timsanders Posted 4 December , 2007 Share Posted 4 December , 2007 hi there, this is my first post, although i have browsed topics involving the foresters with much interest. My query relates to my great-grandfather Abner Sanders, i have found the following casualty details, however they raise further quesions: Name: SANDERS, ABNER EDWIN Initials: A E Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Northumberland Fusiliers Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 29 Date of Death: 01/11/1914 Service No: 457 Additional information: Husband of Jessie Sanders, of 58, Mansfield Rd., Alfreton, Derbyshire. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: AF. 1742. Cemetery: ALDERSHOT MILITARY CEMETERY 1) As a soldier who enlisted in Derby and joined the Sherwood Foresters why is he attributed with serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers? Did the foresters merge with the fusiliers? 2) It's a common thought in my family that he was killed on the first day of war, this is obv. in consistent with the date of death here... from the above data can anyone tell me which theatre he was wounded and whether he died in a field hospital or back in britain any information greatly appreciated thanks, tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 4 December , 2007 Share Posted 4 December , 2007 Hi Tim, welcome to the forum, I can tell you that Abner was born in Belper and died of wounds, by the looks of it he died in hospital at Aldershot. There is the part of the 1st Battn. War Diary on the mother site. Do you have enlistment papers for the Foresters? Could it be that he'd served his time and was recalled into service at the outbreak of war? The experts will be along soon, cheers, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsanders Posted 4 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 December , 2007 Hi Tim, welcome to the forum, I can tell you that Abner was born in Belper and died of wounds, by the looks of it he died in hospital at Aldershot. There is the part of the 1st Battn. War Diary on the mother site. Do you have enlistment papers for the Foresters? Could it be that he'd served his time and was recalled into service at the outbreak of war? The experts will be along soon, cheers, Jon hi jon, thanks for the reply, unfortunately i don't have any enlistment details although on the 1901 census he is listed as a 17 yr old Fitter... thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 4 December , 2007 Share Posted 4 December , 2007 Hi Tim, what makes you think he was a Forester? cheers, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsanders Posted 4 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 December , 2007 Hi Tim, what makes you think he was a Forester? cheers, Jon i believe he enrolled in derby, and the fact he was among the first to leave for france/belgium lines up with the foresters timeline... my dad seems pretty sure he was a forester also but i haven't found concrete evidence to support this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
privatewickham Posted 4 December , 2007 Share Posted 4 December , 2007 Hi Tim, Being a Derby lad meself this caught my eye. Just had a quick look at his MIC http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...Edoc_Id=5209008 Sometimes it will list their "original" regiment and number there. In this case however there is no reference to the Foresters. I know from my own research into my great Grandfather that the original regiment isnt always on the MIC index search (He enlisted into the Buffs but was killed serving in 1/6 Royal Warwickshire, but only the Warwickshire Reg is shown on the MIC) If it is a fact that he enlisted in Derby certainly suggests that he would have been in the Foresters originally. However looking at the fact that he was killed so early in the conflict, coupled with the fact his regimental number is so low, it points to him serving in the Northumberland Fusiliers originally. I think your best bet may well be to see if his service record exists at the National Archives, and that it wasn't obliterated by the Luftwaffe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsanders Posted 4 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 December , 2007 yes, just looked at his mic, the qualifying date is 13-8-14 is this the official date of death or something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon6640 Posted 4 December , 2007 Share Posted 4 December , 2007 yes, just looked at his mic, the qualifying date is 13-8-14 is this the official date of death or something else? I think it's his date of entry into theatre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsanders Posted 5 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 December , 2007 thanks Jon, can anyone shed any light on which battalion he entered the war with and subsequently which battle he was wounded in? thanks for the information thus far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay dubaya Posted 5 December , 2007 Share Posted 5 December , 2007 Hi Tim, the date is that of the embarkation of the 1st Battalion from Southampton, they landed the next day at Le Harve. Have you read the diary on the mother site (click on bold type in my last post) it does go on to say that the diary records all casualties, but alas Abner is not mentioned in this transcript. The regimental museum and the national archives both hold copies of the full diary. cheers, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmoha Posted 5 December , 2007 Share Posted 5 December , 2007 I am that bored at work, that I have downloaded the War diary for Oct. Pte 457 Sanders was listed as wounded on 14/10/14. 3 men were killed and 8 others, plus Abner, were wounded that day. This action was part of an attack by the 8th Brigade on BOIS de VILLE which had begun on the 13/10 and was restarted on the afternoon of the 14th. The objective was secured on the 14th according to the diary. So, Abner was with the 1st Battalion and seems to have evacuated to Aldershot where he DoW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsanders Posted 5 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 December , 2007 thanks for this, much appreciated! tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 5 December , 2007 Share Posted 5 December , 2007 No record of him having been in the Sherwood Foresters according to Roll. stevem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 5 December , 2007 Share Posted 5 December , 2007 He is commemorated on the Alfreton war memorial. Enlisting in Derby does not necessarily suggest a Forester enlistment. This is, I agree, the most likely (the local regiment etc.), but far from a certainty. As Steve has said, there appears to be no evidence of him having served with the Foresters. A Northumberland expert might see something in his number, which is very low. I would imagine that he was not old enough for such a number (in the Foresters this would indicate enlistment way before 1900). Does this suggest some kind of reservist as suggested earlier? As he was 17 in 1901, a Forester connection could be earlier and unrelated to WWI, e.g. a member of the pre-1908 volunteers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsanders Posted 6 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2007 thanks for all the info, it's been a great help tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 6 December , 2007 Share Posted 6 December , 2007 yes, just looked at his mic, the qualifying date is 13-8-14 is this the official date of death or something else? It will be the date of arrival in theatre. I can't speak for the 1st NF of 3rd Division, but that date cannot apply to any Sherwood Forester battalion. The earliest arrival was the 2nd Battalion of the SF (6th Division) on 10-9-1914. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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