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alanwatts1@aol.com

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Im a mature student and am completing a biography on John Henry Scott (known as Harry) who was killed in action August 6th 1916. Pte John Hy Scott, reg no 11054 was noted as being a member of the 1st Battalion Notts and Derby, Sherwood Foresters.

Harry served in India at the outbreak of the war and was despatched to France Nov 1914. Having taken part in the battles of Neuve Chapelle and Festubert and action in the Dardenelles he was sent to Egypt before returning to France at the beginning of July 1916.

I'd be grateful if anyone could provide information around Harry's soldiering backgound, battalion action and in particular knowledge that may assist in determining how he died as I believe the detachment may not have been in the trenches on the 6th August and may well have been preparing for action the following day.

Any assistance is gratefully appreciated.

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Soldiers Died In Gt War has him as:

9th Batt Sherwood Foresters(Notts and Derby)

Born Lincoln.Enlisted Newark,Resident Lincoln

KIA 6/8/16

Pte 11054.

Ady

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AW

A quick point from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site. He is shown there as being 9 Bn Notts and Derby but attached to the 8th Battalion South Staffordshire at the time of his death. Both of these Battalions were attached to 33 Brigade of 11 Division so they would have ben in the same general area. It may be that one Battalion was in reserve whilst the other elements were at the front,which is what you may be suggesting in your note.

So you will probably have to read what the 8SS War Diary says about the action on the day of his death. It is under WO95/2007 at Kew. The other point I will make about his death is that he is shown as buried in Peronne Road Cemetery at MARICOURT,but may have been brought in from another burial place later,as this Cemetery has consolidated burials from the District at the end of the war. The Diary will be helpful here as it will show their deployment on the day.

Sotonmate

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He was killed whilst attached to the 8th Bn South Staffs. The 9th bn Sherwood Foresters loaned out nearly 200 men. He is buried at Maricourt -

At the time the 9th Bn where at Arras.

I have the war diaries for the 8th Bn SS action though.

Do you know the date he went to gallipoli? Probably to make up for the horrendous losses.

If you look at my thread on Gallipoli 2008, there are many photos of the 9th bn areas and graves.

They spent 6 months in Egypt.

PM me and I will let you have as much info as you need.

Steve M

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8th Bn south Staffs - War Diary - 18th july - Bussus - 9 am - A reinforcement of 83 OR arrived from Notts & Derby Regt, Lincolnshire & North Staffs Regt. (This would be 9th Sherwoods and 6th lincolns of 33rd brigade, 11th Div.)

20th July - 9 am - (Reinforcements of 233 O R all from Notts & derby Regt)

The 8th South Staffs by 10 July had casualties of 25 officers and 320 ORs and the 9th SF where in a quiet area and fresh after 6 months in Egypt.

5th/6th August 1916 -

Bn Support at Delville Wood

5th - 3.30 am - C Coy shelled.

9.5 am - B Coy moves along to make room for A & C who are too crowded. all Coys work hard deepening trenches.

9.30 am - O.C., A & C Coys to do away with corpses - TRONES WOOD with 2 inch LIME.

11am - Intermittent shelling of MONTAUBAN ALLEY by 5.9 s

4 pm - A Coy shelled by 77 mm

7.30 pm - Rations reach dump.

8.45 pm - Rations taken up by D Coy to BORDER REGT in DELVILLE WOOD.

6th - 3 am - esimated casualties 20 O R.

It looks as though all of the casualties came from shelling.

steve m

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AW

A quick point from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site. He is shown there as being 9 Bn Notts and Derby but attached to the 8th Battalion South Staffordshire at the time of his death. Both of these Battalions were attached to 33 Brigade of 11 Division so they would have ben in the same general area. ItSotonmate

7th South Staffs part of 33rd brigade , 11 Div. 8th South Staffs - 17th (Northern) Div along with 10th Bn Sherwoods.

steve

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Soldiers Died In Gt War has him as:

9th Batt Sherwood Foresters(Notts and Derby)

Born Lincoln.Enlisted Newark,Resident Lincoln

KIA 6/8/16

Pte 11054.

Ady

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Soldiers Died In Gt War has him as:

9th Batt Sherwood Foresters(Notts and Derby)

Born Lincoln.Enlisted Newark,Resident Lincoln

KIA 6/8/16

Pte 11054.

Ady

Thank you for your assistance Ady, its much appreciated

AW

A quick point from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site. He is shown there as being 9 Bn Notts and Derby but attached to the 8th Battalion South Staffordshire at the time of his death. Both of these Battalions were attached to 33 Brigade of 11 Division so they would have ben in the same general area. It may be that one Battalion was in reserve whilst the other elements were at the front,which is what you may be suggesting in your note.

So you will probably have to read what the 8SS War Diary says about the action on the day of his death. It is under WO95/2007 at Kew. The other point I will make about his death is that he is shown as buried in Peronne Road Cemetery at MARICOURT,but may have been brought in from another burial place later,as this Cemetery has consolidated burials from the District at the end of the war. The Diary will be helpful here as it will show their deployment on the day.

Sotonmate

Thank you for your help Sotonmate, its much appreciated

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8th Bn south Staffs - War Diary - 18th july - Bussus - 9 am - A reinforcement of 83 OR arrived from Notts & Derby Regt, Lincolnshire & North Staffs Regt. (This would be 9th Sherwoods and 6th lincolns of 33rd brigade, 11th Div.)

20th July - 9 am - (Reinforcements of 233 O R all from Notts & derby Regt)

The 8th South Staffs by 10 July had casualties of 25 officers and 320 ORs and the 9th SF where in a quiet area and fresh after 6 months in Egypt.

5th/6th August 1916 -

Bn Support at Delville Wood

5th - 3.30 am - C Coy shelled.

9.5 am - B Coy moves along to make room for A & C who are too crowded. all Coys work hard deepening trenches.

9.30 am - O.C., A & C Coys to do away with corpses - TRONES WOOD with 2 inch LIME.

11am - Intermittent shelling of MONTAUBAN ALLEY by 5.9 s

4 pm - A Coy shelled by 77 mm

7.30 pm - Rations reach dump.

8.45 pm - Rations taken up by D Coy to BORDER REGT in DELVILLE WOOD.

6th - 3 am - esimated casualties 20 O R.

It looks as though all of the casualties came from shelling.

steve m

Thank you Steve, a number of steps forward in my knowledge of events. Your assistance is appreciated

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No problem. I wrote the history of the 9th Battalion Sherwoods. Let me know if you need anything else. Do you happen to have a photo of him?

steve m

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No problem. I wrote the history of the 9th Battalion Sherwoods. Let me know if you need anything else. Do you happen to have a photo of him?

steve m

Hi Seve,

Ive only a photo from his obituary which is a fiche photocopy. I found his Roll of Honour at the archives today, which lists Harry as joining up in Jan 1908 at the Newark office. Could you direct me to perhaps a site or book that would detail examples of life as a standard regular private before the war. Would it also be normal for soldiers to stay as privates or is there a place I can contact who may be able to provide a better set of details regarding his military background.

As I said earlier, thanks for your help on this matter.

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His regular army records should be at the National Archives. Also his Great War records on Ancestry if they survived.

Many men went through their whole service as privates. He may have still been serving in 1914 or in the army reserve. For example you would sign on for 6 years with the colours and 16 in reserve. A number of reservists ended up with the 9th Bn to aid training. Although he was possibly wounded with the 1st Bn and then moved out to Gallipoli to make up for the large losses suffered by the Battalion in August 1915. They spent 6 months from Jan to June in Egypt on the Suez Canal. They saw no action but occasionally saw the Turks.

Army life when there was no war on would have been a round of training and guards. One Battalion stayed in the UK and the other in India, Ireland or some such place.

It might be worthwhile contacting the museum/archives for the Sherwoods. www.wfrmuseum.org.uk should lead to them. Also www.crich-memorial.org.uk is worth looking at.

Steve

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His regular army records should be at the National Archives. Also his Great War records on Ancestry if they survived.

Unlikely. The papers for a man are usually all in one file. They may survive (1 in 3 chance or thereabouts): let's hope so.

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