7th South Staffs

[davidfegga]

Hi all

Am researching Pte Job Fellows from Sedgley in the Black Country, serving with the 7th South Staffs.

On his MIC, his entry into the war is given as 2B ,10?/11/1915. I understand that this was Gallipoli, and the South staffs were there in August, so I assume that reinforcements were still being sent there as late as November? and when would he likely have been evacuated?

His sevice No 19126, although he was later KIA on the Somme with the 2nd Worcesters, with the No 39581.

Dave

[Greenwoodman]

Hi Dave.

You are correct, reinforcements were still being landed in November, on the 10th 7SS were in Corps Reserve on West Beach. Moved up towards Jephson's Post on 12th. Until 25th were employed in digging comms trenches to the right of Jephson's Post. Back in the line on 25th just in time to receive the great storm 26th-28th. 50 men to hospital. 20 next day, 60 next, 50 next.

5th Dec heavy bombardment on J.P. area. Draft arrived! Evacuated 18th/19th Dec.

So your man could have gone out with those medevac'd, as I believe my own grandfather, who was with the 7SS, did. Or he could have gone out with the main evacuation on 18th/19th.

Sending you an attachment describing the storm via e-mail.

[Roy Evans]

Hi Dave.

You are correct, reinforcements were still being landed in November, on the 10th 7SS were in Corps Reserve on West Beach. Moved up towards Jephson's Post on 12th. Until 25th were employed in digging comms trenches to the right of Jephson's Post. Back in the line on 25th just in time to receive the great storm 26th-28th. 50 men to hospital. 20 next day, 60 next, 50 next.

5th Dec heavy bombardment on J.P. area. Draft arrived! Evacuated 18th/19th Dec.

So your man could have gone out with those medevac'd, as I believe my own grandfather, who was with the 7SS, did. Or he could have gone out with the main evacuation on 18th/19th.

Sending you an attachment describing the storm via e-mail.

Richard,

Long time no see.

A nice reply, can I ask what your source is?

Roy

[Greenwoodman]

Hello, Roy.

Three sources - "7th South Staffordshire Regiment" Ashcroft and "British Regiments at Gallipoli" Westlake, and of course the Offy History for the info on the storm. Somewhere I have the report of the 7SS during their early days at Suvla - they suffered heavy casualties and apparently lost the war diary.

[Roy Evans]

Richard,

The war diary was said to have been 'lost at sea' when they left Gallipoli for Egypt. Someone then allegedly got a rollocking (can I say that on the forum?) for not keeping a diary whilst in Egypt.

The later diary starts with their departure from Suez for France on 28/6/16.

Roy

[Greenwoodman]

One of the things I did photocopy out of the war diary at the NA-Pro was a list of working parties required from the battalion on the 12th November, 2 days after David's man arrived. Transcribed below.

7 Battn S Staffs

1. 2000-2000 Usual M L O fatigues unloading lighters.

2. 0800-1200 Dug-outs 3 off & 156 OR 350 x 6' - 1' dug,

3. 0830-1200 Casualty Clearing Stn. Clearing paths 1 off & 50

4. 1230 - 1715 2 off & 104 OR under Ordnance Officer on various tasks.

5. 1300 - 1730 Usual fatigue on Sunken Ry of 3 off and 150 men

6. 2 extra M L O fatigues of 3 off & 70 men in all. Usual work of loading & unloading lighters. 3 hours each.

A H Ashcroft 2nd Lt a/Adjt 7 S Staffs 12/XI/15

Ashcroft eventually wrote the battalion history. A total there of a dozen officers and 530 men on fatigues while in reserve, before moving up to the front line.

[Roy Evans]

One of the things I did photocopy out of the war diary at the NA-Pro was a list of working parties required from the battalion on the 12th November, 2 days after David's man arrived. Transcribed below.

A H Ashcroft 2nd Lt a/Adjt 7 S Staffs                    12/XI/15

Richard,

From what you're saying, the copy of the diary at the Staffs Regt. Museum is incomplete and that the initial diary was not lost at sea as they told me?

I'm intrigued.

Roy

[Greenwoodman]

No, its a small separate sheet of paper, small-square-printed, torn from a notebook. It obviously survived, and avoided weeding. IIRC (and its some years since I looked at the war diary), the first part of the war diary is a type-written report of events on the peninsula written afterwards, but I thought the diary proper kicked in while on the peninsula. However I've found my part-copy of the report, pages 3 to 5. This describes the end of the battle for Chocolate Hill, where they moved forward from Lala Baba. First date mentioned is 24th Aug. 22nd Sep to 26 Nov is covered in two short paras. Then the storm gets a full foolscap page. Page 5 starts with 9th Dec and progresses rapidly to the evacuation. So the report covers the entire time the battalion was on the peninsula, and is curtailed in parts.

The Work Details sheet is an oddity that survived, but gives a good insight to life out of the line.

[Roy Evans]

Thanks for the explanation Richard, still strange though that the Stafford's museum don't have everthing there is to have.

Roy