Belper Lads August 5th 1914

[timsanders]

Here's a photo of the first draft of Belper lads (probably reservists) departing Belper station on August 5th 1914.

Not sure if the clarity permits but is anyone able to identify any of the uniforms, are they from the same regiment?

Thanks

Tim

[Graham Stewart]

Difficult to say who they are, but at a guess none are N.F.. From the general look of them, there appears to be an abundance of bandoliers and 'spurs', which suggests a horsed unit. Those three in the darker uniforms appear to have shoulder chains - again indicating a mounted unit which would almost certainly be 'Yeomanry'. The gentleman at the front also appears to be wearing a sword, but he doesn't appear to be an officer.

P.S.

Got your PM, but have put my answer here, as the question is open to the Forum.

[Graham Stewart]

To give you an idea of uniform detail, here are the Bellingham lads of 7th Bn,N.F. on mobilisation. You may be able to make out that they are wearing the leather equipment which was based upon the 'webbed' pattern being worn by 'Regulars'. In my honest opinion, none in the Belper photo are infantry.

[timsanders]

Thanks Graham, your time and expertise appreciated as always. I pm'd you as my original query in this topic wasn't NF specific but you're quite right, your valuable analysis is now open to all.

I thought perhaps they were local reservists on their way to join up with their various regiments on the south coast. Maybe a Derby expert will drop by and shed some light on these chaps?

[Guest]

I am certain it is the Derbyshire Yeomanry. The chain mail epaulettes on the men wearing blues. Old pattern sword also confirming non-regulars I think. The DY had a Sqn at Belper....and few horses which is why they are taking the train. MG

Will be able to confirm which Sqn later today as I am away from my library. By some miracle I am actually sitting in the National Archives logged into its WiFi and logged into the GWF. Never thought I would see the day.

MG

[Guest]

DY had 'A' Squadron at Chesterfield with drill stations at Belper, Ripley, Beauchief and Eckington. ..... The only other TF unit based in Belper was F Company, 5th Sherwwod Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment. it had a drill station at Belper which was almost certainly shared with the Derbyshire Yeomanry. I think it extremely unlikely that the men in the picture were Sherwood Foresters given the riding dress, sword, bandoliers, blues, epaulettes, etc. they are definitely cavalrymen and yeomen to boot, and can only be Derbyshire Yeomen in my view. MG

PS the man in the avatar was C Sqn (HQ Derby but he was with the Wirksworth troop) MM, MiD twice (Gallipoli and Macedonia) and Croix de Geurre and would have know these Belper men.

For the DY men commemorated on Helles Memorial at Gallipoli, there is an interesting resonance and connection with Derbyshire. The panels of the Helles Memorial are made of Hopton Wood Stone, from the heart of Derbyshire's Peak District (walking distance from Wirksworth up the Via Gelia). There are a few Derbyshire men from the Derbyshire Yeomanry and the 9th Bn Sherwwod Foreserts whose names are carved in the stone from their home county....on this memorial 1,000 miles from home. Derbyshire to the Dardanelles. I think some of those Belper men would have been there. MG

[timsanders]

DY had 'A' Squadron at Chesterfield with drill stations at Belper, Ripley, Beauchief and Eckington. ..... The only other TF unit based in Belper was F Company, 5th Sherwwod Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment. it had a drill station at Belper which was almost certainly shared with the Derbyshire Yeomanry. I think it extremely unlikely that the men in the picture were Sherwood Foresters given the riding dress, sword, bandoliers, blues, epaulettes, etc. they are definitely cavalrymen and yeomen to boot, and can only be Derbyshire Yeomen in my view. MG

PS the man in the avatar was C Sqn (HQ Derby but he was with the Wirksworth troop) MM, MiD twice (Gallipoli and Macedonia) and Croix de Geurre and would have know these Belper men.

For the DY men commemorated on Helles Memorial at Gallipoli, there is an interesting resonance and connection with Derbyshire. The panels of the Helles Memorial are made of Hopton Wood Stone, from the heart of Derbyshire's Peak District (walking distance from Wirksworth up the Via Gelia). There are a few Derbyshire men from the Derbyshire Yeomanry and the 9th Bn Sherwwod Foreserts whose names are carved in the stone from their home county....on this memorial 1,000 miles from home. Derbyshire to the Dardanelles. I think some of those Belper men would have been there. MG

Very interesting, thanks Martin.

Can you suggest where they would be heading on the 5th August and where these chaps might have first seen action?

[Guest]

They would be heading to Chesterfield to assemble as 'A' Sqn. I Suspect this was the Belper Troop. For practical reasons Troops were often structured around Drill stations. Once the Squadron had been assembled, they would have spent a few days getting horses from the local towns and farms etc. In the case of A Sqn being near a mining area they ended up with some half-blind pit ponies which didn't last long. The Derby dairies provided some horses and equipments such as nose-bags which were such poor quality the horses ate through the nose-bags in a few weeks. After the Squadrons assembled, and thereafter to Siddalls Rd in Derby - a very short walk from the main Railway Station at Derby where Regimental HQ was based. They Regiment took a few days to restructure from 4 Squadron Regiment to a 3 Squadron Regiment.

The Derbyshire Yeomanry kept a War Diary from the very first day - this was quite unusual for a TF unit as most only kept diaries when on active service. We therefore have a rare insight into the mobilisation of a Yeomanry (TF) Regiments. Here is the first week. Please note parts are illegible:

5th August 1914: First day of mobilisation. All Officers joined. Medical inspection board. All squardons in billets. "D" Sqn broken up and posted beween the other 3 Sqdns. Parade of National reservists attached to Regiment. - Those men were not attested. Officers swords were handed in to be sharpened.

6th August 1914: 2nd day of mobilisation. 12 were discharged as medically unfit. 2 men returned home as medically unfit. Squadron Leaders ordered to [verfiy?] their mens kits as under [pound?….. 50?] T.F.R. Arming, clothing and equipping of men proceeded all day. All ranks reminded they are subject to military law on embodiment. Roll of absentees called for. All arms and equipment ordered to be carried on all parades.

7th August 1914: 3rd day of mobilisation. National Reservists ordered to retun to their homes. [Of??? ] again to be wired for. [Home?] of men attested. Strength of Regiment 465 Officers and other ranks. 8 men discharged medically unfit. Arming clothing and equipping all men proceeded with all day.

8th August 1914: 4th day of mobilisation. Squadron out at drill. Arrival of first transport carts and vehicles. All duties connected with mobilisation being [clarified?]

9th August 1914: 5th day of mobilisation. [Volunteers?] called for to fill up the Notts & Derby Mounted Bde Signal Troop. Lieut L [R or S] Worthingtn appointed to command the Signal Troop. First horses received and handed over to Squadrons which billeted them out. Regiment warned to move to Main Station on Wednesday12th.

10th August 1914: 6th day of mobilisation. The outlying Squadrons (A from Chesterfield & B from Bakewell under Capt G A Strutt and Maj [H A Grettin?] respectfully) marched into Derby and went into billets. Branding of horses started. Five men discharged as medically unfit. Seven recruits joined. The Mobilisation of the regiment would have been very much facilitated if in Peace time if it had consitsed of three Squadrons - the war establishment - instead of four. This would obviate the breaking up of one of the four Squadrons - a difficult confusing operation. It woud also have mobilsied much more easily if all the Regiment had been together at one headquarters instead of there being two outlying squadrons. More horses recieved today. Ordnance stores being received. No nosebags retainable. We were ordered by Ordnance Depot to purcahse locally, which we did at Banks Dairy the day of mobilisation. Recruits taken on.

11th August 1914: 7th day of mobilisation. The Regiment completed its mobilisation today, & with the exception of the Signal Troop was reported to be complete in all respects. Subsequently many articles of equipment were reported to be deficient. These were accounted for by men losing their things and leaving them behind in Derby. Strength of Regiment today 461 men, 26 Officers. Maj Peacock returned home temporarily unfit. Motor Bicycles (10) inspected by A B Bennett - approved and valued. All transpot waggons loaded, ammunition issued to Squadrons. Five men discharged unfit. Five

8th day of mobilisation. The Regiment entrained at the Midland Railway Co. Carriage Works at Derby for Diss, Norfolk in the following order - Head Quarters and Machine Gun Section, D, B, A Squadrons, Signal Troop, 1st & 2nd Line Transport in five trains. Diss was reached by the first train at about 11 a.m. On detraining the regiment went into billets and bivouacs as follows; Head Qutrs and B Sqn Brome Hall Eye. D Sqn Thrandeston and Mellis, A Suqadron and Signal Troop Stuston, Machine Gun Section Yaxley. There were no serious casualties on the journey.

The Regiment went overseas in April 1915 disembarking on 27th April 1915 in Egypt, then were moved to Gallipoli at short notice (dismounted) landing at Suvla Bay on 18th August 1915 juts over a year after War was declared. Their first action was on 21st August 1915 at Scimitar Hill which was the largest single operation by the British during the campaign and was a last ditch attempt to break the deadlock. It failed and thereafter Gallipoli descended into the stalemate of trench warfare. The Derbyshire Yeomanry went in with 326 all ranks and left Gallipoli with only 32 men (the man in the avatar was one, although as the MG NCO he and what was left of the MG section remained on Gallipoli slightly longer than the other ragged remnants of the 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry ). There were 33 killed at Gallipoli but the main cause of the losses was illness - usually dysentery - which could also kill. The original 14 Yeomanry regiments during their brief time on Gallipoli had no regimental reinforcements and so the effects of attrition through killed, wounded and illness had a much bigger impact as the remaining men. With no reinforcement they were doing more and more duty with fewer and fewer men. Most of the original Yeomanry Regiments departed with less than 50 men each having all landed with 326 each.

Ref Belper - I would like to think there is a chance that the following men were in the photo:

1427 L/Cpl Joseph Maurice Brown was in the photo. He died at Gallipoli on 22nd August 1915. He came from Ripley but enlisted in Belper. He is buried in Lala Baba Cemetery

CWGC: Son of Abraham and Catherine Brown, of 9, South Terrace, Church St., Eastwood, Nottingham. Native of Street Lane, Ripley, Derby. Died aged 23

Headstone: "NOT GLORY BUT A PURPOSE"

1961 Pte George Burdett. Resided in Belper. Died of Wounds on 23rd August 1915 at Gallipoli. Buried in Hill 10 Cemetery.

1811 L/Cpl J H Holden (elsewhere Wilfred Holden) Killed in Action on 6th Sep 1915 at Gallipoli . Born and resided in Belper. Buried at Green Hill Cemetery

I trust this adds a bit of colour to your photo.

Regards MG

[BRONNO]

Looks like they were standing on the platform waiting to go north, this old picture of Belper Station looking north towards Chesterfield. Bronno.

[timsanders]

Thanks for the insight chaps, will pass this on to the Belper guys, fascinating stuff!

[timsanders]

They would be heading to Chesterfield to assemble as 'A' Sqn. I Suspect this was the Belper Troop. For practical reasons Troops were often structured around Drill stations. Once the Squadron had been assembled, they would have spent a few days getting horses from the local towns and farms etc. In the case of A Sqn being near a mining area they ended up with some half-blind pit ponies which didn't last long. The Derby dairies provided some horses and equipments such as nose-bags which were such poor quality the horses ate through the nose-bags in a few weeks. After the Squadrons assembled, and thereafter to Siddalls Rd in Derby - a very short walk from the main Railway Station at Derby where Regimental HQ was based. They Regiment took a few days to restructure from 4 Squadron Regiment to a 3 Squadron Regiment.

The Derbyshire Yeomanry kept a War Diary from the very first day - this was quite unusual for a TF unit as most only kept diaries when on active service. We therefore have a rare insight into the mobilisation of a Yeomanry (TF) Regiments. Here is the first week. Please note parts are illegible:

5th August 1914: First day of mobilisation. All Officers joined. Medical inspection board. All squardons in billets. "D" Sqn broken up and posted beween the other 3 Sqdns. Parade of National reservists attached to Regiment. - Those men were not attested. Officers swords were handed in to be sharpened.

6th August 1914: 2nd day of mobilisation. 12 were discharged as medically unfit. 2 men returned home as medically unfit. Squadron Leaders ordered to [verfiy?] their mens kits as under [pound?….. 50?] T.F.R. Arming, clothing and equipping of men proceeded all day. All ranks reminded they are subject to military law on embodiment. Roll of absentees called for. All arms and equipment ordered to be carried on all parades.

7th August 1914: 3rd day of mobilisation. National Reservists ordered to retun to their homes. [Of??? ] again to be wired for. [Home?] of men attested. Strength of Regiment 465 Officers and other ranks. 8 men discharged medically unfit. Arming clothing and equipping all men proceeded with all day.

8th August 1914: 4th day of mobilisation. Squadron out at drill. Arrival of first transport carts and vehicles. All duties connected with mobilisation being [clarified?]

9th August 1914: 5th day of mobilisation. [Volunteers?] called for to fill up the Notts & Derby Mounted Bde Signal Troop. Lieut L [R or S] Worthingtn appointed to command the Signal Troop. First horses received and handed over to Squadrons which billeted them out. Regiment warned to move to Main Station on Wednesday12th.

10th August 1914: 6th day of mobilisation. The outlying Squadrons (A from Chesterfield & B from Bakewell under Capt G A Strutt and Maj [H A Grettin?] respectfully) marched into Derby and went into billets. Branding of horses started. Five men discharged as medically unfit. Seven recruits joined. The Mobilisation of the regiment would have been very much facilitated if in Peace time if it had consitsed of three Squadrons - the war establishment - instead of four. This would obviate the breaking up of one of the four Squadrons - a difficult confusing operation. It woud also have mobilsied much more easily if all the Regiment had been together at one headquarters instead of there being two outlying squadrons. More horses recieved today. Ordnance stores being received. No nosebags retainable. We were ordered by Ordnance Depot to purcahse locally, which we did at Banks Dairy the day of mobilisation. Recruits taken on.

11th August 1914: 7th day of mobilisation. The Regiment completed its mobilisation today, & with the exception of the Signal Troop was reported to be complete in all respects. Subsequently many articles of equipment were reported to be deficient. These were accounted for by men losing their things and leaving them behind in Derby. Strength of Regiment today 461 men, 26 Officers. Maj Peacock returned home temporarily unfit. Motor Bicycles (10) inspected by A B Bennett - approved and valued. All transpot waggons loaded, ammunition issued to Squadrons. Five men discharged unfit. Five

8th day of mobilisation. The Regiment entrained at the Midland Railway Co. Carriage Works at Derby for Diss, Norfolk in the following order - Head Quarters and Machine Gun Section, D, B, A Squadrons, Signal Troop, 1st & 2nd Line Transport in five trains. Diss was reached by the first train at about 11 a.m. On detraining the regiment went into billets and bivouacs as follows; Head Qutrs and B Sqn Brome Hall Eye. D Sqn Thrandeston and Mellis, A Suqadron and Signal Troop Stuston, Machine Gun Section Yaxley. There were no serious casualties on the journey.

The Regiment went overseas in April 1915 disemabrking on 27th April 1915 in Egypt, then were moved to Gallipoli at short notice (dismounted) landing at Suvla Bay on 18th August 1915 juts over a year after War was declared. Their first action was on 21st August 1915 at Scimitar Hill which was the largest single operation by the British during the campaign and was a last ditch attempt to break the deadlock. It failed and thereafter Gallipoli descended into the stalemate of trench warfare. The Derbyshire Yeomanry went in with 326 all ranks and left Gallipoli with only 32 men (the man in the avatar was one, although as the MG NCO he and what was left of the MG section remained on Gallipoli slightly longer than the other ragged remnants of the 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry ). There were 33 killed at Gallipoli but the main cause of the losses was illness - usually dysentery - which could also kill. The original 14 Yeomanry regiments during their brief time on Gallipoli had no regimental reinforcements and so the effects of attrition through killed, wounded and illness had a much bigger impact as the remaining men. With no reinforcement they were doing more and more duty with fewer and fewer men. Most of the original Yeomanry Regiments departed with less than 50 men each having all landed with 326 each.

Ref Belper - I would like to think there is a chance that the following men were in the photo:

1427 L/Cpl Joseph Maurice Brown was in the photo. He died at Gallipoli on 22nd August 1915. He came from Ripley but enlisted in Belper. He is buried in Lala Baba Cemetery

CWGC: Son of Abraham and Catherine Brown, of 9, South Terrace, Church St., Eastwood, Nottingham. Native of Street Lane, Ripley, Derby. Died aged 23

Headstone: "NOT GLORY BUT A PURPOSE"

1961 Pte George Burdett. Resided in Belper. Died of Wounds on 23rd August 1915 at Gallipoli. Buried in Hill 10 Cemetery.

1811 L/Cpl J H Holden (elsewhere Wilfred Holden) Killed in Action on 6th Sep 1915 at Gallipoli . Born and resided in Belper. Buried at Green Hill Cemetery

I trust this adds a bit of colour to your photo.

Regards MG

Here's a picture of the horses being loaded at Belper station, the exact date is hard to pick out (9th August?) just wondered if the two photos were related?

[Guest bod324]

Martin G

You mentioned in one of your posts above The Belpers and in particular a L/Corporal Joseph Maurice Brown of Derbyshire Yeomanry. I've just joined the group in a hope somebody might be able to help me. I'll shorten this story as much as I can. I lived in Thanes Ditton in Surrey in an 1840's cottage. I had to renew the ground floor joists and ripped up the floor boards under which I found a posthumously awarded WW1 medal to Joseph Maurice Brown along with what appears to be a very old letter to a Mrs Brown. I had discovered that he joined in Belper aged 23 and died of his wounds received in Action on 22 Aug 1915 at Gallipolli. I have had this medal since 2002 and would live to be able to find a relative to pass it on too! Any ideas how I could Ho about this? Any assistance would be gratefully received.

Ian

[Guest]

Martin G

You mentioned in one of your posts above The Belpers and in particular a L/Corporal Joseph Maurice Brown of Derbyshire Yeomanry. I've just joined the group in a hope somebody might be able to help me. I'll shorten this story as much as I can. I lived in Thanes Ditton in Surrey in an 1840's cottage. I had to renew the ground floor joists and ripped up the floor boards under which I found a posthumously awarded WW1 medal to Joseph Maurice Brown along with what appears to be a very old letter to a Mrs Brown. I had discovered that he joined in Belper aged 23 and died of his wounds received in Action on 22 Aug 1915 at Gallipolli. I have had this medal since 2002 and would live to be able to find a relative to pass it on too! Any ideas how I could Ho about this? Any assistance would be gratefully received.

Ian

Ian

Hello and welcome to the GWF. What a fantastic find. I have no idea how you might go about finding the Brown family. Others on the forum might be able to inform you better on how to trace family members. My interest is limited to the Derbyshire Yeomanry. My strong feeling is that we are only custodians of these Great War artefacts and (this is a personal view) most of these fragments of history are probably better kept in the safe custody of a museum. The Derby Museum are the current custodians of the Derbyshire Yeomanry archives and they might be interested in taking care of the medal and letter for future generations if you can not manage to trace the family.

Families are not always necessarily interested in these things and collectors will probably take greater care and, if in a museum more people will see it. I know the Derby Museum had great plans to feature the DY in the great War in August of next year to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the DY's baptism of fire at Suvla Bay on 21st Aug 1915. L/Cpl J M Brown and his brothers in arms would have had a rare commemoration. The Curator Dr Mike Galer has sadly moved on (he was very helpful and enthusiastic) and I fear that his plans are unlikely to be fulfilled. You might consider speaking to the Derby Museum directly; if they are going ahead they would be interested in the artefacts for sure.

The danger in both cases is if the family is only remotely interested in the medal it essentially disappears. (As a simple example I was recently given a DCM and a load of letters from a family who simply had no interest in them. Quite astonishing given what the man had to do to earn it) If the Museum has lower aspirations the risk is that it simply sits in a box for ever. It is difficult. Some Regimental Museums are astonishingly good at preserving and promoting their histories.

If you can't find the family, I would suggest posting on the medal section of the forum for advice. Failing that I know a medal dealer in London who would be happy to give you impartial advice.Failing all that, I would buy it simply to prevent it falling into obscurity again.

Lastly, in the next few months I will have website up and running with the DY's complete published history, complete War Diary and transcribed War diary and my database of 1,700 DY men (searchable) on line. Plus Tpr Cooling's Diary (Macedonia 1917) and a whole bunch of DY photos, so if you want to add any info it would be gratefully received.

MG

Here's a picture of the horses being loaded at Belper station, the exact date is hard to pick out (9th August?) just wondered if the two photos were related?

Blimey. For some strange reason this did not ping my alerts. Simply fantastic. Any chance if including this on the Derbyshire Yeomanry website when it launches?

[timsanders]

They would be heading to Chesterfield to assemble as 'A' Sqn. I Suspect this was the Belper Troop. For practical reasons Troops were often structured around Drill stations. Once the Squadron had been assembled, they would have spent a few days getting horses from the local towns and farms etc. In the case of A Sqn being near a mining area they ended up with some half-blind pit ponies which didn't last long. The Derby dairies provided some horses and equipments such as nose-bags which were such poor quality the horses ate through the nose-bags in a few weeks. After the Squadrons assembled, and thereafter to Siddalls Rd in Derby - a very short walk from the main Railway Station at Derby where Regimental HQ was based. They Regiment took a few days to restructure from 4 Squadron Regiment to a 3 Squadron Regiment.

The Derbyshire Yeomanry kept a War Diary from the very first day - this was quite unusual for a TF unit as most only kept diaries when on active service. We therefore have a rare insight into the mobilisation of a Yeomanry (TF) Regiments. Here is the first week. Please note parts are illegible:

5th August 1914: First day of mobilisation. All Officers joined. Medical inspection board. All squardons in billets. "D" Sqn broken up and posted beween the other 3 Sqdns. Parade of National reservists attached to Regiment. - Those men were not attested. Officers swords were handed in to be sharpened.

6th August 1914: 2nd day of mobilisation. 12 were discharged as medically unfit. 2 men returned home as medically unfit. Squadron Leaders ordered to [verfiy?] their mens kits as under [pound?….. 50?] T.F.R. Arming, clothing and equipping of men proceeded all day. All ranks reminded they are subject to military law on embodiment. Roll of absentees called for. All arms and equipment ordered to be carried on all parades.

7th August 1914: 3rd day of mobilisation. National Reservists ordered to retun to their homes. [Of??? ] again to be wired for. [Home?] of men attested. Strength of Regiment 465 Officers and other ranks. 8 men discharged medically unfit. Arming clothing and equipping all men proceeded with all day.

8th August 1914: 4th day of mobilisation. Squadron out at drill. Arrival of first transport carts and vehicles. All duties connected with mobilisation being [clarified?]

9th August 1914: 5th day of mobilisation. [Volunteers?] called for to fill up the Notts & Derby Mounted Bde Signal Troop. Lieut L [R or S] Worthingtn appointed to command the Signal Troop. First horses received and handed over to Squadrons which billeted them out. Regiment warned to move to Main Station on Wednesday12th.

10th August 1914: 6th day of mobilisation. The outlying Squadrons (A from Chesterfield & B from Bakewell under Capt G A Strutt and Maj [H A Grettin?] respectfully) marched into Derby and went into billets. Branding of horses started. Five men discharged as medically unfit. Seven recruits joined. The Mobilisation of the regiment would have been very much facilitated if in Peace time if it had consitsed of three Squadrons - the war establishment - instead of four. This would obviate the breaking up of one of the four Squadrons - a difficult confusing operation. It woud also have mobilsied much more easily if all the Regiment had been together at one headquarters instead of there being two outlying squadrons. More horses recieved today. Ordnance stores being received. No nosebags retainable. We were ordered by Ordnance Depot to purcahse locally, which we did at Banks Dairy the day of mobilisation. Recruits taken on.

11th August 1914: 7th day of mobilisation. The Regiment completed its mobilisation today, & with the exception of the Signal Troop was reported to be complete in all respects. Subsequently many articles of equipment were reported to be deficient. These were accounted for by men losing their things and leaving them behind in Derby. Strength of Regiment today 461 men, 26 Officers. Maj Peacock returned home temporarily unfit. Motor Bicycles (10) inspected by A B Bennett - approved and valued. All transpot waggons loaded, ammunition issued to Squadrons. Five men discharged unfit. Five

8th day of mobilisation. The Regiment entrained at the Midland Railway Co. Carriage Works at Derby for Diss, Norfolk in the following order - Head Quarters and Machine Gun Section, D, B, A Squadrons, Signal Troop, 1st & 2nd Line Transport in five trains. Diss was reached by the first train at about 11 a.m. On detraining the regiment went into billets and bivouacs as follows; Head Qutrs and B Sqn Brome Hall Eye. D Sqn Thrandeston and Mellis, A Suqadron and Signal Troop Stuston, Machine Gun Section Yaxley. There were no serious casualties on the journey.

The Regiment went overseas in April 1915 disembarking on 27th April 1915 in Egypt, then were moved to Gallipoli at short notice (dismounted) landing at Suvla Bay on 18th August 1915 juts over a year after War was declared. Their first action was on 21st August 1915 at Scimitar Hill which was the largest single operation by the British during the campaign and was a last ditch attempt to break the deadlock. It failed and thereafter Gallipoli descended into the stalemate of trench warfare. The Derbyshire Yeomanry went in with 326 all ranks and left Gallipoli with only 32 men (the man in the avatar was one, although as the MG NCO he and what was left of the MG section remained on Gallipoli slightly longer than the other ragged remnants of the 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry ). There were 33 killed at Gallipoli but the main cause of the losses was illness - usually dysentery - which could also kill. The original 14 Yeomanry regiments during their brief time on Gallipoli had no regimental reinforcements and so the effects of attrition through killed, wounded and illness had a much bigger impact as the remaining men. With no reinforcement they were doing more and more duty with fewer and fewer men. Most of the original Yeomanry Regiments departed with less than 50 men each having all landed with 326 each.

Ref Belper - I would like to think there is a chance that the following men were in the photo:

1427 L/Cpl Joseph Maurice Brown was in the photo. He died at Gallipoli on 22nd August 1915. He came from Ripley but enlisted in Belper. He is buried in Lala Baba Cemetery

CWGC: Son of Abraham and Catherine Brown, of 9, South Terrace, Church St., Eastwood, Nottingham. Native of Street Lane, Ripley, Derby. Died aged 23

Headstone: "NOT GLORY BUT A PURPOSE"

1961 Pte George Burdett. Resided in Belper. Died of Wounds on 23rd August 1915 at Gallipoli. Buried in Hill 10 Cemetery.

1811 L/Cpl J H Holden (elsewhere Wilfred Holden) Killed in Action on 6th Sep 1915 at Gallipoli . Born and resided in Belper. Buried at Green Hill Cemetery

I trust this adds a bit of colour to your photo.

Regards MG

Hi Martin

Came across a paragraph describing the Yeomantry leaving the station in the Belper News today;

"ANIMATED SCENES AT THE STATIONS"

THE YEOMANRY

On Tuesday Sergeant Gillett received an order requiring him to get the local men together, and a few hours later the mobilisation directions were forwarded to each unit by telegram. Every man responded and at 11.12 on Wednesday (5th August 1914) the troop were entrained for Chesterfield where they were to obtain horses and then proceed to Ipswich.

Sergeant Gillett has volunteered for foreign service. The station footbridge and the slopes were lined with spectators, who gave the men a hearty send off.

The roll call was as follows: Sergt. H Gillett (Belper) Corporal Marriott (Holbrook) Lance-Corporal Knitton (Milford) Trumpeter-Corporal Payne (Farnah Green) Privates B Banks, I. C. Mackard, H Blount, W. C. Bott, M. Gillett, T. Hardy, C Harrison, H Hastie, C Hodgkinson, W. Horner, S. Hunt, G Litchfield, H Needham, J. Nightingale, G. Ratcliffe, A. Ryde, W. Watson and W. Ford (all of Belper) "

Looks like these are the chaps in the photo above. I was at Belper station just today, amazing.

[Guest]

Hi Martin

Came across a paragraph describing the Yeomantry leaving the station in the Belper News today;

"ANIMATED SCENES AT THE STATIONS"

THE YEOMANRY

On Tuesday Sergeant Gillett received an order requiring him to get the local men together, and a few hours later the mobilisation directions were forwarded to each unit by telegram. Every man responded and at 11.12 on Wednesday (5th August 1914) the troop were entrained for Chesterfield where they were to obtain horses and then proceed to Ipswich.

Sergeant Gillett has volunteered for foreign service. The station footbridge and the slopes were lined with spectators, who gave the men a hearty send off.

The roll call was as follows: Sergt. H Gillett (Belper) Corporal Marriott (Holbrook) Lance-Corporal Knitton (Milford) Trumpeter-Corporal Payne (Farnah Green) Privates B Banks, I. C. Mackard, H Blount, W. C. Bott, M. Gillett, T. Hardy, C Harrison, H Hastie, C Hodgkinson, W. Horner, S. Hunt, G Litchfield, H Needham, J. Nightingale, G. Ratcliffe, A. Ryde, W. Watson and W. Ford (all of Belper) "

Looks like these are the chaps in the photo above. I was at Belper station just today, amazing.

Fantastic. I know all these names. There were six Blounts in the Regiment. Gillett is mentioned a few times in the published history. We was commissioned and tragically died of wounds shortly after the armistice. Interestingly the Service records and pension records of a surprisingly large proportion of these men survive.

Gillett Lieutenant H E 1st Battn., Derbyshire Yeomanry. Died of Wounds in Salonika on 23rd November 1918. Age 34. Buried in MIKRA BRITISH CEMETERY, Kalamaria, Greece. Memorial: Belper Cemetery

Any other info on DY men and any photos would be gratefully received.

MG

[timsanders]

Fantastic. I know all these names. There were six Blounts in the Regiment. Gillett is mentioned a few times in the published history. We was commissioned and tragically died of wounds shortly after the armistice. Interestingly the Service records and pension records of a surprisingly large proportion of these men survive.

Gillett Lieutenant H E 1st Battn., Derbyshire Yeomanry. Died of Wounds in Salonika on 23rd November 1918. Age 34. Buried in MIKRA BRITISH CEMETERY, Kalamaria, Greece. Memorial: Belper Cemetery

Any other info on DY men and any photos would be gratefully received.

MG

Here's a quick then and now to remember these men, Belper Station today and 100 years ago.

[Guest]

Here's a quick then and now to remember these men, Belper Station today and 100 years ago.

Brilliant. How does one do that? MG

[timsanders]

Brilliant. How does one do that? MG

Photoshop, I'm a designer by trade.

I was at Belper station yesterday so thought I'd take a picture on my phone and do a quick blend to remember those chaps today.

[Guest]

Here is the same group. Courtesy of Derby Museum and copyright Derby Museum. Shown with their permission. MG

..

[timsanders]

Here is the same group.

..

amazing, you can really get a sense of the 'undercurrent of excitement' as Belper News describes, on their faces.

Are you able to identify any of the men (bar Gillett of course) from the different uniforms on display using the roll call list above?

[timsanders]

ie. Could the older fellow be Corporal Marriott (Holbrook)

[Guest]

amazing, you can really get a sense of the 'undercurrent of excitement' as Belper News describes, on their faces.

Are you able to identify any of the men (bar Gillett of course) from the different uniforms on display using the roll call list above?

clearly the Sgt out front is Gillett. I dont think there is much chance of idetifying any of them as there is very little to go on. The short older man on the right (proper left) sans bandolier

ie. Could the older fellow be Corporal Marriott (Holbrook)

I think this is correct.

[Guest]

Here is what I have on my database for men with coincidental names (see below). Having researched over 1,700 DY men it was my experience that the records have plenty of typos. I have included all namesakes as possibilities:

1605 Pte Herbert William BANKS MIC. Not on 1915 Star or BWM rolls. Commissioned RE

1565 Pte Herbert BLOUNT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

1678 Pte Henry/Harry BLOUNT MIC On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

1809 Pte George James Sherwin BOTT MIC. Not on 1915 Star or BWM rolls 30 pages of Records Trans RE

3186 Pte William FORD MIC. Not on 1915 Star or BWM rolls. Trans to DLI

1557 Pte Maurice G GILLETT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

654 Sgt Herbert Edward GILLETT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls. Comm 7/11/1915. DOW 23/11/1918 Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria 930.

1445 Pte Thomas HARDY MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls 5 pages of records

3217 Pte Sydney HARRINGTON MIC only

1674 Pte Harold HASTIE MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls. Shot thro' thigh Oct 1916 see history page 152

1471 Pte Cyril HODGKINSON MIC BWM & VM roll. RFC

3273 Pte Henry L C HORNER BWM & VM roll

1901 Pte William HUNT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

2370 Pte Randolph T HUNT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

760 Cpl William KNIFTON MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls 8 pages of records

1596 Pte George LITCHFIELD MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls. Died 21/11 1918. Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria 866. Mentioned in Derby Telegraph 30th Sep.

543 Pte Thomas MARIOTT 5 pages of records

2626 Pte Samuel James NEEDHAM 16 pages of records

3064 Pte L NEEDHAM MIC. BWM & VM roll

1644 Pte Albert NIGHTINGALE 7 pages of records

1813 Pte John NIGHTINGALE MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

3405 Pte Lewis NIGHTINGALE BWM & VM roll

919 Sgt Fred W PAYNE MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls Football match 22nd May 1916 (history)

1522 Cpl George RATCLIFFE MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

1669 Pte Walter WATSON 6 pages of records.

I think Knitton is Knifton. All the 1915 Star men would have served in Egypt and most would have made it to Gallipoli. Man in avatar was 1395 SSM H J Gillott MM (MG Troop at Gallipoli and later SSM of C Sqn) and was often confused with H E Gillett. Shot thro' the sleeve at Gallipoli . One of only 32 men out of 326 to march out of Gallipoli with the Regiment. Unveiled Cromford War Memorial in 1920s and helped reconstitute the Regiment in the 1920s in the TA.

[timsanders]

Here is what I have on my database for men with coincidental names (see below). Having researched over 1,700 DY men it was my experience that the records have plenty of typos. I have included all namesakes as possibilities:

1605 Pte Herbert William BANKS MIC. Not on 1915 Star or BWM rolls. Commissioned RE

1565 Pte Herbert BLOUNT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

1678 Pte Henry/Harry BLOUNT MIC On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

1809 Pte George James Sherwin BOTT MIC. Not on 1915 Star or BWM rolls 30 pages of Records Trans RE

3186 Pte William FORD MIC. Not on 1915 Star or BWM rolls. Trans to DLI

1557 Pte Maurice G GILLETT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

654 Sgt Herbert Edward GILLETT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls. Comm 7/11/1915. DOW 23/11/1918 Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria 930.

1445 Pte Thomas HARDY MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls 5 pages of records

3217 Pte Sydney HARRINGTON MIC only

1674 Pte Harold HASTIE MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls. Shot thro' thigh Oct 1916 see history page 152

1471 Pte Cyril HODGKINSON MIC BWM & VM roll. RFC

3273 Pte Henry L C HORNER BWM & VM roll

1901 Pte William HUNT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

2370 Pte Randolph T HUNT MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

760 Cpl William KNIFTON MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls 8 pages of records

1596 Pte George LITCHFIELD MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls. Died 21/11 1918. Mikra British Cemetery, Kalamaria 866. Mentioned in Derby Telegraph 30th Sep.

543 Pte Thomas MARIOTT 5 pages of records

2626 Pte Samuel James NEEDHAM 16 pages of records

3064 Pte L NEEDHAM MIC. BWM & VM roll

1644 Pte Albert NIGHTINGALE 7 pages of records

1813 Pte John NIGHTINGALE MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

3405 Pte Lewis NIGHTINGALE BWM & VM roll

919 Sgt Fred W PAYNE MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls Football match 22nd May 1916 (history)

1522 Cpl George RATCLIFFE MIC. On 1915 Star and BWM rolls

1669 Pte Walter WATSON 6 pages of records.

I think Knitton is Knifton. All the 1915 Star men would have served in Egypt and most would have made it to Gallipoli. Man in avatar was 1395 SSM H J Gillott MM (MG Troop at Gallipoli and later SSM of C Sqn) and was often confused with H E Gillett. Shot thro' the sleeve at Gallipoli . One of only 32 men out of 326 to march out of Gallipoli with the Regiment. Unveiled Cromford War Memorial in 1920s and helped reconstitute the Regiment in the 1920s in the TA.

Yes Knifton was a typo on my part (Belper News is v. small print!)

I think our old chap is Thomas Marriott - in 1914 a 46 yr Corporal from Holbrook. His height on the service recs. certainly matches the photographs!

[Guest]

The War Diary records Lt H E Gillett (prev 654 Sgt H E Gillett) was hit by shellfire on 24th Sep 1918. He died of wounds two months later which must have been a terrible ordeal. Incidentally the man in the avatar was wounded by shellfire on the same day along with one other.