henshaw, 10091 Pte William Henry Herbert, 3858 Private Charles Herrington, 10250 Private F Herrod, 11420 Private W Heslop, 8574 Private A Heys, 12210 Lance-Corporal C Hibbert, 10593 Private G Hibbert, 8940 Private G Hickey, 8538 Sergeant J Hickton, 9419 Private Walter H Hilditch, 9275 Private T Hill, 10881 Sergeant G H Hillier, 15909 Private T C Hillyard, 10180 Private A Hodgkinson, 11829 Private S F Hodson, 9139 Sergeant J Hoey, 10093 Private W Hollis, 8433 Private W Holloway, 8636 Private W Holloway, 9399 Private W Hooton, 12234 Private J W Hopewell, 9791 Private F Hornbuckle, 8511 Private J Hoult, 8646 Private F Housley, 10122 Corporal E Howard, 9138 Private J Howie, 9990 Private J Huskins.

9250 Private G Jackson, 9907 Sergeant W Jamieson, 18812 Private A Johnson, 12074 Private J Johnson, 12201 Private W Johnson, 12213 Private E Jones, 12102 Private F Jones, 11916 Private L Jones, 11832 Corporal F Jordan, 9352 Lance-Corporal Keeley, 10524 Sergeant Keeton, 9742 Corporal Kelly, 11456 Sergeant Kelly, 9910 Private Kerr, 8590 Private Kershaw, 11995 Private King 12314 Private Kirk, 11015 Private Kirkham, 12085 Private Knowles, 9462 Private Knowles, 8872 Private Kyle

10229 Private James Henry Lane, 8871 Lance-Corporal W Langham, 11979 Private S Lea, 9831 Private W Lee, 9319 Private Sydney Leigh, 9290 Private W Lester, 10089 Private J H Ley,  9370 Private A Litchfield, 8406 Private E Lomas, 9081 Private George Oliver Lowe, 12031 Private B Lye, 10021 Private D Lynch, 10648 Private C Lyons.

8840 Private J Maddocks, 9252 Private Maddocks, 9521 Private F Mahon, 12005 Private T Mahon, 10036 Private S Mantle, 10458 Lance-Sergeant B Marriott, 9369 Private J Marriott, 8518 Private F Marsh, 9874 Private L Marsh, 11855 Lance-Corporal F Marshall, 10912 Private J Marshall, 9738 Sergeant W Marshall, 10853 Corporal Mason, 11585 Private E Matthews, 9477 Private J Matthews, 9657 Private Matthews, 10370 Corporal F Mawson, 8730 Private J H May, 10132 Private J S McCulloch, 12061 Lance-Corporal McNulty, 9765 Private John Charles Mead,  11179 Corporal C W Mee, 8472 Private F Mee, 10664 Private S Mee, 11149 Private T Mee, 9573 Private W Mellors, 10637 Corporal Merriman, 11965 Private T Merry, 9849 Lance-Corporal W H Merry, 9593 Private W Midwood, 12011 Private Albert Miller, 10221 Private T C Miller, 9840 Private Miller, 12017 Private Morris, 10501 Private A Morritt, 10320 Sergeant Mortimer, 9708 Corporal H Moss, 12108 Private Mullins, 8600 Private C Mycock.

8681 Private Abraham Naden, 11429 Private J Naden, 9243 Private W Neal, 9187 Lance-Corporal Eric E Needham, 12037 Private H Needham, 10930 Corporal W H Needham, 8821 Private J Newbold, 9756 Private William George Newbold, 9999 Private P Newborn, 11887 Private W Newbury, 9686 Private A Newton, 12111 Private W Newton, 8820 Private E Niblett, 8593 Private Leonard Nicholas, 10653 Corporal J Nicholls, 11863 Private R Nobles, 6299 Private J North.

11566 Private W O'Brien, 10243 Private Frank O'Connor, 10814 Private R O'Connor, 10668 Lance-Corporal R Oldfield, 9060 Private T Oscroft, 8804 Private A Owen.

9255 Private F Palmer, 11098 Corporal F Parfitt, 11208 Private E W Parr, 11648 Corporal W Parrish, 10816 Private J W Partridge, 10502 Private A Pattison, 18250 Private Robert Peace, 10290 Private Robert Peace, 10638 Private A Peach, 9123 Private F Pearson, 9855 Private A Peck, 9063 Private Bertie Penney, 6366 Corporal Frank Perkins, 9366 Corporal Frank Perkins, 10161 Private H Perkins, 9322 Private W Perry, 12322 Sergeant Percy Phillips, 9057 Private E Pike, 9759 Private A Platts, 11592 Corporal A Pleasance, 8586 Private W Plenty, 9798 Private W Plumtree, 10094 Acting Sergeant H Potter, 12001 Private E Poxon, 8918 Private W Pratt, 9761 Private V Pritchard, 8587 Private J H Pryor, 10765 Private O Pursglove, 11765 Corporal W Pykett.

12018 Private H S Raby, 11850 Private F Radford, 8785 Lance-Corporal G Radford, 12279 Private S Radford, 10198 Private S A Radford, 10133 Private C Rasdall, 9737 Private J Read, 12084 Private A Reaney, 9620 Private B Redgate, 9971 Sergeant W Reid, 9017 Private J Renshaw, 12033 Corporal J W Revill, 18971 Lance-Corporal A Rhodes, 11775 Private G Richardson, 11766 Private G H Rick, 9996 Private L Rippon, 9711 Corporal F Roberts, 8717 Private J Roberts, 10585 Lance-Corporal W Roberts, 11692 Sergeant G Robinson, 9504 Private J W Robinson, 9249 Private J Robottom, 9650 Private G Rockley, 9561 Private J Rockley, 8990 Private Thomas Rogers, 10128 Private E Rollett, 9157 Private W Rose, 11124 Corporal A E Ross, 9132 Private E Rowe.

9931 Private S Sault, 11039 Private J W Sawyer, 9511 Private W Sawyer, 11878 Private H Scott, 6537 CSM J Seagrave, 9736 Private A Sedgewick, 11793 Private W Sellars, 10096 Private A Seymour, 8359 Sergeant A Seymour, 9390 Private C Shakespeare, 10251 Lance-Corporal A Sharpe, 11952 Private A Shaw, 7319 Sergeant E Shaw, 11613 Private W H Shaw, 9970 Lance-Corporal E Shearman, 11822 Private E Shenton, 9283 Private W Shepherd, 12163 Private W Sheriff, 10029 Private J Sherlock, 9211 Private H Shilcock, 12081 Private W P Shilton, 10138 Private W Shirt, 11867 Private Ernest Arthur Sibbert, 12034 Corporal J Simms, 9883 Private C Singleton, 9691 Private J Slack, 10072 Private R Smalley, 9635 Private H Smeeton, 9316 Private A Smith, 8468 Private E Smith, 9922 Corporal F Smith, 9693 Private G Smith, 11861 Private G A Smith, 8601 Private J Smith, 8544 Private J Smith, 10114 Lance-Corporal J H Smith, 12162 Corporal P Smith, 1468 Private S C Smith, 9520 Private Thomas Smith, 12057 Private W Smith, 8402 Corporal W Smith, 9012 Private F Soar, 9690 Private Frederick Sowter, 8961 Private W Spencer, 9411 Corporal J Spray, 9402 Corporal C Spybey, 11680 Private C Staples, 10046 Corporal E Staples, 9392 Private J Staples, 4464 Sergeant John Staples, 8881 Lance-Corporal A Stapleton, 9867 Private J Startin, 9230 Private G Steadman, 12103 Private W Steele, 8560 Private F Stevens, 12168 Private A Stevenson, 9628 Private E Stevenson, 9877 Private W Stevenson, 11757 Private S Stewardson, 12129 Corporal H Straw, 9572 Private T Stroud, 9707 Lance-Corporal J Stubbs, 12110 Lance-Corporal H Styring, 11455 Private S Swain, 12144 Private H Swift, 11002 Private J L Symons.

12125 Private A Tanner, 10838 Private A Taylor, 10819 Private F Taylor, 9532 Private Frank Taylor, 12107 Private Fred Taylor, 10922 Sergeant G Taylor, 10963 Sergeant L Taylor, 6932 Sergeant James Tebbutt, 9415 Private E Theobald, 11562 Sergeant C Thompson, 9897 Private F Thompson, 9010 Private G Thorley, 6973 CSM H Thorpe, 11140 Corporal F Tindall, 10431 Sergeant P Tingle, 9997 Private F Tombs, 10235 Private G Tomlinson, 6547 Lance-Corporal H Tongue, 8934 Private T Toole, 9684 Corporal J Topham, 10918 Corporal A Towle, 5901 Sergeant T Toy, 8727 Corporal H Trussell, 12303 Private W Tulley, 9103 Private J Tunnicliffe, 11963 Private D Turner, 5169 CSM J Turner, 10208 Private R Turner, 8694 Lance-Corporal F Tyers.

9924 Sergeant Allan Walden, 9335 Private C Walker, 11999 Corporal J Walker, 9870 Private S Walker, 12223 Sergeant W Walker, 8898 Private G H Walters, 8470 Private J Ward, 10353 Sergeant C Wardle, 9100 Sergeant C Watson, 12255 Private H Watson, 12060 Private W Watts, 8700 Private C Weaver, 9534 Private J Webber, 9408 Private E Welch, 9014 Corporal H Wells, 9227 Private Herbert Wells, 12093 Private Albert West, 9435 Private Arthur West, 11871 Private S West, 9688 Private C Weston, 9418 Private F Whitehurst, 10852 Private C Whittington, 5941 Private G Whitworth, 8401 Private A Wilde, 11628 Corporal W Wilkes, 9912 Corporal J Williamson, 10105 Lance-Corporal F Wilson, 10693 Private H A Wilson, 11877 Private W Winfield,  Private T Winston, 9557 Private T Winterton, 9772 Private A Withers, 9318 Corporal F A Wood, 12304 Private Thomas Wood, 9558 Private C Woodhouse, 8914 Private H Woodward, 8670 Sergeant G Wright, 8448 Private J W Wright, 9151 Private W E Wright, 8638 Private W E Wright, 9160 Private W Wyld.

8900 Private F Yeomans, 5342 Sgt-Major S G Yeomans, 8865 Private H Young.

Identifying the 1st Sherwood Foresters in 1912

I recently purchased the Sherwood Foresters Regimental Annual for 1913 and am publishing some of the photos that appear in it, below. I have become more and more interested in military photos of late, and it's clear from correspondence that I receive that identifying ancestors in military photographs is something that interests a lot of other people too.

In 1912 the 1st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters was stationed in India and the photographs below, all of which identify the men by rank and last name only, were therefore taken in that country. Taking the first photograph below as a test case, where it has been possible to identify men further, I have added in forenames and/or regimental numbers and indicated these in bold.

My first recourse was to the 1911 census which, so my reasoning went, would probably unearth many of the men in these photos. And so it turned out. An added bonus here was that it enabled me to positively identify all of the F Company men on the 1911 census. The 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters was enumerated by company and whilst I had guessed that these men were from F Company - because it was the sixth company to be enumerated -  it was good to see my theory proved correct.

Having first checked the 1911 census, I then looked for the same men in the medal index cards. All of these men, unless they were discharged, transferred, or died between 1912 and August 1914 would have seen service in France. The battalion shipped out of India in September 1914 and by November that year was facing the Germans in trenches at Neuve Chapelle.

Finally, understanding when the regimental numbers were issued can also help in identifying the correct man. This volume of the regimental chronicle was published in 1913. The number 11998 was issued in January 1913 but given that the usual practice would have been for soldiers, after enlistment, to train at the regimental depot, then serve with the home battalion and only after then, transfer to the overseas' battalion, I would be surprised to see numbers lower than 11739 (issued on the 3rd January 1912) appearing against any of the names below.

Standing: L-Cpl Frank Frood, 6874 L-Cpl Herbert Barks, 10861 Pte Thomas Sanderson, 10125 Pte John William Clough, 10448 L-Cpl Leonard Rear

Seated: Pte Hayward, Major Henry William Pontz, 10850 L-Cpl John Newcombe, 6780 Col-Sgt Thomas William Pritchard, Pte Harry Freeman

Cross-legged: Pte Barber, Dmr Walsh, 10120 Pte Joseph Handley, Pte Thomas Robinson, Pte Swindler

Major Henry William Poyntz, pictured above and in the team photo above this, died on Christmas Eve 1912 as the result of a shooting accident near Deolali. He was 41 years old. He had been a serving officer with the Sherwood Foresters since 1892 and left a wife and daughter.

In all the photos that follow I have included the details that appear under these photographs in the 1913 regimental annual, augmenting some with forenames, but all of these men could be researched further.

Standing: Pte William Padley, Pte Albert or William Burton, Pte Hill, Pte Combes, Pte Brown, Pte Smith, Pte Sutton

Seated: Pte Herbert Denne, Col-Sgt Brearley, L-Cpl Harry Caunt, Capt Swinhoe-Phelan, L-Cpl Wheatley, Lt Armstrong

Cross-legged:  L-Cpl Tompson, Pte Thomas Morris, Pte Albert or Frank Long, L-Cpl George Foxon, Pte John Worthy

1st Battalion cricket team, winners of Futteh Maidan Cup

Standing: L-Cpl Wheatley, Pte Samuel Cheney, Pte Geoffrey Greaves, Pte Wilkinson, Pte Maidment

Seated: Lt Richard Henry Stranger, Lt George Staple Dobbie, Lt Willesby Douglas S Brownrigg, Lt William Horatio Happell, Lt Jackson

Cross-legged: Schoolmaster Henry Rushton Cooke, Lt John Vincent Earle

Henry Rushton Cooke is recorded on the 1911 Census as belonging to the Sherwood Foresters, however I think that this is an error and that his correct corps would have been the Corps of Army Schoolmasters. He was born in 1884 and so would have been about twenty-eight years old when this photograph was taken.

Standing: L-Cpl Frank Frood, Cpl Walter Rippon, Pte Ellis, Pt Frederick or William Richards, L-Cpl Leonard Rear

Seated: Pte Feer, Major Henry William Poyntz, Pte Beardsmore, Col-Sgt Thomas William Pritchard, Pte Charles Chesterton

Cross-legged: Pte William Crampton, Pte Harry Thornley, 10934 Pte Cyrus Hoult, Pte Denison, Pte Bolton

Note how some of the men in this photo who appear in the first photo posted here, above, have adopted identical poses. Indeed, it requires good eyes to note the minor differences between the poses in this shot and the earlier one. Note in particular, L-Cpl Frank Frood, Pte Chesterton and Major Poyntz.

Standing: Pte Smith, Pte White. Pte Stevenson

Seated: Pte Arthur Corbett, Col-Sgt Charles Chambers, Capt Dixon, L-Cpl Holmes

Cross-legged: L-Cpl Potten, Pte Arthur Bowler, Pte Bignell

There is of course a lot more research that can be done for these men: other census returns, GRO records, parish records, school records and of course, various military records. Many of these men will have medal index cards, medal roll entries and service records. Others will also appear in Commonwealth War Graves records. 10934 Pte Cyrus Hoult, pictured in the football shield photo, falls into this category.  Aged 23 in 1911, he was killed in action on the 20th October 1914 whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion. This suggests that he had returned to England between 1912 and 1914, transferred to the Army Reserve and then been recalled to the colours in August 1914, going out to France with the 2nd Battalion. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial.

I research soldiers!

Contact me if you need help.

Sleeping companions: 32866 Pte F Siddall, 16th Sherwood Foresters & R/16458 Rfm J Connor, 17th KRRC

Remembering 

32866 Private Fred Siddall, 16th Sherwood Foresters & 

R/16458 Rifleman James Connor, 17th KRRC

I was in France recently to mark the 100th anniversary of the Somme offensive and also the fateful attack the previous day on the Boar's Head at Richebourg L'Avoue. The two men above both fell on the 30th June 1916 and rest side by side at Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg. I took the photo 100 years to the day since they died and decided to see what I could find out about them. Service records no longer survive for either man.

James Connor was born in central London: The Strand, Middlesex, and was living in West Kensington when he enlisted for wartime service only, at Holborn, in the King's Royal Rifle Corps. His regimental number indicates that he must have been issued with his number - at Winchester - in the second week of November 1915. He probably arrived in France by the end of April 1916 and thus had been overseas for barely two months when he was killed in action. At the time of his death, James was unmarried and both parents had pre-deceased him, His sister Margaret is recorded as his sole legatee and she would have been sent the memorial plaque and scroll as well as money owing to him at the time of his death.

Fred Siddall was also unmarried when he died of wounds on the 30th June 1916. He was the second oldest of four sons of Arthur and Annie Siddall, and one of seven children still living when the 1911 census was taken; four having already died, presumably in infancy. Fred is recorded on that census return as a fourteen-year-old coal miner's driver and was presumably working at the same pit as his nineteen-year-old brother, Albert and his 45-year-old father who are both indicated on the census as coal miner's driver and coal miner, respectively.

Fred initially joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers, his regimental number 20083 indicating that this must have been in August 1915. His regimental number for the Sherwood Foresters - 32866 - dates to a little later in the year, around mid-December 1915. Fred would have been about nineteen when he died of his wounds, his father Arthur noted as his next of kin.

Fred's elder brother Albert Siddall would be killed in action on the 31st March 1918 whilst serving with the same battalion of the Sherwood Foresters. His number, 25985, indicates that he joined the regiment in May 1915 and it remains a possibility, I suppose, that Fred later requested a transfer into the Sherwood Foresters so that he could be with his brother. Albert has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres memorial.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

George Henry Johnson

I've received an enquiry asking for any information about George Henry Johnson of The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghmashire and Derbyshire Regiment) who died in Flanders in 1917.

Soldiers Died in The Great War notes two men of this name who died whilst serving with this regiment, one in 1916 and one in 1917. The man who died in 1917 was killed in action on the 28th November 1917. He was born in Farndon, Nottinghamshire and enlisted at Newark. At the time of his death he was serving with the 1/6th Battalion, a Territorial Force Battalion and had the number 242600. He was entitled to the British War and Victory medals.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that he was the husband of H Johnson of 20 George Street, Newark, Notts. He is buried in Philosophe British Cemetery in Mazingarbe; grave reference III.A.40 (see map above).

George's number is a mystery to me. I had suggested that his original number -20007 - noted on his medal index card, suggested enlistment into a service battalion in 1914. However, Stuart, in a comment on this post (below) has put me right. He writes:

"This particular number, 20007, is not an original enlistment number, which explains your difficulty in pinning it down. The N&D territorials used the 20*** series of numbers for inter-TF battalion transfers during 1915 and 1916. In this particular case, with the man residing and enlisting in Newark, he would almost certainly have enlisted originally with the 8th Bn (original TF number unknown) and at a later date was posted to the 6th Bn, with subsequent change of number. Unfortunately, the Notts and Derby Regt usually work in alphabetical order (rather than original TF number order), so it is very difficult to work out the original numbers."

Stuart, thank you very much for that.

George's six-digit number certainly belongs within the range of numbers allocated to the 6th Battalion when the Territorial Force was re-numbered in 1917. The fact that he was only entitled to the British War and Victory medals means that he certainly didn't arrive overseas until 1st January 1916 or later. No service record appears to survive for this man.

I also offer a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective military history research service. Follow the link for more information.

The Sherwood Foresters - 1st & 2nd Battalions - 1881-1914

This post will look at numbering in the two regular battalions of The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) between 1881 and 1914. The regiment was formed on 1st July 1881; the 1st Battalion from the 45th (Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot, and the 2nd Battalion from the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot. The newly formed regiment was established as the county regiment for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and started numbering from 1 in 1881.

I have compiled the information on this post as a result of examining service records in WO 97 (online with Findmypast) and WO 363 and WO 364 (online with Ancestry). Note that Findmypast has also indexed WO 363/4 (and uncovered an additional half a million names).

In fact, there are over 43,000 Sherwood Foresters service and pension records (for this regiment - and its antecedents) in various War Office series held at the National Archives. Clicking on the link will take you to the results on Findmypast but you will need a subscription or Pay-Per-View credits to actually view the records. Some of these records can also be viewed on-line on Ancestry although Findmypast has by far the most comprehensive service record collection.

Use the regimental numbers and dates on which these were issued, below, to determine parameters for when your own Sherwood Foresters ancestor would have joined up. Note though that these numbers are only for regular enlistments. Special Reserve and Territorial Force battalions operated completely separate regimental number sequences.

10 joined on 6th July 1881
221 joined on 21st February 1882
451 joined on 2nd January 1883
726 joined on 11th January 1884
1017 joined on 7th January 1885
1363 joined on 11th February 1886
1886 joined on 24th March 1887
2229 joined on 5th January 1888
2494 joined on 15th January 1889
2749 joined on 27th February 1890
3125 joined on 8th April 1891
3469 joined on 10th January 1892
3978 joined on 16th January 1893
4624 joined on 21st March 1894
4993 joined on 15th January 1895
5358 joined on 21st February 1896
5559 joined on 16th February 1897
5784 joined on 7th January 1898
6200 joined on 7th March 1899
6519 joined on 16th February 1900

The Sherwood Foresters raised three volunteer service companies during the South African War and issued numbers as follows:

1st VSC: numbers within the range 7331 to 7553
2nd VSC: numbers within the range 7443 to 7587
3rd VSC: numbers within the range 7592 to 7619

On 23rd February 1900, the 1st VSC embarked aboard the SS Avondale Castle for South Africa. It comprised Captain Turner Lee, Lieutenant Kingdom, Lieutenant R K Ellis, Lieutenant F A C Wright and 113 men.

6808 joined on 16th January 1901

In 1902 the regiment’s name was changed to The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment). Numbering was unaffected by the title change.

7310 joined on 3rd May 1902
8565 joined on 6th January 1903
9058 joined on 8th January 1904
9770 joined on 17th February 1905
9980 joined on 12th January 1906
10241 joined on 15th January 1907
10730 joined on 7th April 1908
11182 joined on 4th February 1909
11277 joined on 8th January 1910
11567 joined on 6th March 1911
11897 joined on 13th June 1912
11998 joined on 17th January 1913
12197 joined on 21st February 1914

The First World War
When Britain went to war in August 1914, men joining the new service battalions were issued with numbers from the same series in use by the two regular battalions.

Recruitment rates 1881-1911

Between 1st July 1881 and 8th April 1891, The Sherwood Foresters recruited 3,125 men, an average of 318 men each year. Of the sixty-nine infantry regiments recruiting at this time, The Sherwood Foresters was the fifty-second most successful infantry recruiter.

The pattern improved dramatically over the following decade and up until the 16th January 1901, the regiment added close to 3,700 men to its books, a high average of 378 new recruits a year and a rate which saw the regiment leap up the recruiting table to be the fourteenth most successful infantry recruiter.

The trend continued into the next decade as well and by March 1911 the regiment had issued number 11567 to its latest recruit; an average recruitment rate for the decade of 468 men; the eighth best recruitment rate for an infantry regiment in the British Isles.

Overall, the Sherwood Foresters’s recruitment rate for the period July 1881 to March 1911 was an impressive 388 men per annum; a rate which made it the thirteenth most successful infantry recruiter in the United Kingdom.

1st Battalion stations 1881-1914

1881 Chatham
1882 Athlone
1885 Kilkenny
1888 Limerick
1889 Colchester
1894 Curragh
1898 Malta
1899 South Africa
1902 Hong Kong
1904 Singapore
1906 Bangalore
1909 Secunderabad
1912 Bombay
1914 France & Flanders (from November)

2nd Battalion stations 1881-1914

1881 Aldershot
1882 Gibraltar
1882 Egypt
1882 Lucknow
1888 Sikkim
1888 Lucknow
1892 Umballa
1894 Solon
1897 Sitapore
1897 Tirah
1897 Sitapore
1898 Aden
1899 Malta
1902 Parkhurst
1904 Aldershot
1907 Kinsale
1909 Fermoy
1910 Plymouth
1913 Sheffield
1914 France & Flanders (from September)

I also offer a comprehensive, fast and cost-effective military history research service. Follow the link for more information.