Pte. Joseph Freestone, Sherwood Foresters

[Guest holties]

I have recently found out that one of my ancestors was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme (1/7/1916). He was in the 11th Battalion of the Notts and Derbys Regiment.His number 18159. He received posthumously the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal. I am interested in his service history, where he fought and where he was on that fateful day. I have attached a photo of him. Any specific or geneal information would be gratefully received,

Thanks,

Mike Holt

[Tom Morgan]

Mike - welcome to the Forum.

The 11th Battalion took part in the attack on the village of Ovillers.They suffered heavy casualties moving from the reserve positions at Authille Wood, to the British Front Line and further casualties when they attacked the German front line, receiving machine-gun fire from in front and from both sides. The attack was halted in No-Man's Land. The battalion was relieved during the night, by which time there were 518 casualties.

(From "British Battalions on the Somme" by Ray Westlake.)

Tom

[Guest holties]

Thanks for your prompt reply,

Cheers for now,

Mike

[Steven Broomfield]

The Bn was with 8th Divn at the time - it's Brigade (70th) had been swapped from the 23rd Div to the 8th.

The divisional history comments that the Bn was in support of it's brigade's attack, but at about 9 a.m. they were preparing to leave the trenches when an order came through to reinforce the 1st german Line only. "Even this limited task had passed by now from the range of possibility. Machine gun fire, in particular from the Thiepval spur on the left flank, was now so intense and accurate on No Man's Land that the first two waves of the battalion were only able to advance at all by crawling on their hands and knees."

The CO and his staff were wounded, and "the attack died out for want of men before the German line was reached." Some men were thought to have got into the german Line, but all contact with 70 Bde was lost by 10 a.m.

The History sums up casualties - in 70 Bde, 8 KOYLI lost 24 officers and 548 o.r.; 8 Y&L, 23 officers (including the CO and adjutrant killed), and 90% of o.r.; 9 Y&L 22 and 556; and the 11th Foresters, 21 and 508.

[Guest holties]

Thanks for that info, Steve. How many men were in the 11th battalion at the time?

Cheers,

Mike

[Greenwoodman]

The Men from the Greenwood, being the War History of the 11th (Service) Battalion Sherwood Foresters by Percy Fryer is available online at The Men from the Greenwood

If you look at page 58, 6th para the CO wrote:-

"I put down the casualties among the rank and file to be fully 500 men out of the 600 who went over the parapet, but this is rather a guess, as I have no means of checking lists, and is probably less than the total".

A party was left behind to form the nucleus of the battalion if disaster was to befall them (as it did). Drafts of 524 men reached the battalion over the next 20 days, so it is likely the casualty figures are reasonably accurate.

My grandfather joined the 11th on 21/07/16, and served with them to the end of the war. His first task when the battalion went up to the front line in September was likely to have been the burial of men of the battalion who had been killed on 1st July.

The 11th is a specialist area for me. Let me know if you have any further questions.

[Steven Broomfield]

My grandfather joined the 11th on 21/07/16, and served with them to the end of the war. His first task when the battalion went up to the front line in September was likely to have been the burial of men of the battalion who had been killed on 1st July.

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Doesn't really bear thinking about, does it?