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Remembered Today:

Sherwood Forester Enlistment Date Database


Andrew Hesketh

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Andrew

Pte 74144 Williams Robert Jones 10th Sherwood Foresters. KIA 6/9/1918.

Previously 44291 Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

His paperwork states he transfered to Notts and Derby on 6/4/1918 and says 'Transfered posted under 204/16'

( info kindly supplied by Pte Jones' son and grand-daughter)

Hywyn

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Hywyn,

Diolch yn fawr.

Dave,

Difficult one. As you say, in most cases the numbering follows a sequential pattern so once you've got a selection of definite dates then it is possible to narrow down other enlistment dates. Sadly this is not so in the 5**** series, for which I have little material, and which is extremely erratic.The following is alll I've got (Year, Month, Date):

51068 1916, 06, 08

51874 1915, 12, 09

54358 1915, 12, 11

55881 1916, 12, 12

56481 1916, 07, 22

57568 1915, 12, 11

From this I am unable to draw any conclusions.

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Andrew,

Just more confirmation re the 70 000 numbers.

W4111 Pte Herbert Watson Walker, Leicestershire rgmt. became 70960 Notts and Derby. Dates not known as service record missing.

Doug

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Andrew

Thanks for looking at the 9***** numbers. There does seem to be a trend with them arriving in France from late 1917 (based on when they were killed or wounded) and this ties in with the 6/Foresters that I have listed.

cheers

Mike

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Doug,

Thanks - every extra confirmation helps.

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Andy

One more for you:

2305 Albert Edward Blood, enlisted 8th August 1914 in the 1/5th Bn. His medal card is HERE.

Paul

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Andrew,

Herewith list of Sherwood Foresters who enlisted up to 1st November 1914 taken from the Whitwell Parish Magazine : -

Michael Owen, Walter Wagstaffe, Ernest Hickson, William Woodhead,

Albert Woodhead, No.1123 A Territorial 1/8th transferred to the 1st Bn., K.I.A. 30th July 1915. Comm. Menin Gate.

George Johnson, Fred Flowers, Wilfrid Greaves , Edward Conroy ( on Active Service when list was published) Alfred Bennett, George Knowles, Herbert Ward, Arthur Pentelow,

Joseph Streets, Arthur Hind, Harry Wood, Jack Buckingham, Henry Lee, Owen McNally,

Joseph Butterfield ( transferred to 19th Bn. Lanc., Fusiliers 24178 K.I.A. 25th April 1918

Comm., Tyne Cot), Ernest Beswick, William Farmer, Stephen Storey, 15277 1st Bn., S.F.

K.I.A. 30th June 1917 Comm. Menin Gate.

Levi Squires 15296 2nd Bn.,S.F. D.of W. 8th May 1917, Grave Whitwell St. Lawrence Church Yard

Ben Hardwick, Fred Galpin, Frank Malthouse C.de G, No 19911 Sgt., 10th S.F. K.I.A.

22nd March 1918, Comm Arras Mem., John Drury, Frank Beswick ( transferred to 6th Lincs., Thomas Stanton, Edwin Cardwell, William Franklin, Sydney Grainger, William Malthouse, Harry Dolby, Tom Brown, Ellis Drury, James hardwick, James Plant, Fred Limb M.M.1st Bn. William Setchell,1st Bn., Walter Forrest, Ethelbert Harrop No 13668 1st Bn., K.I.A. 9th May 1915 Comm. Ploegsteert Mem., Harold King, Samuel MorrisR.Morris 1/8th Bn. No 307555. K.I.A. 29th may 1917, Comm. Loos British Cemetery.

George Edmonds, Tom Wright, Maurice Hardwick, Tom Hardwick, Sam Snooks, transferred R.F.A. No 56358 died 19th October 1916 Comm. Baghdad War Cemetery 9 North gate) Iraq. Harold Wyat.

Joseph Smith No. 11740 2nd Bn., S.F.( Regular Soldier, K.I.A. 20th September 1914. Comm. La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre, Memorial Seine-et-Marne)

Hobson Albert Henry, 1/8th Bn., S.F. No. 3441 & 70824 enlisted January ? 1915

to France 28th June 1915.

Hope you can get something from this, Regards Cliff

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Thanks for taking the time to post the details Cliff. Very useful stuff.

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One more Andy:

26626 Bertram Beardsley, enlisted 16th Bn 31st May 1915. Medals and copy of service record currently on sale on eBay.

Paul

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Don't know if this helps with the 7nnnn

Pte G J Pye 72161 17th Bn formerly SS/2350 4th Labour Corps ASC. No trace of service record yet, so not sure of transfer date.

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Yes indeed, every little helps. Thanks.

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Private R Dent (probably R B Dent) service number is 29397.

I have 3 photos of this man, in no particular order:-

1. Photo by Frank & Hamilton 32 Ocean Road, South Shields.

2. Just has his name and number on the back, but in this one he is wearing what looks like a pith helmet and light weight uniform.

3. Photographer is in Port Said - uniform looks same as in #1 above.

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Well my attempts at adding the MIC have failed.

Private 29397 Robert B Dent Notts & Derby Regiment.

Theatre of war 2(B) Balkans

Qualifying date 25 - 10 - 15

It seems he was transferred and became 40280 Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

CWGC show him as having died 24.7.1918 and show his rank as lance corporal.

CWGC show him as buried at Crepy-en-Valois Communal Cemetery with his grave reference (as for all men at this cemetery) as being south west corner. His mic is endorsed "missing".

Does anyone know if there are actualy burials at this cemetery or if it is a memorial to the missing?

Despite having this information about this man, I still don't know how I come to have 3 photographs of him within my family.

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Thanks for that. I would guess that he must have been a 9th Battalion reinforcement at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, as no other SF unit went east (except the 1st Garrison Bn in Egypt). The number strongly implies an August 1915 enlistment date so he was very quickly rushed off to action.

The CWGC Cemetery Report states "Crepy-en-Valois Communal Cemetery contains ten Commonwealth burials of the First World War, three of which are unidentified."

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Andrew,

From another topic, Private Dent seems to have been Lincolnshire Regiment prior to going overseas so a transfer really rather than an enlistment, and therefore even more consistent with your list, I assume.

Steve.

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Ah, I hadn't seen that. Yes, that probably sorts it nicely. Cheers Steve.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Walter Matthews, joined the British army at Nottingham on the 31st July 1915 to join the 18th (Service) Battalion (Bn) Sherwood Foresters and was given the service number 28521.

One thing that is obvious from a closer inspection of the service record is that the service number has been altered to 29592 of the 14th (Service) Battalion (Bn) Highland Light Infantry (HLI) and then 42264 of the 1/4 Battalion Kings own Scottish Boarders (KOSB)

These alterations can be further explained by examining his the statement of his service. This shows the following details

31/07/1915 Joined at Derby

31/07/1915 Posted as a Private (Pte) in the 18th Bn Sherwood Foresters

28/03/1916 Transferred to 14th Bn HLI

03/06/1916 British Expeditionary Force (BEF) France

31/07/1918 Transferred to 1/4th Bn KOSB

Walter Matthews rejoined joined the British army at Nottingham on the 26th May 1919. His service record shows that he signed up to join the 3rd Battalion (Bn) Sherwood Foresters and was originally given the service number 122261, this has been amended to read 4962372

Hope this is of use

Neil

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Hi Andrew

I have only one for you! Its not much but my G grandad joined the 1/8th Notts and Derby and then went on to the royal Warwicks, I suspect about 1916. He survived the war.

GODFREY, H 3871 May 1915 1/8th Notts and Derby

regards Jan

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Hi Andy,

I have 2 soldier relatives (which you have helped me on before on another topic!):

Private JOHN HALLAM, 73196 of 12th Bn., Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regt.)

who died on Wednesday 13 September 1916, Age 39.

Private HALLAM, HERBERT PALMER, 18457, 10th Btn.Sherwood Foresters , k. in a. 07/07/1916, aged 23

b. Pilsley; e. Chesterfield; r. Pilsley

I do not know when either of these joined up - may be you might know

Cheers,

Dave

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Hi Andrew

I've 'talked' to you b4 about my two Foresters, but here's them again for your list.

Samuel Smith enlistment date unknown, started with the 1st no. 9727 died with the 2nd no. 9727 6/11/14 of wounds at Chatham born 1887 in Bulwell,

William Culley Cavers enlistment date unknown, 1/5th no.s 4986 & 622213 kia 22/3/1918 buried at Cambrin Chateau Cemetery born 1890 St Anns.

Rod Smith

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Neil, Jan, Dave and Rod,

Thank you very much for adding to the collection - it's much appreciated. For those of you uncertain as to dates, I'll check what I have when I'm home and let you know an approximation.

Cheers!

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