South Staffordshire Regiment - 1/6th (T.F.) Battalion

[jnorthall]

Could someone tell me where the above regiment were in October 1915?

I am particularly interested in 13th October - am I right in thinking they would have been part of the renewed offensive at Loos?

[Chris_Baker]

JRN, it was one of the biggest days in their history - the attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt. Search on that here or on Google - there is loads of material out there.

[n cherry]

Could someone tell me where the above regiment were in October 1915?

I am particularly interested in 13th October - am I right in thinking they would have been part of the renewed offensive at Loos?

Yes correct took part in the abortive attack of the 46th NM Division to try and take the Hohenzollern Redoubt....on the 13th October 1915.

There is a chapter in the book Most Unfavouable Ground about this attack including if I recall correctly Brigade Orders....

Hope this helps.....were you looking for a particular man or just general interest?

[jnorthall]

Thanks Chris!

It was the death of a Corporal Charles Northall that got my attention.  Don't think he was a relative but he was born in Dudley which isn't a million miles from where my family are from.

Regiment, Corps etc :South Staffordshire Regiment

Battalion/etc: 1/6th (T.F.) Battalion.

Surname: Northall

Christian Name: Charles Stewart

Born: Dudley, Worcs

Enlisted: Wolverhampton

Residence

Rank: CPL.

Number: 3461

Died Date: 13/10/1915

Died How: Killed in action

Theatre of War: France & Flanders

[connaughtranger]

Hi

In the 6th Battalion South Staffs history there is the complete Operation Order No 20 dated 10/10/15, No 22 on 11/10/15 and No 23 undated all referring to the attack on the 13th. These 3 Orders take up 11 pages of the history; the account of the attack by the 6th South Staffs is comfortably described in 30 lines!

It also details the survivors at the roll the following morning

The CO

A Co: 1 officer, 2 sergeants & 27 ORs

B Co: 1 officer, 5 sergeants & 71 ORs

C Co: 0 officer, 5 sergeants & 63 ORs

D Co: 1 officer, 4 sergeants & 96 ORs

Casualties 18 officers, 9 sergeants & 447 ORs

Martin

[Doug Lewis]

JRN

Corporal Charles Stewert Northall was born in Dudley but lived and enlisted in Wolverhampton, he was the first Wolverhampton Corporation Employee to be killed in the war.

He is commemorated on a memorial in St Peters Church Wolverhampton see here http://www.wolverhamptonwarmemorials.org.u...r_memorials.htm

There is a photograph and article on him in the Express & Star newspaper of 23 October 1915.

Regards Doug.

[Tunneller]

The 13th October became a day of mourning in Staffordshire and was known as the great charge. The 1/6 South went over and were decimated , the 1/6 North followed with a similar result. The attack took place at 2pm following a brief bombardment. The lads had spent the night fighting through the communication trenches to reach their jump off positions and all had little sleep.

A sad day for Staffordshire.

Jim

[jnorthall]

Thanks all!

I'm planning on going to the Staffs Museum at Whittington Barracks in the next few weeks so I suppose it'll be a little more poignant now.

[stubriscoe]

JRN,

further to the information supplied previously, on my site I have transcribed some of the Battalion War diaries, including October 1915. My site is here.

Stuart

[jnorthall]

Thanks Stuart!

[Guest Swallowman]

Thanks Chris!

It was the death of a Corporal Charles Northall that got my attention. Don't think he was a relative but he was born in Dudley which isn't a million miles from where my family are from.

Regiment, Corps etc :South Staffordshire Regiment

Battalion/etc: 1/6th (T.F.) Battalion.

Surname: Northall

Christian Name: Charles Stewart

Born: Dudley, Worcs

Enlisted: Wolverhampton

Residence

Rank: CPL.

Number: 3461

Died Date: 13/10/1915

Died How: Killed in action

Theatre of War: France & Flanders

Charles Northall would have been my great-uncle had he survived. My late father born in 1920 was named Charles in his memory by his mother, Charles's sister. His brother William was badly wounded in the same action but survived well into his 80's as I remember him very well.