Sherwood Foresters 1915

[manicminer]

I hope someone can help.  I have discovered a book reference to one of my relatives who was in Strazeele in the Ypres Sector and he was a member of the Sherwood Foresters. The reference identifies a date of circa May 1915. Surname Clifford but the only relatives I am aware of being in the war were one in the Royal Engineers and two in the Royal Army Service Corps.  Does anyone have any references to the Sherwood Foresters and can you point me to find out who it might have been?

Thanks

[MaxD]

27 Cliffords in the SF medal cards!  First name??

 

Max

[manicminer]

Thanks MaxD.  Only Cliffords I am aware of in the Great War were Herbert and Edward, both of whom were RASC (as far as I am aware). No middle names which makes it harder to pin down. (Other than Arthur Bernard Clifford who I am researching, who was in the Royal Engineers)

Phil

Edited 15 August , 2018 by manicminer

[MaxD]

I think we need a few more clues, can't find the haystack never mind the needle!  Was there a battalion attached to the reference - and how did you identify the mystery man as one of your relatives if you don't know who he was?  Where do your Cliffords come from - any newspaper reports seen?

 

Max

[manicminer]

Understood Max. 

 

The reference came out of the blue in a document I received today as part of my research into Arthur Bernard Clifford (Royal Engineers). The document is a copy of an entry in a book written by Robert H Davis of Siebe Gorman & Co and relays the words written by Arthur. In it he relates his arrival in France to undertake training of Sappers to use breathing apparatus in the gas ridden tunnels under enemy lines. He writes "I had the assistance of one of my relations who was serving in the Ypres sector with the Sherwood Foresters." and goes on to say "......(he) had some slight knowledge of the work". This later part of the sentence implies to me that the said relation was also a miner or collier by trade (as was Arthur).

 

Family history research over the years has not shown any Clifford family members (that we know of) who served with the Sherwood Foresters in WW1.  The only other thought is maybe the said relation was on his wife's side of the family (Harrison) so I'll do some research into that.

 

Thanks for the consideration.

 

Phil

 

 

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, manicminer said:

Understood Max. 

 

The reference came out of the blue in a document I received today as part of my research into Arthur Bernard Clifford (Royal Engineers). The document is a copy of an entry in a book written by Robert H Davis of Siebe Gorman & Co and relays the words written by Arthur. In it he relates his arrival in France to undertake training of Sappers to use breathing apparatus in the gas ridden tunnels under enemy lines. He writes "I had the assistance of one of my relations who was serving in the Ypres sector with the Sherwood Foresters." and goes on to say "......(he) had some slight knowledge of the work". This later part of the sentence implies to me that the said relation was also a miner or collier by trade (as was Arthur).

 

Family history research over the years has not shown any Clifford family members (that we know of) who served with the Sherwood Foresters in WW1.  The only other thought is maybe the said relation was on his wife's side of the family (Harrison) so I'll do some research into that.

 

Thanks for the consideration.

 

Phil

 

 

 

 

   It would be helpful to tell us what the book is-   Robert Davis was an inventor and the leading light of Siebe Gorman and Co., a deep-diving company that lasted until quite recently.  It might help frame what your forebear did and make it easier to find materials to assist you

[manicminer]

Arthur was, in his words, a civilian in uniform and had been sent to work under Maj John Norton-Griffiths. His role, as an established expert in the field of mines rescue, was to train men in thevuse of the Siebe Gorman 'Proto' breathing apparatus and to develop military mines rescue schools at the Western Front. The book is “A few recollections of an old Lambeth factory and its vicinity including some odd notes” by Robert Davis and published by Siebe Gorman & Co Ltd. I have many douments, collected over the years, which refer to this subject but this is the first which suggest that Arthur had help from a 'relation'. I'll carry on searching thecarchives to locate a relative who was also a Sherwood Forester. I did wonder if the SFs were stationed near Ypres in 1915 and under what circumstances would they release one of their number to assist the Royal Engineers (perhaps this soldier was injured?)