16th Sherwood Foresters (Chatsworth Rifles)

[drc55]

I am reseaching the 16th Sherwood Foresters and would like a copy of the book "A Short History Of The 16th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters (Chatsworth Rifles)" by R F Truscott, but the only copy I can find available is £145! My next step will be to try the local library to see if they can get it on an inter library loan, but I thought I would see if any members could help before I went down that route.

Any help much appreciated,

Dave

[GRANVILLE]

You might try having a word with the Archivist at Chatsworth House, I wouldn't be surprised they could help in some way or other.

Dave Upton

[StAubyns]

Hi Dave

are you aware of this site?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mike.briggs76/16th%20Batn.htm

I know its not the book, but it may help

[drc55]

Thanks for the info guys, everything helps!

[mikebriggs]

Thanks for the info guys, everything helps!

hello Dave

PM me your e-mail and I will send you a pdf copy of the book

cheers

Mike

p.s. mine cost me £60 so must have got a bargain

[drc55]

Thanks Mike thats definately made my day!

pm sent.

[mikebriggs]

Dave

Sent today, quite big files so hopefully they made the trip through 'e-world'

[drc55]

Thanks Mike, they made it safely, and I have already started reading the book.

[Guest pab42]

I, too, am researching the 16th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters and, especially, the service of my great-uncle Sgt. Reginald Walter Cartlidge who served in the unit between May 1915 & early 1917 when he transferred to the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps (later, Tank Corps, served as 2/Lt in Whippets from late 1917 to end 1918). I'd be most greatful if I could get my hands on the pdf copy of Lt-Col Truscott's history of the Chatsworth Rifles mentioned in earlier posts. I'd already found the "Chesterfield Sherwoods on the Somme" website which was very hepful - but Truscott's book looks like the holy grail !

[drc55]

I, too, am researching the 16th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters and, especially, the service of my great-uncle Sgt. Reginald Walter Cartlidge who served in the unit between May 1915 & early 1917 when he transferred to the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps (later, Tank Corps, served as 2/Lt in Whippets from late 1917 to end 1918). I'd be most greatful if I could get my hands on the pdf copy of Lt-Col Truscott's history of the Chatsworth Rifles mentioned in earlier posts. I'd already found the "Chesterfield Sherwoods on the Somme" website which was very hepful - but Truscott's book looks like the holy grail !

Pm me your email address.

[Guest pab42]

Thanks for all the help guys. Invaluable information. I can now track Sgt Cartlidge, at least in moderately broad terms, during his entire time with the 16th Battalion.

[Guest Snowdrop.be]

Hi Mike,

Don't want to overload you, but I too am researching my Grandfather's Service in the Chatsworth Rifles and would really like to read Truscott's History, so if you have time, grateful if you would let me have a PDF copy of the book! My e-mail address is "spencerpaulg@hotmail.co.uk" Thanks in advance just for taking the time to read my message and if you can find time to let me have the book it would really be appreciated!

PaulS

[mikebriggs]

Hi Paul

Will try to send it tonight. Recently moved so hope I can find the files!

cheers

Mike

[mikebriggs]

Thats recently moved to somewhere with a somewhat slower connection than previously had it may take some time (not quite dial up, but.........)

[Chris_Baker]

Anyone interested in the Chatsworth Rifles would be well advised to read a copy of "Joffrey's war": http://1914-1918.net/research/index.php/joffreys-war-a-sherwood-forester-in-the-great-war/

[Neil Macknight]

Hi Mike,

I too am researching the Chatsworth Rifles as my great grandfather served with the battalion. Could I impose on you for a pdf copy of Truscott's history?

Many thanks

Neil Macknight

[martymcauley]

Hi Guys, I am researching a W H Bustin MM who is commemorated on the memorial in Pozieres. He is the Great Grandfather of one of my best friends and I am taking him over , later in the year, and want to find out as much as possible about W H. I know he served in the Boer war and was rather old , 37, when he was killed in the Michael offensive in 1918. I would love a copy of the Truscot book, if it was possible, to see what information is in it. Any information that anyone on the site might know would be gratefully received.

[stevem49]

Bustin W H - Private 235061, 16th (Chatsworth Rifles) Battalion - London Gazette 14/1/1918 - for gallantry during the attack on Bulgar wood on 20/21 September 1917. He was killed in action during a heavy german bombardment by high explosives and heavy gas, at Sorrel Le Grand near Longueval.

Formerly 3729, private Leicestershire Regiment.

From Sherwood gallantry awards compiled by cliff housley

Have you checked ancestry for his medal index card / service records?

[mikebriggs]

Marty and Neil

Let me have your e-mail and I will send a PDF of Truscott book

[martymcauley]

I cannot thank you enough, truly I cant. I searched Ancestry and all I got was his army card, thats how I found out he had served in the Boer war. Honestly this is fantastic, we are going over in Oct and this will make his year. my email is martymcauley@gmail.com

[PHoath]

I too am researching the 16th Sherwood Foresters (Chatsworth Rifles) and would appreciate any information, particularly a pdf copy of the Truscott book if it isn't too much trouble.

My grandfather, 2nd Lt R C Davies was with the 16th Sherwood Foresters from 1915 until the end of the war. He was seriously wounded on the night of 4th/5th June 1916, when he lead a bombing raid party into the German trenches - his actions earning him the Military Cross. I would be very interested to learn the whereabouts of the battalion at this point - it would be somewhere near Bethune where he was moved to a Casualty Field Hospital, before being transferred to St Omer and from there back to hospital in London.

Having recovered, he returned to France in 1917. In October 1917, he was A/Adj near Locre (Loker) according to his papers. He was wounded again in March 1918 and again sent back to hospital in London. I know nothing about his wounds or whereabouts on this occasion, however he returned again to France before leaving the army in 1919 to help with the military cemeteries.

Any further information would be much appreciated.

Pippa

[John Orchard]

@PHoath

Pippa, this is an extraordinary coincidence, but I knew of your grandfather, because he was for a period in 1918 the officer commanding the company in which my grandfather was serving. Like yours, my grandfather had been seriously injured, indeed his father received a letter from my grandfather's then company commander (The Queen's Regt) saying that since he had last been seen 15 minutes into the Battle of the Menin Road and not been seen for two weeks that he now feared the worst. However, my grandfather, like yours, obviously recovered sufficiently to be back in some form of service. He had arrived in your grandfather's company having come by way of the Training Reserve.

His paybook is dated 18 October 1918 at Hylton Castle, near Sunderland, and Lt R C Davies signs as OC B Coy. It was by identifying your grandfather in the Army List of October 1918 that I finally identified the battalion that my grandfather had been attached to in the Chatsworth Rifles.

Regards
John

[PHoath]

John

Many thanks for your post – it is a real coincidence and is very helpful in helping locate where my grandfather was at that particular time. However, I am not sure that it points towards the unit where your grandfather was serving.

Lt R C Davies was serving with 16^th Battalion Sherwood Foresters until the end of March 1918 when he was wounded. He was sent home, and according to his officer’s book was at home (meaning in U.K.) until 22^nd November 1918 when he returned to France. At some time after his return to France he worked on extending war cemeteries – he had been a Civil Engineer’s assistant in Canada before the war. I don’t know whether he ever returned to the 16^th Battalion after being wounded.

The 16^th Battalion itself was virtually destroyed in March 1918. In early April, the men were reposted – either to a small cadre (called the 16^th Battalion which helped train American troops) or to a 117^th Brigade Composite Battalion and then later reposted. There are more details on http://www.1914-1918.net/39div.htm and in the book by R F Truscott: "A Short History Of The 16th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters (Chatsworth Rifles)", parts of which I have read in the British Library.

I suspect that that means that my grandfather was doing home duty at Hylton Castle and was not serving with the 16^th Battalion at the time that he signed your grandfather’s book. Quite what he was doing, I don’t know but am currently researching. I’ll let you know of anything I find.

Again many thanks for your post – it will help my research.

There is a picture of Lt R C Davies below – it may help to put a face to the text.

Regards

Pippa

[trenchtrotter]

Re

Bustin W H - Private 235061, 16th (Chatsworth Rifles) Battalion - London Gazette 14/1/1918 - for gallantry during the attack on Bulgar wood on 20/21 September 1917. He was killed in action during a heavy german bombardment by high explosives and heavy gas, at Sorrel Le Grand near Longueval.
Formerly 3729, private Leicestershire Regiment.
From Sherwood gallantry awards compiled by cliff housley
Have you checked ancestry for his medal index card / service records?

Interstingly I cannot find mention of Bustins award in my copy of the Battalion history. He is not mentioned as recieving an award in the relevant capter re the Bulgar Wood fighting nor the appendix listing gallentary awards to the battalion recipients.He is mentioned in the roll of honour.

TT

[trenchtrotter]

Pippa,

Super image of Lt R C Davies, thanks for sharing. I have saved and printed a copy and placed it into my copy of Truscotts book next to his name in the list of oficers who left for France with thebattalion in early 1916.

Thanks again

TT