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Great War Roll of Honour - Belper War Memorial. Faded names carved on a piece of stone, we stand in front of every Remembrance Sunday and say ‘We will remember’ but do we? Who were these men, what did they do at work and play, how did they die and where? On the warm and sunny Monday morning of 29th June 1914 people in Belper reading their newspaper might have noticed that in some obscure Balkan country an Austrian Archduke and Duchess had been assassinated. They probably never imagined that that it was the first action in a chain of events that a few weeks later would result in the Great War. The effect that the Great War had on a small close knit community like Belper is immeasurable, there could not have been many people, if any, unaffected by some family or personal tragedy in the town, for instance the choir of St Peter‘s Church lost in total seven of its members. These are the stories of the men named on the Belper War Memorial who died in the Great War, it doesn’t include the hundreds of men from the Belper area who served in the Great War and survived, but who were mentally, and or physically scarred for life. Besides the almost one million British men killed there were two and a half million wounded including 40,000 amputees. They were just ordinary people caught up in world-shattering events. Thirty six of the men named on the Belper Memorial died during the Battle of the Somme from Saturday 1st July 1916 to 18th November 1916. Fourteen of the 36 died on the first day of the Battle of the Somme most of them within minutes of leaving the trenches. The cost of Saturday 1st July 1916 was truly horrendous in one short day the British Army suffered 57,470 casualties with a staggering 19,240 killed. On the eve of July 1st 1916 a Belper soldier, Private Walter Pepper of the 5th Sherwood’s wrote a poignant and heartrending letter to his wife back in Belper; Dearest, …….I could not rest without saying goodbye, happen for the last time…...but I want you to cheer up and be brave for the children’s sake. We must put our trust in God and hope for the best - to come safely through. We go over in the morning and I am in the first line. They are giving them a terrific bombardment….. It is simply hell upon earth here. My last thoughts will be with you at home as we are stepping over the trenches. May God watch over me and guard me and bring me safely through. The main problem with researching the men is that they died over 90 years ago, a lot of the military records were destroyed, ironically in the blitz during the Second World War plus the ’class system’ ensured that Officer’s deaths were, in most cases, well recorded but the ‘ordinary’ Private soldier or NCO were recorded as ’Other Ranks’. However in death each soldier of the British Empire gained the equality denied to them in life, each was worth the same be he a Lord or the Servant of a Lord he was given the same headstone 32 inches high by fifteen inches across. The research is ongoing…………

Private 10072 Charles Adderley Inns of Court Officer Training Corps (The Devil's Own). Died from ‘cerebral trouble’ at the Kings College Hospital Camberwell London on Tuesday 23rd October 1917 aged 33, he had been transferred to the Kings College Hospital from the Aylesbury Hospital. Charles joined the Inns of Court Officer Training Corp on Friday 1st December 1916 and served in A Company he then went to No. 14 Officer Cadet battalion on Tuesday 30th January 1917. On Monday 28th September 1914, the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps moved to Berkhamsted and remained throughout the war. 12,000 officers were trained, and a memorial on Berkhamsted Common remembers the 2,000 who trained there never returned from the war. Charles was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours and is also named on the St. Alkmund's Church war memorial on Kedleston Road in Derby. Born in Belper in 1885 enlisting in Pontefract Charles was the son of the late William Adderley, a Collector of poor rate in Belper for 21 years, and Harriet Adderley, of Belper, he was the husband of Margaret Burton (formerly Adderley), of 19 St. Alkmund's Churchyard, Derby, they had two children. Charles was employed as a Clerk at the County Court Office in Pontefract but had previously been employed at the County Court Office Belper.

Second Lieutenant Randall Arthur Alcock 7th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment Killed in action near Flers on Sunday 1st September 1918 aged 32 during the British army’s advance of August-September 1918. Randall is buried in the Bancourt British Cemetery France. Randall is also commemorated on the Alfreton War Memorial, he was the son of John Alcock a Railway Carrier and Lucy Alcock, of 9, Albert St., Belper.

Private 116038 George Henry Allsopp 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on Sunday 1st September 1918 aged 21 near Gauche Wood during an attack on the German Trenches at Lechelle during the Second Battle of Bapaume. This attack was met by an extremely stubborn German defence, with machine gun fire and bombing attacks driving the British back out of the wood. George has no known grave is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial France. This Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8th August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave. The battle of Bapaume, 21st August-3rd September, was the second phase of the battle of Amiens, this British offensive is often taken to be the turning point of the First World War on the Western Front. George was the son of George Henry Allsopp a Plumber and Clara Allsopp, of 6, Joseph St., Belper.

Private 2647 William Allwood ‘F’ Company 5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters died of wounds on Friday 19th November 1915 aged 26, his wounds were received by an explosion of a German shell in the trenches near to the Boar's Head, a salient of the German lines, at Richebourg l’Avoue, which was a particularly dangerous piece of the front line. He had been hospitalised with internal and leg problems. The Boar’s Head was so named because the westward pointing salient it created looked like the head of a boar. It was particularly dangerous for units occupying the line here, this salient had given the Germans the upper hand and had enabled them to lay enfilade fire on forward trenches, patrols in No Man’s Land and wiring parties. William is buried in the St. Vaast Post Military Cemetery Richebourg-l'Avoue France. William was resident at 25 St Johns Road, Belper and enlisted in Belper in 1914 joining "F" Company. He also had three brothers who served, Thomas, Arthur and Frederick they all survived the war. Before the war William was employed at the Hartshay Colliery.

William Allwood’s MIC and a letter of Thanks from his Mother for the return of his effects.

Private 4608 George Herbert Alton 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) died of wounds on Tuesday 28th March 1916 aged 34 at The 42nd Casualty Clearing Station, he was wounded on Sunday 25th March and died three days later. George had ten separate wounds, received on Saturday 25th March near Hooge, Ypres, he was in the grenade section of the Sherwood Foresters. Just after midnight on the 25th March the Germans fired a mine in front of the trench being held by the 5th Battalion. The Germans occupied the crater. The 5th counter-attacked at 8pm the same evening with a party of bombers (grenadiers) with a Lewis gun covering them from the right. This was a ’small’ action from which neither side gained anything but it cost the 5th Battalion 11 men killed, 5 missing and 51 wounded. .George was one of the wounded but succumbed to his injuries 3 days later, he was buried in the Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension. The Casualty Clearing Station was part of the casualty evacuation chain, further back from the front line than the Aid Posts and Field Ambulances. Born and resident in Belper and enlisted in November 1915 in Derby. George worked at the Denby Furnaces and was the husband of Ada Potter (formerly Alton), of 9, Canada St., Belper they had three children aged in 1916 7years, 4 years and 1 year 9 months. He was the son of Mr Thomas and Mrs Alice Alton of Holbrook Road Belper, and was a member of the Cow Hill Primitive Methodist Chapel.

Private M/282557 Thomas Alton 623rd M.T. Company Army Service Corps. Died at the Kings College Hospital London on Thursday 1st February 1917 aged 34. The 623rd M.T. Company was formed on Sunday 2nd January 1916 and disbanded on Friday 13th June 1919. Based in London it undertook the roll of 3rd Kite Balloon Section (MT) and 31st Local Auxiliary (MT) Company (Railway Assistance). Thomas was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours. Thomas was the son of George and Mary Alton, of Heage, Belper and the husband of Alathea M. Y. Weston (formerly Alton), of 38, Swinney Lane, Belper. In 1901 Thomas was a Groom.

Corporal 681 Stephen Annable 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) died of wounds at 1:00am on Tuesday 8th June 1915 aged 27. He is buried in the Loker (formerly Locre) Churchyard Belgium. Loker Churchyard was used by field ambulances and fighting units for burials from December 1914 to June 1917. Born and enlisted in Belper Stephen was the husband of Susannah Jones (formerly Annable), of Guide Post, Nether Heage, Derbyshire. Newspaper Article Brave Belper soldier killed Corporal Stephen Annable As fine a specimen of the true British soldier as one could wish to meet died of wounds received in action in the western campaign in the person of Corporal Stephen Annable,5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters and of Field Head Terrace, Belper The deceased had been in the Territorial’s about Eight years, and was mobilized with the Belper company at the beginning of the war. After a period of training in England he crossed the channel with the troops of the North Midland Division and at the time he was wounded he was superintending trench construction work in which he is said to have excelled, Corporal Annable who was 27 years of age leaves a wife and three little children. Before the war he was employed at the Hartshay Colliery. The heroic fight which Corporal Annable made against a insidious bullet wound is set out in letters from Lieutenant G.T.Aldous, the officer commanding his company and the Wesleyan Chaplain the Reverend E.Stanley Bishop. On June 4th the former wrote to Mrs Annable:- "I am extremely sorry to tell you that your husband was wounded in the trenches yesterday rather seriously, but at present we have every reason to hope he will get over it all right. He was hit at dawn just has he had come off a piece of trench work he was superintending, work at which he is particularly clever. Unfortunately he could not be moved out of the trench until night, but everything possible was done to make him comfortable, he was very quite and patient. I told him I would write and tell you ,as he will not be able to write for a time but as I said we have every reason to hope that he will recover, though it is a serious wound, I will write again when I hear our he is getting on, but of course, they move the wounded right back from the firing line and I dare say he will be taken to England. I hope he will soon come back to us as I shall miss him very much from my platoon. He is one of my best men."

On June 8th Lieutenant Aldous penned the following lines to Mrs Annable:- "You will have heard by this time that your husband died this morning. Mr Bishop the Chaplain will have written to you about it better than I can, but I would just like to write you a line to say how much we of his company feel his loss. I quite hoped when I wrote to you before that he would get over it .He made a splendid fight for it, but the wound was to serious. I went to see him in hospital twice, he was brave and patient all through, I know you will be feeling just now as if nothing could make up for this terrible loss, but it will console you some day knowing he lost his life fighting for his country and that he did his duty so bravely. He was buried this afternoon in a little country church yard. The captain, myself, and many of his comrades following him to his grave." Lieutenant Aldous later promoted to Captain was himself killed on 25 th March 1916.

Two letters were also received from the Rev.E.Stanley Bishop Wesleyan Chaplin. The first stated that Corporal Annable bore his wound like a "brave and true soldier" and we give the following extracts from the second, written after his death. "Stephen died at one o'clock this morning (8th inst) he sank rapidly last night and we could see that the end was not far off. We gave him a soldiers funeral with all the honours we could pay to a brave comrade. We send our deepest sympathy in losing this man of whom we were so proud, and who was such an example in his patient suffering."

Lieutenant Hunter in whose company, Corporal Annable served before being transferred to that of Lieutenant Aldous wrote to the deceased's mother, on June 8th as follows;- "I am writing to tell you how sorry I am to hear that your son died in hospital yesterday from a wound he received a few days back, when in the trenches. As you probably know he was moved from the Belper company some time ago. So I only heard of his wound this morning. We all officers and his men of his old company, feel his loss very much indeed and wish to convey to you our most sincere sympathy, Captain Naylor attended his funeral this afternoon. He was buried in the battalion cemetery and his grave will be marked with a cross on which will be printed his name, regiment, and date with the words "DIED OF WOUNDS.

Stephen Annable.

Serjeant 261959 Harold Arnold 2nd/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Killed in action on Thursday 26th April 1917 aged 22 by shellfire at Jeancourt. Harold is buried in the Jeancourt Communal Cemetery Extension France. He was the son of Mrs. Ann Bagley, of 79, Lansdowne Rd., Swadlincote, Burton-on-Trent. Born at Stoke on Trent resident at Fleet House in Belper. Harold enlisted on the Sunday 6th November 1915 at 5 feet 5 inches in height With a ‘partial loss of middle finger, left hand‘. Served in France from Monday 26th February 1917 Promotions: Acting Lance Corporal on Monday 3rd July 1916, Acting Corporal on Saturday 17th February 1917 Serjeant on Monday 9th April 1917 Personal effects returned to Harold’s mother. Letters and photos, a pocket wallet, a diary, fountain pen, cigarette case, cigarette holder, locket, gold watch, shoulder titles, gold ring, scarf, writing pad, knife, sleeping helmet, fork, key, razor, two combs, holdall, scissors, shaving brush, two button sticks, button brush, two tooth brushes. Prior to enlistment Harold was an assistant teacher at Belper National School under Mr Gee.

Private 2402 Arthur Ashton 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on Sunday 7th November 1915 aged 19, shot by a sniper in the trenches in front of Richebourg I‘Avone. He had been slightly wounded a few months before and had been assigned to the Royal Army Medical Corp. on light duties. Arthur was buried in the Rue-des-Berceaux Military Cemetery Richebourg-L'Avoue France. His remains were exhumed and buried here after the Armistice from the battlefield in the neighbourhood. Arthur enlisted in Derby in October 1914 and was born in Bourne, Lincolnshire. He had been a resident in Belper since 1913 lodging with Mrs Page of Brookside. He was a Porter with the Midland Railway at Belper station

Private 27371 David Johnson Barber 7th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry died in Salonika Saturday 7th April 1917 aged 31. He is buried in the Salonika Lembet Road Cemetery Thessalonika Greece. David was the son of William Barber a Farmer and Licensed Victualler and Ruth Ellen Barber, of West Hallam, Derbyshire and the husband of Lilian J. Barber, of York Cottage, Wyver Lane, Belper they had two young children. Before enlisting David had been a cashier at the London City and Midland Bank in Belper and was well known locally as a fine cricketer.

David Barber.

Rifleman 43041 Thomas William Barker 10th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles killed in action on Thursday 26th July 1917 by shellfire on the Messines Ridge during the Battle of Messines aged 23. He had been wounded twice before, once by shrapnel in the arm, and then shrapnel wounds to the head after which he was hospitalised in the Military Hospital Oswaldtwistle Lancashire but he recovered and returned to the frontline. Thomas is buried in Derry House Cemetery Wytschaete Belgium. The cemetery was named after a farm, which had been nicknamed "Derry House" by soldiers of the Royal Irish Rifles. Thomas was the youngest son of Mrs. Martha Barker and the late Mr John Barker, of High St., Belper, before enlisting he had worked for Holden and Sons and was a member of the Congregational Church.

Thomas Barker.

Captain Raymond Theodore Frederick Barnett M.B.E, R.A.M.C. (T.F.) enlisted as a Corporal in the Royal Engineers at the start of the war. Born in Swindon Wilts 1889 birth registered Highworth Wilts son of Frederick W Barnett a Railway Guard and Emma Barnett. Prior to enlisting Raymond was chemistry master at the Herbert Strutt School. He died on Thursday 12th February 1920 aged 31 his death was registered in Conway North Wales and he is buried in the Dwygyfylchi Churchyard. His address given at his death was Pendyffryn Hall which was a tuberculosis sanatorium. It looks likely that Raymond contracted TB during the war and decided to spend the rest of his days in North Wales. Men whose deaths are linked to their service were entitled to be regarded as “war deaths”, even if they died after discharge. In fact the Commonwealth War Graves Commission still considers cases brought to its attention even though it is over 90 years since the war ended. His gravestone reads; IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR BROTHER CAPT RAYMOND F T BARNETT BSc MBE DIED FEB 20TH 1920 AGED 31. "HE NOBLY ANSWERED DUTY'S CALL AND GAVE HIS LIFE FOR ONE AND ALL" Raymond Theodore Frederick Barnett gained a commission of Lieutenant within the RAMC on the 25th September 1917, he is listed in the 1918 Army List as serving with the 2nd London Sanitary Company. The Sanitary Company’s seemed to get involved in all sorts of things: testing water quality; carrying out all manner of bacteriology and other scientific tests and experiments often on chemicals recovered from enemy trenches during trench raids. He gained an award from the King of Italy;

The London Gazette, Of TUESDAY, the 26 th OCTOBER, 1920. Order of the Crown of Italy. Cavalier. Lieutenant Raymond Theodore Fred Barnett, Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorial Force).

Private 3839 John Bates 2nd/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) died in Idridgehay on Monday 13th December 1915 aged 32. John is buried in Kirk Ireton (Holy Trinity) Churchyard Wirksworth Rd. Wirksworth. John was born in Bolton Lancashire but was resident in Belper he was a Stove Fitter and was the son of John Bates a Baker and Martha Alice Bates and the husband of Rose Bates, of 32, Mill St., Belper.

Driver 85097 Samuel Wood Bath "A" Battery. 106th Brigade. Royal Field Artillery. Died of a bullet wound to his mouth and neck in the 3rd Canadian Hospital Boulogne on Sunday 5th August 1917 aged 37. He is buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery France. Samuel enlisted in February 1915 and was the husband of Florence Amelia Bath, of 1, Cemetery Rd., Belper (they had three children the youngest being two years old at the time of Samuel‘s death). He was the son of Joseph Bath of 57 Penn Street Belper. Samuel was formerly a jeweller who had a shop in High Street Belper and later a confectionery and grocery shop at Field Head, he was a member of the Primitive Methodist Church. His brother Alonzo also served on the Western Front with the Motor Transport Corp.

Private 70220 George Edward Belfield 17th Battalion (Welbeck Rangers) Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Killed in action in the Ypres Salient on Friday 16th March 1917 aged 29. He is buried in the Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Born in Belper George enlisted in Ripley and was resident in Alfreton, he was the husband of Mrs. E. Bradshaw (formerly Belfield) of 6 Park Street Alfreton Derbyshire.

Private 317145 Samuel Arthur Belfield 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment Killed in Action at the First Battle of Ypres on Saturday 31st October 1914 aged 24. Samuel was awarded the 1914 Star, British War Medal & Victory Medal. There is also mention of a clasp this is a bronze clasp worn with the 1914 Star inscribed - 5th August - 22nd November 1914 - and was issued to those who had been under fire during that period. On 25th-26th October 1914 the focus of the German attacks turned south, against the 7th Division on the Menin Road. On 26th October part of the line crumbled under the impact of yet another German attack, but once again enough reserves were found to block the gap and give the retreating units time to withdraw. The 2nd Battalion were at Roberts Heights near Pretoria (South Africa) at the outbreak of war and were immediately recalled to England, landing at Southampton on 19th September 1914. Having refitted for European warfare, the Division left Southampton at 8am 5th October on the S.S. Winifredian and after a brief stop at Dover for supplies, landed in Zeebrugge at 6.30am on the 7th October. The Division moved almost 40 miles south to meet the rest of the army and on the 18th October 1914, around the 10Km marker stone on the Ypres-Menin road, they met the German Army for the first time in a brief skirmish. The following day saw the Division attack Menin. Extract from the Regimental Diary for the Bedfordshire Regiment 31/10/1914. ‘31 Oct 1914 - near Inverness Copse Early in the morning about 2.30 A.M. orders were received to occupy a small fir wood about 250 yards in front of our line which was then held by Loyal North Lancashire.Regiment. Captain Lemon & 2 platoons of C Company were ordered to hold this position. This wood had been subjected to heavy shell fire from two sides during the previous day. Shell fire started as soon as it was light. It soon became evident that the enemy were advancing in force on the left of the wood held by Captain Lemon & also on the right. The Adjutant went to report the situation to Brigade H.Q.& almost immediately on his return to Battalion H.Q. 2 orderlies arrived with an order from the Brigadier to retire fighting towards MENIN-YPRES Road. Part of the Battalion moved back in compliance of this order. An order was sent to Captain Lemon to retire from the fir wood upon the Battalion. Part of the Battalion remained in the trenches till late in the afternoon about 4.30 p.m. the losses were very severe on this day‘. The C.O. Major J.M.Traill & 2nd in Command Major R.P.Stares remained in the trenches & were shot at short range. Lieut.Peterson was killed in the fir wood. Lieut.Gott was wounded in the Fir wood. Captain A.B.Lemon was twice wounded in the fir wood & captured. Captain C.S.Garnet Botfield was severely wounded. 2/Lieut.W.Dixon wounded. Captain E.H.Lyddon missing. Lieut.Anderson missing. The Battalion strength on night October 31st-1st November was 4 officers, 350-400 other ranks. 4 officers were Captain & Adjutant C.C.Foss. 2/Lieut.B.H.Waddy. Lieut.S.D.Mills, Transport Officer. Captain & Quarter Master H.Cressingham A short line was taken up and entrenched. The original soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Bedfordshire’s were amongst the "Old Contemptibles" - the title proudly adopted by the men of the BEF who saw service before 22nd November 1914. They were the professional soldiers of the British Army, and most were regular soldiers or reservists. They took their honourable title from the famous "Order of the Day" given by Kaiser Wilhelm II at his headquarters in Aix-la-Chapelle on the 19th August, 1914 - "It is my Royal and Imperial Command that you concentrate your energies, for the immediate present upon one single purpose, and that is that you address all your skill and all the valour of my soldiers to exterminate first the treacherous English; walk over General French's contemptible little Army." Samuel has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Ypres Belgium. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Bedford Samuel was the Husband of Ethel Belfield, of 7, Chesterfield Rd., Belper, they had one daughter Gerty.

Private 26676 Allan Bembridge 16th Battalion (Chatsworth Rifles) Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action in The Battle of the Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916 aged 24, his age is listed in military records as 24, however he enlisted in 1914 at the age of 16, which would have made his real age when he died 18. On Saturday 1st July 1916, the weather was hot with an early morning mist when at 7:30am supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of Commonwealth forces launched an offensive on a line from north of Gommecourt to Maricourt. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met unexpectedly fierce resistance. Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal advances on the southern flank, the initial attack was a disastrous failure. The 1st/5th Battalion went over the top at Gommecourt and was cut to ribbons. They suffered particularly badly. 184 men and 11 Officers were killed. The net gain that day was effectively zero. "Our Battalion got cut up very badly. As soon as we got on top of the parapet they began to drop like rabbits; we were caught by crossfire from machine guns. There would be ten times as many wounded as killed. I had to bandage myself up as best I could and then creep back to the dressing station. We crept past many who were dead or dying. When we got to the dressing station we were taken away by the red cross ambulance. I can tell you it was awful, and I never witnessed anything like it before." Private A Reynolds. Allan, like so many others on that terrible day, has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. Born and enlisted in Belper Allan was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bembridge, of 3, Nottingham Rd., Belper, and prior to enlisting was employed at the Park Foundry. One of three brothers killed, John who was killed on the same day, and Arthur who was killed in October 1916. A fourth brother Percy survived the war, although he did spend some months in hospital with back injuries due to falling when an upper floor collapsed in a building in which he was sheltering.

Private 26676 Arthur Bembridge 16th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on Tuesday 10th October 1916 aged 24. The Battalion were ordered to make an attack on the German held portion of the Schwaben Redoubt, which was a German strongpoint consisting of a mass of gun emplacements, trenches and tunnels, this warren of defensive works helped anchor the German line on the Somme until late 1916. The attacking companies had gone half way across No Mans Land when they were swept by German machine gun fire. "B" Coy (with one platoon from 17th Sherwood Foresters) reached its objective and consolidated the captured trench but suffered heavy casualties. "C" Coy were held up by wire in front of the German trench, while "D" Coy were held up by heavy machine gun fire. The fighting lasted about 2 hours by which time the attacking troops were exhausted and they were eventually forced back. Casualties to the 16th Battalion during the assault on the Schwaben Redoubt were very heavy, comprising 13 Officers and 224 Men. Arthur has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. Arthur had spent some months in 1916 in hospital in England suffering from pneumonia but recovered and rejoined his unit in France. Born and resident in Belper Arthur enlisted in Derby and was the son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Bembridge, a Stone Quarryman of 3, Nottingham Rd., Belper. One of three brothers killed, Allan who was killed on the same day as his brother John. A fourth brother Percy survived the war, although he did spend some months in hospital with back injuries due to falling when an upper floor collapsed in a building in which he was sheltering. Arthur lived with his sister Mrs Varney on Nottingham Road Belper.

Private 24201 John Bembridge 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters killed in action on Saturday 1st July 1916 aged 28 he was attached to the machine gun section of the Sherwood Foresters. The 1st/5th Battalion went over the top at Gommecourt and was cut to ribbons. They suffered particularly badly. 184 men and 11 Officers were killed. The net gain that day was effectively zero. John has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. One of three brothers killed, Allan who was killed on the same day, and Arthur who was killed in October 1916. A fourth brother Percy survived the war, although he did spend some months in hospital with back injuries due to falling when an upper floor collapsed in a building in which he was sheltering. John lived with his sister Mrs H Spencer of Parkside Belper.

Private 201212 Albert Beresford 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on Sunday 24th June 1917 aged 19 by a shell during an attack on German trenches at Lens. Albert is buried in the Maroc British Cemetery Grenay France on Tuesday 26th June 1917. During the greater part of the war this was a front-line cemetery used by fighting units and field ambulances, and protected from German observation by a slight rise in the ground. Albert was the son of Mr Albert and Mrs Anne Beresford of Cow Hill Belper, his father Mr Albert Beresford senior had worked at Denby Colliery but suffered severe injuries during an accident at the pit in 1911, which left his son Albert the main wage earner in the family. Albert had enlisted in Belper in February 1915 at the age of 17 previously he was employed at Denby Colliery and was a well known local footballer playing for St Swithuns. Gunner 84956 George Alexander Berkin Royal Field Artillery died on Saturday 10th February 1915 in Kilmarnock aged 29. He was travelling to Glasgow by train after joining the army, the train stopped at Kilmarnock, he got off the train to get some refreshment. The train however started as he returned to the platform and as he attempted to board the train he slipped between the carriage and the platform, sustaining a broken arm, a broken jaw and other facial injuries. He was taken to Kilmarnock Hospital but died a few days later. The body was conveyed to Belper by the kindness of a colonel of a Scottish regiment who was billeted nearby. He was buried in Belper Cemetery with full military honours. George was the son of Mr and Mrs Luke Berkin of George Street Belper his father Luke was a Blacksmiths Striker. In 1901 George was a Drapers Errand Boy.

Private 59406 Harry Birkin (Berkin) 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Died of pneumonia at the 17th Casualty Clearing Station at 6:20am on Friday 13th July 1917 aged 36. He had been in hospital for 6 days. Harry is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Belgium Born in Belper in 1881 he was resident in Belper, Harry enlisted in Derby in August 1916 and was the son of Luke Berkin a Blacksmiths Striker and Jessie Berkin who lived in Swiney Lane Belper in 1901 when Harry was a Carriage Frame Fitter, however before enlisting he had been employed on the Strutt‘s estate as a painter.

Harry Birkin’s (Berkin) Medal Index Card.

Gunner 90582 William Blackham Royal Field Artillery 5th Battery. 45th Brigade. Died of wounds on Friday 4th December 1917 aged 40, caused by a shell burst while leaving the guns for a rest period. He is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery Belgium. For much of the First World War, Vlamertinghe (now Vlamertinge) was just outside the normal range of German shell fire and the village was used both by artillery units and field ambulances. William was the third son of Edward Blackham a Gardener and Maria Blackham, of 9, The Scotches, Belper. William had been a regular soldier joining the RGA at the age of 17 in 1894 and had served in India for twelve years. As a boy, before enlisting at 17, he had worked for Mr W S Bowler a chemist and the late Mr Bacon, locally known as the ’Cow Doctor’. He had two brother’s who served, Joseph and Herbert who both survived the war.

Corporal 6148 James Blagg Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. Died of a machine gun bullet wound to his stomach at the No 5 Casualty Clearing Station on Saturday 10th August 1918 aged 36. James is buried in the Crouy British Cemetery Crouy-Sur-Somme France. He was wounded on Thursday 8th August 1918. This cemetery was used between April and August 1918 for burials from the 5th Casualty Clearing Station. James was born in Leeds on Saturday 17th June 1882. His next of kin was his Auntie Mrs Lucy Harrison of Belper Lane, Belper. Before enlisting at *Valcartier Quebec Canada on Friday 25th September 1914 James was a Farrier. At the time of his enlistment James was 5 foot ten inches tall had blue eyes and black hair and a waist measurement of 41 inches. *At the outbreak of World War 1 in 19l4, a large section of the Township of Valcartier was selected by the Canadian Federal Government as a site for a Military Training Camp. He had been in Canada since 1909 were he had worked as a blacksmith. Corporal WR/256137 Charles Frederick Bloor 14th Light Railway Operating Company Royal Engineers killed in action at Poperinghe on Tuesday 13th August 1918. Although the British army on the Western Front used the French standard gauge railways to move men, equipment and supplies along the lines of communication from the Channel Ports to the Divisional railheads from the earliest days of the Great War, it relied largely on horsed transport and manual effort to move it from the railhead to the front lines. The formation of the RE Light Railways companies in early 1917 was innovation that was one of the factors that transformed the operational abilities of the army. Goods and men could now make the last leg of the journey to the front by light rail. The 14th Light Railway Operating Company Royal Engineers arrived in France on Tuesday 22nd May 1917. Charles is buried in the Hagle Dump Cemetery Belgium.

Private 200141 Albert Blount 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916 aged 26. On 1st July 1916 the 139th Brigade went over the top at Gommecourt and was cut to ribbons. The 1/5th Battalion suffered particularly badly. 184 men and 11 Officers were killed. "When we moved up for our attack we found that many of these [trenches] had been hit by German shells, killing or wounding the men inside. That place was full of dead men, torn-off limbs and badly wounded who begged for help, but we dared not stop. The communication trench almost ran with blood that morning. While we were waiting in our front line to go over, a German machine-gun was spraying the top of the trench, flicking up dirt from the parapet." Private F W Turner Albert has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. Albert was born and enlisted in Belper and was the son of Mr and Mrs Herbert Blount of Mill Lane Belper prior to enlisting Albert worked at the Hartsay Colliery Ripley, he was single.

Private 70205 James William Blount 17th Battalion ('Welbeck Rangers') Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action by a piece of shrapnel at Ypres on Sunday 17th June 1917 aged 21. James had previously been wounded in the head in October 1916 and had been invalided back to England and treated at Leeds Hospital before returning to the frontline He is buried in the Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery Belgium James was the son of John George and Emma Elizabeth Blount (nee Annable), of 73, Penn St., Belper, he enlisted in Belper on Saturday 10th October 1914. Before enlisting James was employed at Denby Colliery and was a member of the Primitive Methodist Church. His mother’s brother Stephen Annable was killed on Tuesday 8th June 1915.

James Blount’s Memorial Card.

Private 40960 William Bond 1st Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers formerly 10305 Training Reserve. Killed in action at Langemarck on Friday 5th October 1917 aged 30. William has no known grave and is commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial Belgium. Born in Belper in 1887 he enlisted in Derby on Friday 5th January 1917 William was the son of Mr and Mrs Samuel Bond of Penn Street Belper and the husband of Mrs Esther Bond of 106 Nottingham Road Belper they had one infant daughter, before enlisting he was employed at Holden‘s as an upholsterer and was a member of the St Peter‘s Choir.

Private 1615 Charlie Boot 5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on Tuesday 10th October 1916 aged 22. Charles is buried in the Bellacourt Military Cemetery Riviere France Charlie was born and enlisted in Belper and was the son of John George Boot a Blacksmith and Eliza Boot, of 7, Nottingham Rd., Belper.

Serjeant 417436 Ernest Boot 2nd/1st North Midland Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corp. He was killed in action at St Quentin on Thursday 21st March 1918 aged 33. A huge German offensive was launched on Thursday 21st March 1918, following the largest bombardment ever seen on the Western Front. The Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields. Ernest has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial France. This Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21st March to 7th August 1918. The Field Ambulance was a mobile front line medical unit (it was not a vehicle). The theoretical capacity of the Field Ambulance was 150 casualties, but in battle many would simply be overwhelmed by the numbers of incoming casualties. Born in Belper enlisted in Derby resident in Alvaston Ernest was the son of John Boot a Railway Platelayer and Mary Boot, of Belper and the husband of Caroline Boot, of 19, Alvaston St., Alvaston, Derby. In 1901 Ernest was a Druggist Assistant.

Private 17126 William Herbert Boot 1st Battalion Scots Guards killed in action at Cambrai on Friday 27th September 1918 aged 19 during the storming of "Sanders Keep" a German fortification 2 kilometres South-West of the village of Graincourt-les-Havrincourt between the Hermies and Havrincourt roads. It was stormed by the Scots Guards on the 27th September, 1918 William was killed during in this attack. William is buried in the Sanders Keep Military Cemetery Graincourt-les-Havrincourt France. William was born in Belper enlisted in Derby he was the son of Herbert Boot a Laundry Labourer and Emma Boot, of Windmill Lane, Belper.

Gunner 81956 William James Booth 6th Depot Royal Field Artillery. Died on Friday 19th February 1915 aged 15 from Meningitis. He was buried with full military honours in the Glasgow Western Necropolis. The 6th Depot Royal Field Artillery was located in Maryhill Barracks Glasgow which is why he was buried in Glasgow, he is buried in the same grave as Driver Samuel Miles aged 37 from Birmingham who died on Thursday 18th February 1915 and Driver John Taylor aged 25 of Fladbury Worcester. James was of ’big physique’ and therefore although only being 15 years old he was able to pass himself off as an 18 year old. Before enlisting James was an assistant in the Public Benefits Boot Shop. James was the son of William Booth a Joiner with the Midland Railway and Susanna Stuart Booth, of Cemetery Rd., Belper. James Booth’s Grave.

Private 35620 Samuel Bower 17th Battalion ('Welbeck Rangers') Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action in the front line trenches near Thiepval (River section) on Tuesday 17th October 1916 aged 24, during the last few days of The Battle of the Somme. Samuel has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. Samuel enlisted on Monday 7th February 1916 and was the son of Frank Bower who was a Labourer for the Belper UDC and Maria Elizabeth Bower, of Dalley Lane, Belper, Derbyshire. Before the war Samuel was a Communicant at St Faith’s Lane End Belper.

Serjeant 200031 Fred Bowler M.M. 1st/5th Battalion. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action at Gommecourt Wood on the first day of the Battle of Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916 1916 aged 26. On Saturday 1st July 1916 the 139th Brigade went over the top at Gommecourt and was cut to ribbons. The 1/5th Battalion suffered particularly badly. 184 men and 11 Officers were killed. Comprising the main Allied attack on the Western Front during 1916. The Battle of the Somme is famous chiefly on account of the loss of 58,000 British troops (one third of them killed) on the first day of the battle, 1st July 1916. Extract from the Battalion History. ‘Sergt. Bowler, Bombing Sergt., was one of many killed immediately before advancing from the jumping off trench’.

“Personally I have come off lucky. We were sent in the trenches the night before the charge, and we had three bags of bombs to carry, a pair of wire cutters, 200 rounds of bullets, a shovel or pick and we were standing in the trenches all night up to the knees in water. The rum we had did us good, for it was a cold night." Private John Bates Fred was awarded the Military Medal posthumously for ‘gallant action’ at the Hohenzollern Redoubt in 1915. His medal was presented to his widow in the grounds of Nottingham Castle by Sir John Maxwell. He had also seen action at the Battle of Loos. Fred has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. Fred was born in Belper and enlisted in Belper and left for France on Sunday 28th February 1915 he was the Husband of Elizabeth Ann Cotton (formerly Bowler), of High St., Belper, they had no children, and the second son of Mr and Mrs James Bowler of Parkside Belper. Prior to enlisting Fred was employed at Hartshay Pit.

Fred Bowler. Private (Signaller) 41089 George Bowmer 11th Battalion Manchester Regiment Killed in action at Epinoy on Thursday 3rd October 1918 aged 23 by shellfire while holding an outpost in the frontline. He is buried in the Sucrerie Cemetery Epinoy France. Epinoy was captured by the 11th (Northern) Division on Wednesday 27th September 1918 and the cemetery was made by fighting units after the battle. George was the son of Joseph Bowmer a Quarryman and Anne Rebecca Bowmer, of The Hollies, The Green Heage. George was born at Heage, and before enlisting in May 1916 was an assistant at the Heage branch of the Ripley Co-operative Society.

Private 96009 William Brailsford 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on Friday 12th October 1917 aged 23, 300 yards south of the Ypres to Staden railway line. On Friday October the 12th zero hour 5:25am the 10th Battalion attacked the German trenches in front of them at Hazenbrouck. The accompanying creeping barrage was thick and intense and the attack was a complete success, however the Germans made several counter attacks throughout the day which were repulsed but resulted in 171 casualties for the Battalion. William was one of the casualties he was buried by his comrades but as so often happened his grave was obliterated by later shellfire and he has no known grave and is commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial Belgium. The Tyne Cot Memorial is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. He was killed on the same day in the same action as William Loving. William was born Belper enlisted in Belper resident in Belper. He was the youngest son of Mr William Brailsford a Foreman for the Belper UDC.

Second Lieutenant Charles Reginald Brandreth 7th Battalion attached to the 2nd/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action at St Quentin on Thursday 21st March 1918 aged 24. A huge German offensive was launched on Thursday 21st March 1918, following the largest bombardment ever seen on the Western Front. The Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields. Charles has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras France. Charles was the son of Henry Brandreth an assistant Schoolmaster and Martha Brandreth, of Highfield View, Nottingham Rd, Belper. Before joining up Charles was employed by Haynes and Sons grocers of Belper.

1st Class Stoker 312400 John George Brentnall HMS Invincible Royal Navy drowned on Wednesday 31st May 1916 aged 29 during the Battle of Jutland. The Invincible was the last of the three British battle cruisers to be lost during the battle of Jutland, where she was the flagship of Admiral Horace Hood. In May 1916 the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron had been sent to join the Grand Fleet to get some invaluable gunnery practise. This squadron led the advance of the Grand Fleet from Scapa Flow which came close to catching the German High Seas Fleet. At around 6.15 p.m. on the Wednesday 31st of May 1916 HMS Invincible joined in the battle against the German battle cruisers. The Invincible opened fire first at 10,000 yards, disabling the Wiesbadenand and the Pillau, two light cruisers (although the Pillau later escaped). The Invincible also scored two hits on the Lützow, but was exposed to fire from that ship and the Derfflinger. The fifth hit, from Derfflinger, hit the roof of “Q” turret, penetrating the thinner battle cruiser armour. The explosion set fire to the cordite propellant, the flash spread back to the magazine and the ship was blown in half and reports said that she sank within 15 seconds at 6.33pm. ‘Flames shot up from the gallant flagship, and there came again the awful spectacle of a fiery burst, followed by a huge column of dark smoke which, mottled with blackened debris, swelled up hundreds of feet in the air‘. John being a Stoker would have been well below decks so if he survived the explosion he would have had no chance of escape. 61 Officers and 965 men were killed. Only seven of her crew survived. After the war, the wreckage of the Invincible was located by a minesweeper at 57-02-40 N/ 06-07-15.E. 55 metres down. The pieces of the ship rest on a sandy bottom near each other, the stern right-side up and the bow upside-down. The roof of the aft 12 inch turret is missing, the guns still loaded. She is protected as a War Grave. The ship is John’s last resting place and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial which commemorates 9,667 sailors lost during the First World War with no known grave.

HMS Invincible.

Airman 1st Class 78600 George Brown 22nd Squadron Royal Flying Corps born in 1895, at Belper, his birth was registered in December, 1895, this indicates he was probably born during the last few months of the year as the births were listed quarterly, This information is from The Sky Their Battlefield by Henshaw. ‘On Sunday 19th August 1917 Bristol F2b, 22 Squadron, shot up, AG.1AM G Brown WIA, head‘. George died of bullet wounds to the head 2 days later on Tuesday 21st August 1917 aged 21. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission erred in listing his rank he was in fact an Air Mechanic, 1st Class, not Airman a rank which came later after the RAF was created. (Air Mechanic First Class was a catch all rank: it included fitters, carpenters, etc as well as observers and air gunners). He is buried in the Coxyde (now Koksijde) Military Cemetery Belgium No. 22 Squadron was formed at Fort Grange, Gosport, on 1 September 1915 and departed for France seven months later with twelve FE2B two-seat pusher biplanes. These outdated aircraft were used for a year on reconnaissance tasks George enlisted in the Kings Royal Rifles in July 1915 and was wounded at Ypres a few months later recovering after eight weeks in the Wharncliffe Hospital Sheffield. On his return to France he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corp. He was the son of Edwin Brown a School Attendance Officer and Elizabeth Brown, of 5 Short Street, Belper. Prior to enlisting George worked at the Denby Hall Colliery Marehay.

Corporal M2/117262 David John Burbridge Motor Transport Army Service Corp. attached to the 4th Light Armoured Motor Battery died of dysentery on Monday 23rd April 1917 Dar-es-Salaam East Africa aged 30. At the outbreak of the First World War Tanzania was the core of German East Africa. From the invasion of April 1915, Commonwealth forces fought a protracted and difficult campaign against a relatively small but highly skilled German force under the command of General von Lettow-Vorbeck. When the Germans finally surrendered on 23 November 1918, twelve days after the European armistice, their numbers had been reduced to 155 European and 1,168 African troops. Dar es Salaam was the capital of German East Africa. David was born in Horsham, enlisted in Coventry and was the son of Joseph Henry and Ellen Mary Burbridge and the husband of E. K. Burbridge, of Garfield, Thame, Oxon, England, they had one child and had recently lost another child. He was a partner in the garage on Bridge Street, Blount and Burbridge, and a member of the Belper Methodist Church he is also commemorated on the war memorial in the church and the Thame War Memorial Oxfordshire.

Trooper 1961 George Burdett Derbyshire Yeomanry Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line (including Yeomanry and Imperial Camel Corp) Died of wounds on Monday 23rd August 1915 in Gallipoli. Hill 10 is a low remote hillock to the north of a salt lake it was taken by the 9th Lancashire Fusiliers and the 11th Manchester’s on the early morning of 7 August 1915. Extract from the Derbyshire Yeomanry History 1914-19. ‘I remember no more gallant case than that of Private Burdett as told by the Doctor in charge of the Brigade dressing Station on August 21st. Private Burdett came to the dressing station (a mud hut through which bullets were passing fairly plentifully), having suffered a severe face wound the wound was sufficiently bad to attract the Doctors attention, but on being told to come and have it dressed he refused to do so until several others had been attended to first. After waiting half an hour he allowed himself to be attended to, and was just departing, the dressing having been completed, when the Doctor asked whether he had been hit anywhere else? “No” he said “only a little one here” pointing to his stomach. In spite of his assurance that it was nothing much the Doctor insisted on further investigation and to his amazement discovered that poor Burdett had been cut clean open. Nothing could be done and he died three days later without a murmur or complaint’. He is buried in the Hill 10 Cemetery Turkey. The cemetery was made after the Armistice by the absorption of graves from nearby sites and from the 88th Dressing Station, 89th Dressing Station, Kangaroo Beach, 'B' Beach, 26th CCS and Park Lane cemeteries. George was born in Belper enlisted in Belper in October 1914 and was resident in Belper he was the son of Mr and Mrs George Burdett of Dale View Derby Road Belper. Before joining up he was employed at James Beresford Butchers shop on Bridge Street Belper.

Private 7974 Arthur Butler ‘South Africa Medal’ Rifle Brigade died at home of Tuberculosis at Nottingham Road Belper on Sunday 22nd November 1914. He re-enlisted in August 1914 and passed as fit, but after a spell in hospital he was invalided out of the army in October 1914 returned home and spent the last five weeks of his life confined to bed. Arthur was a an army Reservist and had fought in the South African War where he was involved in 5 conflicts. Arthur was the son of Mr and Mrs John Butler of The Fleet Belper and the husband of Mrs G Butler (nee Spencer)

Private 70741 John Butler 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regt.) killed in action by a shell on Wednesday 24th October 1917 at Ypres aged 34. John is buried in the White House Cemetery St Jean-les-Ypres Belgium. White House Cemetery was begun in March 1915 and used until April 1918 by units holding this part of the line. John was a Postman for the Ambergate and Fritchley area and was the son of George Butler a Quarryman and Hannah Butler. John was single.

Private 32115 Percy Cartwright 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Died of wounds Monday 3rd July 1916 aged 24. Percy was wounded on Saturday 1st July when the 11th Battalion were ordered forward but faced withering German machine gun fire. "After we got out over all the trenches we came to No man's Land. The Germans had gone to a hiding place somewhere, but they must have had a machine gun to every man………. They simply swept the earth with bullets. The Germans always like to kill the wounded off, and they shelled us, besides using their machine guns on us. There were a good many killed after they got wounded……" Percy was one of 518 casualties suffered by the 11th Sherwood Foresters during the attack and the Battalion were relieved later that night. Percy is buried in the Ribemont Communal Cemetery Somme France He was born in Belper enlisted in Belper, and was the son of the late Albert Cartwright and the nephew of Ebenezer Cartwright of Church Street. Private James Cauldwell Private 2101 James William (Billy) Caudwell ‘F’ Company 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) . Killed in action on Thursday 6th May 1915 Aged 24 at Lindenhoek Chateau Kemmel, shot in the head by a sniper when going on sentry duty . Extract from a letter written by Sergeant Jones. ‘I saw him reel and I ran to catch him, but he fell. I reared him up but it was all over. A portion of his head had been blown away by the snipers bullet’. James was killed waiting in the frontline before the Battle of Aubers Ridge, which prompted a famous exchange between General Sir Henry Rawlinson and Brigadier Reginald Oxley. Rawlinson: "This is most unsatisfactory. Where are the Sherwood Foresters?" Oxley: "They are lying out in No-Man's Land, sir, and most of them will never stand again." James is buried in the Lindenhoek Chalet Military Cemetery Belgium. The first burials were made in the cemetery in March 1915 and it continued to be used by fighting units and field ambulances until October 1917. It was enlarged after the Armistice when over 100 graves were brought in from the battlefields surrounding Kemmel. James was born in Belper, he had joined the Territorial’s in June 1914 enlisted in Belper in August 1914 he was the brother of Mrs. Emily Barker, of Pottery Houses, Kilbourne Rd., Belper and resided with his other sister Mrs Lizzie Frost at Whitemoor Hall Belper. He was the son of the late Mr James Caudwell of Nottingham Road and was related to Cauldwell Bros millers of Rowsley and his Grandfather had occupied Pottery Farm for several years.

Lance Corporal 2409 Henry Clayson 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916 Aged 19. On 1st July 1916 the 139th Brigade went over the top at Gommecourt and was cut to ribbons. The 1/5th Battalion suffered particularly badly. 184 men and 11 Officers were killed. "At about 8.0 a.m. as the forward trenches were cleared of troops, we began to move forward, but everywhere found the trenches which were still in many parts deep in mud and water, blown in, or blocked by dead bodies, or wounded men trying to make their back." Captain W.C.C. Sweetman. Henry has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. His next of kin was his sister, Maud Horsley, of Shaw Lane, Holbrook. In April 1915, he was wounded in his right foot and left buttock. Henry resided on New Road, Belper he enlisted in Belper on Friday 4th September 1914.

Corporal S/5536 Samuel Arthur Cooper 10th Battalion Rifle Brigade. Killed in action during the Battle of the Somme on Friday 4th August 1916 aged 25. Samuel has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial. Samuel was born in Belper enlisted in Belper and was resident in Belper. Samuel was the husband of Gertrude Mary Stephenson nee Harrison (formerly Cooper), of 126, May Rd., Bridlington, Yorks. Gertrude was the daughter of Mr Harrison a hairdresser of Bridge Street Belper. He was the son of Mr Arthur Cooper a crate maker of Kilburn Road Belper. Samuel had previously been employed at the Denby Iron Works, he was a member of the St Peter‘s choir and of a ‘quartette party of the town‘.

Private 201915 Ernest Cooper 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action at Passchendale on Wednesday 26th December 1917 aged 22. Ernest volunteered to collect water dixies from an area identified as being covered by snipers. His Battalion was in support trenches just to the rear of the front line when he was killed by sniper fire on Boxing Day 1917. He was originally buried by his comrades but then, as in so many cases, his grave was obliterated by shell-fire. Ernest has no known grave and is commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing Belgium which bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known and were killed in the Ypres Salient. Born in Belper enlisted Derby Ernest was the son of James and Julia Cooper, of Whitemoor Lane, Belper and the husband of Mrs. B. A. Aldred (formerly Cooper), of Overstone Row, Holbrook Moor, Derby.

Private 201915 Ernest Cooper

Private 66324 John Lambert Cowan 1st/6th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers formerly 85336 Sherwood Foresters killed in action on the last day of the Battle of Estaires during the German Spring offensive on Thursday 11th April 1918 aged 18. Extract from the Northumberland’s War Diary. ‘By 10am 'D' Coy on the left and 'B' Coy were holding their positions against repeated attacks supported by heavy trench mortar and machine gun fire. However, the Battalions right flank was now exposed because the 5th Durham Light Infantry (151st Brigade) had been forced back, the enemy were heading for Neuf Berquin and the 5th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers had been withdrawn. Harlech Strong Point was very heavily shelled at point blank range from the river at Estaires and was subjected to a considerable amount of gas. The 6th Battalion was brought forward to try and re- establish a line, but they were unable to progress very far, so by 2pm the line was gradually being forced back‘. John is buried in Poelcapelle British Cemetery Belgium John was the son of Charles Cowan who was originally from Ireland and was a Grocery Store Keeper and Elsie Cowan, of Bridge St., Belper.

Private 22402 Walter Cranfield 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on Friday 15th September 1916 during the attack on the Quadrilateral Redoubt a strong German fortification near Ginchy on the Somme. Between Wednesday 13th and Sunday 17th September 1916 the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters was engaged in fierce attacks around the Quadrilateral Redoubt. "The Bosche machine-gunners now kept up a slow and very deadly fire, and anyone who popped his head above his shell hole was hit“. The Battalion attacked the Quadrilateral Redoubt with a total of 681men, 17 Officers and 421 Other Ranks were killed, wounded or missing after the attack. He firstly served in the 3rd Battalion and with 'F' Company and was then posted to the 2nd Battalion on Thursday 9th December 1915. Walter is buried in Guillemont Road Cemetery Guillemont France. Walter was born in Brampton, enlisted in Chesterfield and was a resident of Milford. Prior to enlisting he was with the Great Central Railway in the Engineering Department based at Grassmoor Station near Chesterfield.

Private 2389 Arthur Cresswell 5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Died after an operation in Nottingham on Monday 24th September 1917 aged 21. Arthur was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours. Arthur enlisted at the Royal Drill Hall Becket St., Derby on Friday 4th September 1914 he was 5 foot 4 inches tall with a 34 inch waist. Arthur was severely wounded when a bullet deflected of his ammunition pouch and hit him in the head and shattering his right arm on Tuesday 8th June 1915 near Kemmel while doing sentry duty in the trenches, which resulted in him having his right arm amputated and having ‘permanent total incapacity’ he was 19. An abscess formed on the stump of his right arm when he was in No 11 Base Hospital Boulogne and he was invalided back to England. He received an artificial limb on Monday 13th March 1916 and was discharged from the army on Tuesday 11th April 1916 due to ‘no longer being physically fit for army service’ Arthur was born in 1896 at Belper he was the son of Joseph Creswell a Beer Retailer of the Horse and Jockey Cow Hill Belper and Sarah Cresswell. Before enlisting Arthur had worked at the Sewing Cotton Company Belper.

Lance Corporal 242756 James Davis Lewis Gun Section ‘B’ Company 2nd/5th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry killed in action at Cambrai on 28th March 1918 aged 21. James has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial France. James was born in Belper and enlisted in Derby and was the son of Mrs. Martha Davis of the Top Pottery Houses Belper, and the husband of Hannah Davis, of Bakewell Rd., Matlock, they had one child.

Serjeant 200806 William Henry Day 16th Battalion ('Chatsworth Rifles') Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Died on 23rd November 1917 aged 34 shell at the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station from the effects of being gassed by a mustard gas shell. He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. Lijssenthoek was close to the Front, but out of the extreme range of most German field artillery, it became a natural place to establish casualty clearing stations. William was the son of William Alfred Day a Sarah Ann Day of the Royal Oak Sunny Hill, Milford and the husband of Harriet Walker Day, of 17, Long Row, Belper, they had one child. Prior to enlisting William worked at the Cotton Mills.

Private 31079 William Dawson 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment died of wounds on 11th April 1917 at Bethune aged 26. He is buried in Bethune Town Cemetery France. Enlisting on Tuesday 6th June 1916 William was the son of Joseph Dawson a Railway Guardsman and Elizabeth Dawson, of 4, Parliament St., Peterborough, before enlisting he had been a Commercial Traveller for Messrs Lamplugh and Sons of King Street Belper, he was single. William was an accomplished violinist and regularly played at St Swithun’s, St Peter’s and the River Gardens.

William Dawson.

Private 2639 John William Dring 5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed by German shellfire while resting in a dugout on Tuesday 30th May 1916 aged 34. John is buried Foncquevillers Military Cemetery France. The village of Foncquevillers was later "adopted" by the town of Derby. John enlisted in Belper in April 1915 and lived on Belper Road, he was the son of the late Mr John Dring, of Belper who had been a Foreman Platelayer for the MRC and Mrs Ann Dring. John Dring.

Lance Corporal 14521 Bernard Samuel Easthope ‘C’ Company 7th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry died of wounds on Wednesday 3rd May 1916 aged 21. He is buried in Bailleul Communel Cemetery Extension France. Bernard was born in Burton-On-Trent, Staffs. Resident of Belper and enlisted in Oswestry, Shrops. Son of Joseph Thomas and Maria Easthope, of 36, Eton Rd., Burton-on-Trent.

Private 37187 James Leslie Entwistle 1st Company Machine Gun Corp formerly 4878 Sherwood Foresters died at Boulogne on Sunday 28th October 1917 aged 21 of severe wounds to the face and head (including a fractured skull) sustained during the second battle of Passchendaele 26 October -10 November 1917. He had been in hospital for over a month when he died mostly in an unconscious state. The fighting at the second battle of Passchendaele took place in dreadful and demoralising conditions, perhaps the worst in the war, which sapped the physical strength and spirits of all combatants. James was born and resided in Belper enlisted in Derby formerly 4878 Sherwood Foresters (Nott’s and Derby Regiment) . He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. He was the son of Alfred Entwistle a Grocery Manager at Hunter’s Store and Mary H. Entwistle, of Brookside, Belper. Prior to enlisting James had been a clerk at Mr Jackson’s solicitor of Belper, his brother Clayton Entwistle also served and survived.

The Vickers Gun British Army's heavy machine gun Badge of the Machine Gun Corp. The official documents of the history of the Machine Gun Corps have been ill-fated. Most were lost and destroyed in fires or during the WW2 Blitz.

Private 35445 Albert John Fell 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action during the Battle of Pozieres on Saturday 29th July 1916 aged 20. On Saturday 29th July the 11th Battalion took over the front line trenches to the North of Bazentin Le Point, which had seen heavy fighting the previous week. Albert has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. Albert was the son of Stephen and Emily Fell, of Chaddesden, Derby.

Lance Corporal 2409 Henry Bernard Fisher 15th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment killed in action on Wednesday 10th May 1916 aged 28. He is buried in the Habarcq Communal Cemetery Henry was born in Belper enlisted in Birmingham, was a resident of Derby and was the son of Sarah A. Dawson (formerly Fisher), of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and the late Henry Treddle Fisher. In 1901 Henry was a Printers Assistant.

Rifleman S/10459 Frank Flint 7th Battalion Rifle Brigade Killed in action at Wancourt on Sunday 29th April 1917 aged 30. He is buried in the Wancourt British Cemetery France. Wancourt is situated 5 miles southeast of Arras and was captured on Thursday 12th April 1917 after very heavy fighting and the advance was continued on the following days. Frank was born in Belper and enlisted in Derby. He was the son of Benjamin Flint a General Labourer and the husband of Annie Flint, of 87, Penn St., Belper. His father Benjamin was an old soldier having served in the 73rd Foot, which became the Black Watch, he served in the Crimean War and in India and Ceylon.

Private 25010 William Fowke 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Died of wounds in No 3 Casualty Clearing Station on Wednesday 27th September 1916 aged 37. The 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters suffered 492 casualties during the month of September 1916. William is buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery France. William was born in Belper enlisted in Belper in 1914 and was a resident of Belper before enlisting he was a Deputy at Denby Colliery. He left a wife (they had been married for 15 years) and three children. He was renowned locally as a piccolo player.

Serjeant 32561 Arthur Fox 15th Battalion "Nottingham" [Bantam] Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) died of wounds at the Field Ambulance Hospital on Sunday 20th October 1918 aged 38. He had been wounded slightly on three other occasions. The 15th (Bantam) Battalion, made up initially of men who although fit were below the normal minimum service height of 5' 3", moved to France with the 35th (Bantam) Division in 1916. The Battalion fought with great distinction and heavy casualties throughout the 1916 battles on the Somme. However at the end of 1916, the problems of finding 'bantam' reinforcements in sufficient numbers became too difficult; the 15th Foresters was redesignated a normal 'service' battalion and fought as such until the end of the War. He is buried in the Moorseele Military Cemetery Belgium. The village of Moorseele was captured by the 15th Royal Irish Rifles on 14th October 1918. The Cemetery was used in October 1918 by the XIX Corps Burial Officer and the 3rd Australian and 64th Casualty Clearing Stations. Born and resident in Belper he enlisted in Newark in September 1914 where he worked for the Pearl Insurance Company, he was the son of John and Elizabeth Fox of Bargate Lane Belper and the husband of Mrs Mary Fox, of Lynams Row, Bridge St., Belper.

Private 204508 George Edward Frost 2nd/6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on Saturday 1st December 1917. Aged 22 shot by a sniper during the Battle of Cambrai. George has no known grave and is commemorated on The Cambrai Memorial, which commemorates more than 7,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom who died in the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917 and whose graves are not known. George was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs Benjamin Frost of Brook Lea, Kilburn Road, Belper. Prior to enlisting George worked at the Denby Furnace.

George Frost.

Lance Bombardier 162373 Charles Leonard Gamble 101st Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery died on Wednesday 31st October 1917 aged 33 from wounds to his head and groin caused by shrapnel from a bomb dropped by a German aeroplane at Poperinghe, he died of his wounds within hours of receiving them. During the Great War the town of Poperinghe was used to billet British troops and also provided a safe area for field hospitals, however with the rapid development of the bomber ‘safe‘ areas were no longer the havens they had been. Charles is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery Born in Belper enlisted in Ripon Charles was the husband of Ethel Gamble, of 24, The Fleet, Belper, who was the daughter of the late Mr William Burrell a nail master who lived at Park House. He left one child. In 1901 Charles was a Brewers Clerk but before enlisting he was working as a traveller for John Smith & Co Brewers of Tadcaster.

Private 55030 John William Gamble 15th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers formerly 50912 Lincolnshire Regiment killed in action at the St. Quentin Canal on Monday 30th September 1918 aged 29. On Sunday 29th September 1918, the Battle of Bellenglise was fought, the 46th (North Midland) Division stormed the Hindenburg Line at Bellenglise and captured 4,000 prisoners and 70 guns. At 5.50am on 29th September, having assembled in rain and darkness, Fourth Army infantry attacked on a 12 mile front through dense fog and smoke, amid the racket of machine-guns, tank engines, and the noise of the protective artillery barrages. The first task of the attacking forces the next day on the 30th September was to be the capture of Joncourt village and the responsibility for this was given to the 15th Lancashire Fusiliers supported by the Australians. The Australians having been held up failed to arrive. The 15th Lancashire Fusiliers had to go in alone suffered heavy casualties and in the face of fire from strong concrete emplacements in the village, they were forced to limit their advance to the outskirts. Observation by Captain John Milne 1 st /4 th Leicestershire Regiment. The concentration of artillery was probably the biggest in the world. The guns stood wheel to wheel, rank on rank, as far as the eye could see…..the result was that the impregnable Hindenberg line was entirely and completely smashed. John is buried in the Uplands Cemetery Magny-la-Fosse France. Born and resident of Belper he enlisted in Derby.

Private 23407 Frederick Gamlin 14th Company, 5th Reserve Battalion Grenadier Guards died at 2:00am on Sunday 5th September 1915 aged 24. Frederick was admitted to the King George Hospital London with appendicitis and other internal problems on Thursday August 19th 1915. Frederick enlisted on Wednesday 10th March 1915 and after a period of training at Caterham he was moved to Chelsea Barracks where he was billeted until he became ill. He was buried in Brompton Cemetery Chelsea London with full military honours on Wednesday 8th September 1915. The 5th Reserve battalion never left Britain before it was disbanded. Frederick was the son of James and Kate Gamlin, of Holbrook Rd., Belper. He was employed at Hunter’s Stores on King Street Belper and was a lodger of Miss Lee of Gibfield Lane Belper, he was a member of the Congregational Church and played football for Belper Wednesday.

Captain Frederick Thomas Gardiner 12th Battalion Highland Light Infantry Killed in action on Tuesday 31st July 1917 aged 25 by heavy shellfire in the trenches near Ypres on the first day of the third Battle of Ypres. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate which is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders. He was the son of William and Isabel Gardiner, of The Farm, Bagthorpe, Jacksdale, Notts and the husband of Lucy Margaret Amy Gardiner (nee Gregory), of Carlton Tower, Harpenden, Herts. He served with the Sherwood Foresters, August 1914 to September 1915 and was Gazetted to Highland Light Infantry in September 1915. From Eastwood and Kimberley, Advertiser: Captain Gardiner, who was a member of the teaching profession and was an Assistant Teacher at The Fleet Street Boys School Belper, he was educated at Heanor Secondary School, and had just completed a two years’ course at St. John’s College, Battersea, in July, 1914. He mobilised at the outbreak of war with the 5th Notts and Derby Territorial Force, and at once volunteered for active service. He was made sergeant of the cyclists’ platoon, and after training at Luton, Harpenden, and Bishop Stortford, he was drafted to France in February, 1915. In July, 1915, he received a severe gunshot wound in his right forearm, and was invalided to England. He was on the eve of again departing for France, when he was gazetted to the Highland Light Infantry in September, 1915. After training in England and Scotland, he went to France in August, 1916, and took part in the Battle of the Somme. He was home on leave in February, 1917, and later moved to Ypres, where he met his death. The following letters were received by his wife, who resides with her parents, during her husband’s absence, at Carlton Towers, Harpenden:- Dear Mrs. Gardiner, - Allow me to offer you my sincerest sympathy on the loss of your husband, my very good friend since I first made his acquaintance on the Somme last October. I enclose two letters which he handed to me an hour or two before he met with his heroic death, for that is what it was. He was exposing himself to almost certain death in order to encourage his men, who were in a very dangerous part of the trench. I was not very far from him at the time, and I heard of his death in a very few minutes. It is with very great grief to me, as I had come to regard him as a real friend, and we all esteemed him as an excellent soldier, and a man of quite extraordinary courage and noble sense of duty. I will not intrude upon your grief further than to assure you once more of my very deep sympathy with you in your heavy loss. Believe me, yours very sincerely. R.H.T. STEWART, Chaplain to the Force. Dear Mrs Gardiner, It is with the deepest regret that I write to you regarding the death of your husband. He was killed near Ypres on the 31st ult., by heavy shell fire whilst in a trench with his company. His death was almost immediate. His company was badly scattered by the shelling, and later moved forward, so I have not yet any details of his burial. I am indeed sorry for you in your bereavement, your husband was one of our best offices – the bravest of the brave – and beloved by his command. I have lost in him one of my most valued and trusted officers. My deepest sympathy is with you in your bereavement, but no words can make your sorrow any lighter. Believe me, yours very truly, W.E. ST. JOHN, Lt.-Col., H.L.I. Capt. Gardiner had splendid abilities and varied interests. He was a good athlete and at school and college had won prizes for swimming, running, jumping, and shooting. On several occasions he played rugby with Notts. County reserve team. Once again war has demanded its toll and cut short a splendid life in the hey-day of its promise.

Captain F T Gardiner

Private 24144 Samuel Henry Garlick 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards killed in action near Guillemont during the Battle of the Somme on Monday 11th September 1916 aged 19. Guillemont was one of several important strategic areas controlled by the German army that effectively divided allied forces. It changed hands several times during the war. Samuel has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France which bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men who died in the Somme sector Samuel was the son of James Garlick a Railway engine driver and Fanny Garlick, of 10, George St, Belper.

Lieutenant Herbert Edward Gillett 1st/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry died of Malaria in the 63rd General Hospital Salonika on 23rd November 1918. He had been awarded the Long Service Medal. Extract from The Derbyshire Yeomanry History 1914-1919. ‘During the march on November the 23rd to every officer and mans deepest regret news came through that Lieutenant H E Gillett had died in hospital. This officer, who had commenced the war as a Troop Sergeant, had won his commission through sheer ability. He had done splendid work with the machine guns, was famous for his inventive faculty, and even more so for his pluck and invariable cheerfulness. He was one of the many victims of malaria, and his loss was a very real one for the Regiment, and his innumerable friends, and was felt even more keenly from the fact that it took place when hostilities were over and the return home so eagerly looked for’. He is Buried in the Mikra British Cemetery Kalamaria Greece. The British cemetery at Mikra was opened in April 1917, remaining in use until 1920. The cemetery was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when graves were brought in from a number of burial grounds in the area. In 1915 as a Sergeant he was recommended for a D.C.M. but couldn’t accept the honour due to him having been promoted to Lieutenant. Herbert was born and resident in Belper he was a Plumber and the son of Mr Harry Gillett a Sanitary Engineer of Bridge Street Belper. Herbert ‘Bert’ had two brothers serving in the Great War, Maurice who was also in Salonika and Jack who served in Egypt and was badly injured in the right arm in 1917. Both brothers survived the war.

Gillett’s advert from the Belper News 1917.

Private 6516 John Glew 1st/4th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (formerly 40332 West Riding Regiment) killed in action during the fighting to capture Thiepval on Thursday 14th September 1916. John has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial. John was born in Belper and the son of George and Mercy Glew he enlisted in Derby.

Private 7235 Sam Glew 1st/7th Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) Killed in action on the Somme on Sunday 17th September 1916. Sam has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial and he is also commemorated on the Midland Railway memorial at Derby Station. Brother of the above both brothers killed within three days of each other. Sam was a resident in Belper and the son of George and Mercy Glew of 75 Penn Street Belper he enlisted in Derby on the Thursday 4th March 1915. Prior to enlistment Sam was employed on the Midland Railway. He was a well known local footballer playing for Belper Rangers and Belper Swifts, he was engaged to a girl called Annie.

Corporal 421 William Arthur Glew 9th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers killed in action at Gouzeaucourt on Wednesday 12th September 1917. William had previously been invalided back to England in 1915 with a wound to his hand but returned to his unit in France after 3 weeks. Gouzeaucourt is a large village 15 kilometres south west of Cambrai and 15 kilometres north-east of Peronne. It was captured by the 8th Division on the night of 12th-13th April 1917 and held under difficult conditions until it was lost on 30th November 1917 in the German counterattack at the end of the Battle of Cambrai, and recaptured the same day by the 1st Battalion Irish Guards. He is Buried in Hargicourt British Cemetery France. William had served on the North West Frontier in 1908 and was the son of Mrs. A. Glew, of 107, Nottingham Rd., Belper, Derbyshire. Further Glew family information 1891 Census GLEW, George Head Married M 40 1851 Nailer Evesham Worcestershire GLEW, Mercy Wife Married F 50 1841 Dudley Staffordshire GLEW, Tom Son Single M 19 1872 Wireworker Dronfield Derbyshire GLEW, John Son Single M 17 1874 Wireworker Belper Derbyshire GLEW, Elizabeth Daughter Single F 16 1875 Stocking Embroiderer Belper Derbyshire GLEW, Nelly Daughter Single F 14 1877 Cotton Spinner Belper Derbyshire GLEW, Robert Son Single M 10 1881 Scholar Belper Derbyshire GLEW, Fanny Daughter Single F 8 1883 Scholar Belper Derbyshire GLEW, Sam Son Single M 6 1885 Scholar Belper Derbyshire GLEW, Jim Son Single M 3 1888 Belper Derbyshire All living at Field Head, Belper. In 1901, John is married with three children and is a Brick Yard Labourer, living at 40, Barker Lane, Chesterfield Samuel is an iron moulder, still living with parents, now at Penn Street, Belper

Gunner 84255 John Gough B Battery 123rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds during the Battle of Arras on Friday 4th May 1917 aged 25. John is buried in the Bucquoy Road Cemetery Ficheux France. John enlisted in Whatstandwell in 1915 where he was employed by Mr Dawbarn a timber merchant, he was the eldest son of John Henry Gough a Wire drawer and Sarah Arm Gough, of 7, Field Row, Belper.

Private. 70448 John Bernard Towndrow Gough of ’A’ Company 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nott’s and Derby Regiment) who died of wounds on Wednesday 4th April 1917 aged 23, received when he was struck by a shell which didn’t explode while in the trenches near Vermelles, he had also served in Ireland with his Battalion during the 1916 Easter Uprising. Vermelles village lies around three miles south of Cuinchy, and for a large part of the War was hot-spot. For instance the village was taken and retaken eight times in October 1914. Born Belper, enlisted Derby. He was the son of John B. Gough an Accountant in a Hosiery Warehouse and Matilda Gough of "Holmleigh", Windmill Lane, Belper, Derbyshire. Buried Vermelles British Cemetery. John had been a pupil at the Herbert Strutt School and had enlisted in February 1915. Extract from the Belper Wesleyan Church, Newspaper “ In Memory of Fallen Son ” Mr & Mrs J. B. GOUGH of Windmill Lane, Belper have presented a communion cup for use at the Belper Wesleyan Church and which was used on Sunday for the first time. On that occasion the Minister was the Rev Harry (?) Uncle of the fallen soldier in whose remembrance the gift had been made. The following inscription (?) “to the glory of God and (.....) in loving memory to John BERNARD TOWNDROW GOUGH who was killed in action at Versailles, France on 4th April 1917. The deceased was a member of the church where his father had been Organist and Choirmaster a number of years.

John Bernard Towndrow Gough.

Rifleman S/5538 Ormond Gration ‘C’ Company 10th Battalion Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consorts Own) killed in action at 8:15pm on Monday 18th October 1915 aged 21, shot through the head while working with a wiring party. He is buried in The Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie France. Born in Belper enlisted in Derby in November 1914 he was the son of Herbert and Sarah Ann Gration, of Cherry House, Bullsmoor, Belper, Derby. Before enlisting Ormond was an engine fitter at Denby Iron Works.

Lance Corporal 242115 Alfred Edwin Green C Company Lewis gun Section 1st/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire killed in action on Monday 27th August 1917 aged 20, halfway across no mans land in the Ypres Salient near Fromelles. He was hit in the hand and thigh and was last seen in a shell hole ‘bleeding profusely‘. Alfred has no known grave and is commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing which bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby in April 1915, Alfred was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Green, a boot and shoe repairer of 12, Holbrook Rd., Belper. Before the war Alfred had been employed by Mr E J Jackson pawnbroker of King Street Belper.

Lance Corporal 200494 Jim Green 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on Saturday 1st July 1916 aged 28 near Gommercourt Wood on the first day of the battle of the Somme. On 1st July 1916 the 139th Brigade went over the top at Gommecourt and was cut to ribbons. The 1/5th Battalion suffered particularly badly. 184 men and 11 Officers were killed. Following Gommecourt the whole Division was withdrawn to be rebuilt. "We cannot look back with anything but regret on that awful battle, when so many lives were sacrificed apparently to no purpose. July 1st is not our happiest of days" [Captain W.C.C. Wheetman, 1/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters] Jim has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial Somme France Jim was the husband of Hannah Green, of 40, Cow Hill, Belper (they had no children) and he was the son of Mr and Mrs Frank Green of Holbrook Road Belper. Before enlisting Jim had worked at Denby Colliery and was a well known local footballer, he was married but had no children.

Private 2879 Wilfred Green B Squadron 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry Died of wounds in the 30th Stationary Hospital Salonika on Sunday 12th November 1916 aged 30. Wilfred is buried in the Salonika (Lembet Road) Cemetery Greece. Wilfred was born in Fenton Staffordshire on Tuesday 7th September 1886 and was the son of the late Spencer Green and Mary Helen Green, of Fenton, Staffordshire. Before enlisting he was employed on the Staff of Parr's Bank in Belper.

Private 69370 Harry Hackett 115th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery died of wounds at the 2nd Main Corp Dressing Station on Friday 7th December 1917 Harry is buried in the St. Julien Dressing Station Cemetery Belgium.

Private 203778 Clarence Gratrick Hall 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment died at the 22nd General Hospital Camiers France on Tuesday 4th December 1917 aged 34, from infection of gunshot wounds to the left thigh. Clarence is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery France Born in Belper enlisted in Derby Clarence was the son of William and Eliza Hall and the husband of L. M. Hall, of 10, Holbrook Rd., Belper, they had five children, the last one, who he never saw, being born only days before Clarence‘s death. Clarence was a Joiner at the Eagle Foundry.

Private G/42988 Frank Hall 2nd Battalion The Middlesex Regiment. Killed in Action at Passchendaele on Sunday 25th November 1917 aged 32. Frank has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cott Memorial, Belgium. Frank was the son of the late Henry & Sarah Ann Hall of ‘The Grapes’ Belper and the husband of Clara Hall of Coppice, Belper, they had four young children, Albert, Clara, George, and Frank, junior who was the youngest aged one year. Frank had previously been the Landlord of The White Swan and was well known as a prominent local footballer for Belper Town and Belper Swifts.

Lance Corporal 37411 Harold Hall 20th (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. Killed in action in the third line of German trenches on Easter Monday 9th April 1917 aged 21 during the Battle of Passchendale as the 51st (Highland) and 34th Divisions advanced. Harold is buried in Roclincourt Valley Cemetery, France. This cemetery was begun after 9 April 1917 by the units which fought on that day. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby in 1916, Harold was the only son of George Henry Hall a pork butcher & Annie Elizabeth Hall of 190 Nottingham Rd., Belper. The records show that Harold was, ‘well built and over 6 feet tall‘.

Private 21484 Harold Hall 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on Monday 14th February 1916 aged 30, in the trenches close to the Ypres-Comines canal. On February 13th/14th The 10th Battalion relieved the 7th Lincolnshire Regiment in the trenches immediately north of the Ypres-Comines canal. At 8:30am on the 14th the Germans began a tremendous bombardment of the British front line. At 5:40pm a mine was exploded under the British trench which caused many casualties. This was followed by a German infantry attack which reached the front line but was unable to penetrate further. The casualties to the 10th Battalion were severe with 16 officers and 334 Other Ranks missing killed or wounded. Unfortunately Harold was one of the casualties and has no known grave but is commemorated on The Menin Gate, which is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders covering the area known as the Ypres Salient. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby Harold was the husband of Lilian Stone (formerly Hall), of Barton Knoll, Belper.

Private 32632 William Arnold Hall 5th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry killed in action near Wancourt, Arras on Wednesday 30th May 1917 aged 20. He had just returned to the front line after being injured by shellfire a few weeks before. William is buried in the Wancourt British Cemetery France. Wancourt was captured on Thursday 12th April 1917 after very heavy fighting and the advance was continued on the following weeks and days. The cemetery was greatly increased in the following years when graves were brought in from small cemeteries and isolated positions on the battlefields south-east of Arras. William was the only son of Charlotte and the late William Hall, of Quarry Cottages, Holbrook Rd., Belper. He enlisted in Belper in October 1914 aged 17 before enlisting William had been an apprentice moulder at Allwood‘s Foundry and a member of the Wesleyan Sunday School.

William ’s Memoriam from the Belper News

Private 3474 Percy Hallam ‘F’ Company 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in Action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916 during the attack on Gommecourt Wood aged 20. 1st July 1916 dawn broke early on Saturday 1st July 1916. In the area of Gommecourt Wood the arrival of the first pale glimmerings of light brought with it a little drizzly rain. However, this was soon to pass, and the battle of this catastrophic, traumatic day was fated to be fought under a blue, cloudless sky, and a hot pitiless sun, for many thousands of men on both sides, including Percy, it was to be their last sunrise. He is buried in Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery France. Percy had been hospitalised some months previous with water poisoning. On 1st July 1916 the 139th Brigade (46th North Midland Division) went over the top at Gommecourt and was cut to ribbons. On that day 37,000 men were killed or wounded - most within 30 minutes of the opening assault. The 1/5th Battalion suffered particularly badly. The attack met with temporary success, but could not be sustained. Percy enlisted in Belper in November 1914 and was the son of Samuel Hallam who was a Platelayer on the railway and Emily C Hallam, a Hosiery Charmer of 37, Short Row, Belper. Before joining up Percy had worked at Milford Mills.

Private 21287 Bert Hallsworth 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action whilst the Battalion was resting at Poperinghe, Belgium on Thursday 12th July 1916 aged 22 he had been wounded twice while in the Dardanelles in 1915 which caused him to be hospitalised in Malta and Bristol and also resulted in him spending a period of six weeks at home before rejoining his unit in France. Bert has no known grave and is commemorated on The Menin Gate which is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby Bert was the son of John Hallsworth a Wire Drawer and Mary Ellen Hallsworth, of Short Lands, Belper, he was a well known local footballer and a member of the Unitarian Sunday School.

Private 1375 Ernest Hallsworth 2/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) died at 1st East Hospital Cambridge on Sunday 10th October 1915 aged 23. He was the son of Mr and Mrs John Hallsworth of Wakefield formerly of Broadholme Belper.

Sapper 235174 Walter Hallsworth Inland Water Transport Royal Engineers died at the Military Hospital Minster Kent on Friday 2nd February 1917 aged 38. Walter is buried in Belper Cemetery. The Inland Water Transport Section of the Transportation Service operated barges on the canals in France. The following year (1916) the operation in support of the Western Front was extended to include sea-going barges operated from Richborough, Kent across the English Channel to the Continent. Walter was the son of William Hallsworth a Gardener and Emma Hallsworth he was the husband of Georgina Hallsworth, of Lander Lane, Belper. Walter was a joiner of furniture.

Rifleman C/6207 George Lionel Hann 18th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps Killed in Action at Gheluwe Ypres on Thursday 3rd October 1918 aged 26. He is buried in the Perth Cemetery (China Wall). The cemetery was begun by French troops in November 1914 (the French graves were removed after the Armistice) and adopted by the 2nd Scottish Rifles in June 1917. It was called Perth (as the predecessors of the 2nd Scottish Rifles were raised in Perth), China Wall (from the communication trench known as the Great Wall of China). It was used after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from the battlefields around Ypres. George was born and resident in Belper he enlisted in Buxton, he was the youngest of five sons of the late Mr William Hann who had been the foreman at the Belper Goods Station for 32 years. Prior to enlisting on Tuesday 6th July 1915 George had been a Police Constable in Buxton, having previously worked as a Porter at Belper Railway Station. After 2 years army service he was invalided out through ill-health and rejoined the Police Force being stationed in Long Eaton. He was called up again on Monday 22nd April 1918, crossed to France in September 1918 and then up to the front line on Friday 20th September, he was killed 2 weeks later.

Bombardier 776052 Charles John Harrison ‘C’ Battery 310th Brigade Royal Field Artillery died at the No 5 Rouen General Hospital on Tuesday 15th May 1917, from a shrapnel wound to his back which passed though his lungs From War Services 62nd West Riding Divisional Artillery: ‘On the night of 14 May 1917 '310th Brigade was subjected to a more than usually heavy bombardment; over two thousand gas shells fell among the batteries, and we lost five gunners killed and about 12 wounded.’ Charles is buried in the St. Sever Cemetery Extension Rouen France. He was born in Shoreditch, London and enlisted in Belper, he was a well known member of the Belper Swimming Club. He was the son of Sergeant William Harrison of Spencer Road Belper.

Lance Corporal 22376 Harry Sylvester Hartle 6th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Killed in action on Thursday 29th June 1916 aged 22 by a trench mortar shell at St Nicolas near Arras. From March 1916 to the Armistice, the village of St. Nicolas was occupied by Commonwealth forces and for much of that time it was within the range of German artillery fire. Harry is buried in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery Arras France. He enlisted with his brother Charles in April 1915, Charles was in the same Battalion and was able to attend Harry’s funeral the same evening. He survived the war but was badly wounded in both legs in August 1916. Before enlisting Harry had worked at Mr F Neaum’s Bakery on King Street He resided at Barton Knowle Belper.

Private 15986 John William Haslam 2nd Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) Killed in action at Le Transloy on Thursday 12th October 1916 aged 28. The fighting took place during worsening weather and dreadful after a seven-hour bombardment, at 3.15pm on Sunday 1st October. The attack met fierce German resistance and it was not until the afternoon of Tuesday 3rd October that the objectives were secured. The follow-up attack was delayed by atrocious weather. Starting at 1.45pm on Saturday 7th October the advance involved six divisions and resulted in heavy British casualties and little success except for 23rd Division's capture of Le Sars. Continuous rain during the night hampered the removal of casualties and further forward moves. The failure to secure original battle objectives led to a renewed major assault on the afternoon of 12th October when infantry on Fourth Army’s right floundered towards German trench lines in front of Le Transloy. Despite the slightest of gains (measured in hard fought for trench yards) the operation was not considered successful. He is buried in the Guards Cemetery Lesboeufs France. John was the husband of Fanny Haslam, of 18, Canada St., Belper, Derby.

Private 108523 James Hind 59th Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) killed in action on Friday 30th November 1917 aged 23 near Masniers during the Battle of Cambrai. The 59th Machine Gun Company was formed at Grantham and moved to France and joined 20th Division, on Friday 3rd March 1916 attached to the Leicestershire Regiment . James has no known grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial Louverval France. This Memorial commemorates more than 7,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom who died in the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917 and whose graves are not known. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby in 1915 James was the youngest son of Mr Francis and Mrs Eliza Ann Hind, of Mill Lane, Belper. Prior to enlistment James was employed at Stevenson Dyers Ambergate and was a member of the St Peter‘s football club.

Private G/72920 Herbert Arthur Hitchcock 1st/22nd London Regiment transferred from the Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) killed in action at Bray-sur-Somme on Friday 30th August 1918 aged 38. Herbert is buried in the Combles Communal Cemetery extension France. Herbert was buried here after the Armistice from a grave on the battlefield. He was born in 1880 at Far Laund Belper, enlisted in Belper and was the son of Joel and Mary Hitchcock. Prior to enlistment Herbert was resident in Derby working as a bricklayer and waller.

Private 28691 Frederick Hobson 13th Battalion (4th Hull) ‘T'Others’ East Yorkshire Regiment. Died on Sunday 20th May 1917 at the Canadian Base Hospital aged 32 from severe shrapnel wounds to the back . Frederick is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery France. Etaples Cemetery is the largest British Cemetery with over 11,000 burials. The area around Etaples was the scene of huge concentrations of allied forces reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick. Frederick was the fifth son of Mr and Mrs Joseph Hobson and the husband of Rosina Hobson, of 10, Field Row, Belper. Frederick enlisted in June 1916 and was previously employed as a bricklayer on the Strutt‘s estate.

Corporal 7605 Herbert Henry Hobson 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade (Prince Consorts Own). Killed in action at Armentieres on Friday 17th January 1916 aged 24. In January 1915 Herbert had been hospitalized in England with a combination of fever, bronchial catarrh and rheumatism. At Christmas 1914 he was in the trenches near Ploegsteert and was one of the men who took part in the famous Christmas truce when the English and the Germans played football in no mans land. Herbert is buried in the Y Farm Military Cemetery France. Born and resident in Belper Herbert was the son of Thomas Hobson a Cotton Bleacher and Hannah Hobson, of Belper. Herbert was a footballer playing for Belper Town.

Private 60423 Thomas Hodgkinson Depot Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) died on Wednesday 9th January 1918 aged 30 at the Military Hospital Newport Monmouth after spending 5 months in hospital due to severe injuries caused by an accident, he had also suffered from shellshock. He was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours. Thomas was the son of Edward Hodgkinson a Gardener and Julia Hodgkinson and the husband of Clara Hodgkinson, of 7, Long Row, Belper they had one child. Prior to enlisting Thomas had been employed at the Livery stables of Mr Joseph Allen and Mr Paxton and then at Dawbarns timber yard Whatstandwell.

Private 23558 William Alonzo Holland 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards Died on Sunday 18th February 1917 at Rouen aged 27. He had been admitted to hospital on Monday 12th February suffering from bronchitis which developed into pneumonia. William is buried in the Bois-Guillaume Communal Cemetery France. Born Belper enlisted in Derby in 1915, William had been a miner at Salterwood Colliery and was the son of James Holland a Coal Miner Hewer and Hannah Holland, of Bullsmoor, Belper. He had two brothers serving James and John who both survived the war although James suffered from severe shell shock.

Serjeant 1811 Wilfred Holden ‘A’ Squadron Household Cavalry of the Line, Derbyshire Yeomanry. Killed in action on Monday 6th September 1915 aged 31 at Chocolate Hill Gallipoli, two days after being promoted to Sergeant. Chocolate Hill was named after the brown colour of the bush growing on it. The hill was captured the day after the landing, on 7th August 1915, and remained on the front line until the Allied withdrawal from the area in late December. Extract from The Derbyshire Yeomanry History 1914-19. ‘Sergeant Holden, one of our most popular N.C.O.’s, was killed by a shell whilst in the act of issuing rations to his men. Curious to say, though he was kneeling at the time, surrounded by men standing, not another man was touched. This N.C.O. was buried close to where he fell, and as a rough cross was being placed over the grave the Turks fired a single round of shrapnel, which burst low, besprinkled the grave, but without touching the two officers and two N.C.O.’s who were standing at its side‘. The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea. Wilfred is buried in the Green Hill Cemetery which was made after the Armistice when isolated graves were brought in from the battlefields of August/September 1915. The cemetery lies on the east side of the Anzac-Suvla Road. Lieutenant Herbert Edward Gillett from Belper was able to attend his funeral. Wilfred was born in Belper in 1884 and was a resident in Belper at Bankfield The Chevin, he enlisted in Derby. He played football for Belper Swifts and Belper Town and cricket for the Belper Meadows Club and was a keen snooker and billiard player. He was a partner of W Holden furniture manufacturers of Unity Mill, and was the husband of Florence Cartwright who he married in January 1915 just before embarking for Egypt. His widow remarried and went to live in Australia. Unfortunately her second husband died in an air accident three years later she then returned to England and lived the rest of her life in Devon. Wilfred’s brother Frederick also served in the war with the Sherwood’s but was badly injured with a shattered hand due to shrapnel, he was discharged and survived, another brother, Arthur, was also injured in the face while serving in Salonika in 1918. Wilfred Holden.

Private M/288736 Edward Howarth 953rd Motorized Transport Company Army Service Corps. Died on Sunday 2nd June 1918 aged 29 from inflammation of the intestines. He had previously spent some time in hospital with fever and smallpox. Edward is buried in the Amara War Cemetery Iraq. This Cemetery contains 4,621 burials of the First World War, more than 3,000 of which were brought into the cemetery after the Armistice. 925 of the graves are unidentified. In 1933, all of the headstones were removed from this cemetery when it was discovered that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. Instead a screen wall was erected with the names of those buried in the cemetery engraved upon it. Edward was born and resident in Belper he enlisted in Derby in February 1917, he was the second son of Mr and Mrs George Howarth a farmer and corn factor of King Street and Laund Farm. Prior to enlistment Edward had been in business as a partner with his father.

Private 37196 Charles Hunt 22nd Company Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) formerly 4749 Notts and Derby Regiment. Killed in action on Monday 2nd July 1917 aged 27 by a grenade during a German attack on the British trenches at Bullencourt. He had been through several engagements without injury but had been in hospital recently with foot trouble (probably ‘trench foot’) and had spent some time in an isolation hospital with measles. Charles has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial Which is in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery France. Born and resident in Belper Charles enlisted in Derby on Monday 1st November 1915. Prior to enlisting Charles had been apprenticed to Beresford’s monumental works, and was a member of the Congregational Church.

Private 52408 Ernest Hunt 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Killed in action during in the Battle of Cambrai on Friday 30th November 1917 aged 32. The attack began early in the morning of 20 November 1917 and initial advances were remarkable. However, by 22nd November, a halt was called for rest and reorganisation, allowing the Germans to reinforce. From 23rd to 28th November, the fighting was concentrated almost entirely around Bourlon Wood and by 29th November, it was clear that the Germans were ready for a major counter attack. During the fierce fighting of the next five days, much of the ground gained in the initial days of the attack was lost. Ernest has no known grave and is commemorated on The Cambrai Memorial Ernest was born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby and was the husband of Elizabeth Ann Hunt, of 22, Penn St. Belper. In 1901 Ernest was a Printer. He was a member of the St Peter’s Choir.

Lance Corporal 40845 Frederick James Arthur Hunt 1st/4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment Died on Friday 23rd August 1918 aged 24 at No 13 Casualty Clearing Station from severe gunshot wounds to the chest. Fred is buried in the Pernes British Cemetery France. This cemetery was not begun until April 1918 when the 1st and 4th Canadian Casualty Clearing Stations came to Pernes, driven back by the German advance. In May, the 6th and 22nd Clearing Stations arrived and in August, they were joined by the 13th. Almost all the burials were made by these units Frederick was born Belper and enlisted in Ripley where he worked at Barker‘s Boot Shop in 1916. He was the only son of Mr and Mrs F Hunt of The Butts Belper, his father worked as a blacksmith at Denby.

Fred Hunt.

Fred’s Medal index record card.

Corporal 71424 John William Hunt 15th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Machine Gun Section killed in action at Villers Faucon on Sunday 19th August 1917 aged 25. Extract from the 15 th Battalion War Diary for August 1917. 17th August: Moved via Longasvesnes and Villers-Faucon to near St Emilie. Camped at 62cE23a and b. 18th August: Moved to assembly position for an attack on the Knoll, moving via Ronssoy-Lempire- Tombois Farm road, to Fleeceall Post and Fag Lane trenches to the Old Barrier on the Sunken Road. 19th August: A successful attack. Began at 4am and took trenches, consolidated the positions gained and built a bombing block. Casualties 25 killed, 53 wounded, 2 died of wounds and 5 missing. John was one of those casualties, he has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. John was the son of Mr George and Mrs. Harriet Hunt, of 17, East Terrace, Milford. Before the war John was employed in the gardens at Makeney Hall by Mr Strutt, and was a member of the Milford Church Choir.

Private 1014 William Hunt 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Died of ‘valvular’ disease of the heart at the 43rd Casualty Clearing Station on Christmas Eve Sunday 24th December 1916 aged 34. William is buried in the Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery France. He was born and enlisted in Belper, he had worked for Gillett’s as a plumber but was in the employ of the Belper UDC at the time of his enlistment. William lived with his wife at Beresford’s Yard Bridge Street Belper.

Serjeant 12641 Alfred Henry Hurst 78th General Hospital Royal Army Medical Corps died in the 78th General Hospital Alexandria Egypt on New Years Eve Tuesday 31st December 1918 from pneumonia. Alfred is buried in the Deir El Belah War Cemetery Israel. He had also served in the RAMC during the South African War. He was the son of Mr and Mrs Hurst of 29, George Street, Belper and prior to enlisting worked for the English Sewing Cotton Company. He left a wife and four young children the youngest being 2 years old they lived at 3 George Street Belper. He had a brother and 3 sisters, Lucy, Nellie and Lizzie. Rifleman S/9459 Harry (Peter) Jackson ‘A’ Company 12th Battalion Rifle Brigade attached to the 50th Brigade. Trench Mortar Battery. Killed in action in the Ypres Salient on Tuesday 2nd May 1916 aged 37. He embarked for France in January 1916. Harry is buried in the Ypres Reservoir Cemetery Belgium. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby Harry was the son of John F. Jackson a Stove Grate Fitter and Annie Jackson, of Mill Lane Belper. Before enlisting Harry was a Stove & Grate Mould Filer at the Park Foundry and he was a well known local Trade Unionist known for his ‘ardent Socialist principles‘. He had tried to enlist on four other occasions and had been turned down because ‘although being of a sturdy and robust frame he had unsound teeth’. His wife died aged 30 when Harry was training at Shoeburyness, he was granted a few days leave, which enabled to see his wife before she died.

Private S/19943 Albert Edward Jennison 4th Battalion South Wales Borderers. Died of wounds on Thursday 6th April 1916 aged 24. He is buried in the Amara War Cemetery Amara Iraq. Amara was occupied by the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force on 3rd June 1915 and it immediately became a hospital centre. The accommodation for medical units on both banks of the Tigris was greatly increased during 1916 and in April 1917, seven general hospitals and some smaller units were stationed there. On 4th April 1916 the British attacked the El Hanna position. The 4th Battalion South Wales Borderers attacked under heavy machine gun fire over ground devoid of cover, and despite severe losses reached a line about 800 yards from the Turkish trenches. Born in Belper Albert enlisted in Mansfield in June 1915 he had been working in a Mansfield Hosiery factory. Albert was the son of Amos and Emily Jennison, of 45, Short Row, Belper and was a well known local footballer playing outside right for the Congregational Church Green Lane Belper.

Private 6531 Thomas Howard Johnson 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment. Died of wounds to the upper thigh on Thursday 12th November 1914 aged 32. On Sunday morning of Saturday 8th of November 1914 Thomas was in the reserve trenches just out of Ypres, he was just making a morning cup of tea with his comrades when a shell burst near him causing severe wounds to his upper thigh. They took him to the casualty clearing station for dressings to be applied and then on to hospital, but he died 4 days later. The 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment was one of the first units to travel overseas landing at Le Havre on Thursday 13th August 1914, it saw action at Mons, the Marne, the Aisne and during the First Battle of Ypres. Thomas is buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. Thomas was a Carter on a farm but had previously served in the army with the Northamptonshire’s for eight years serving for five years in India and three years in South Africa, after being demobbed he was on the retained list for five years and rejoined his Regiment on the outbreak of war. He was the brother of Sarah Ann Denman, of Swinney Lane, Belper, he left a wife and one child.

Lance Corporal 39998 Miles William Jones of the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers born 1899 in Belper and was killed in action by a shell in the support lines on Sunday 3rd February 1918 aged 19. Miles is buried in the Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux France. The Northumberland Fusiliers raised more battalions during the war than any other regular army regiment - 51 in all - and its total of dead was the highest, 16,000. Miles was the Son of Wilfred Lawsen Jones who was a Butcher and Florence A. Jones, of 96, Alexandra St., Palmerston North, New Zealand. Native of Belper, England. He was also a pupil at the Herbert Strutt School and a member of the St Peter‘s Choir. Prior to enlistment he was employed at Brettle’s Warehouse.

Corporal 820634 John Key "Z" 46th Trench Mortar Battery. Royal Field Artillery John arrived in France on Friday 5th March 1915 he died of wounds at Brie on Thursday 27th September 1918 aged 21. He is buried in the Brie British Cemetery France. This cemetery was begun by Commonwealth units in late 1918 and used by the 5th, 47th and 48th Casualty Clearing Stations, which were posted at Brie in September and October 1918 John was born in Claycross and enlisted in Belper.

Private 184511 Lawrence Ferdinand Key Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) died at the Military Hospital Rugeley Staffordshire on Thursday 8th August 1918 aged 21 just three days before the armistice. Lawrence is buried in St Lukes Churchyard Heage. He was the son of Joseph and Hannah Key, of Far Laund, Belper.

Private 306727 John Reginald Kirk 1st/8th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers attached to the 125th Light Trench Mortar Battery. Killed in action at Cambrai on Tuesday 4th December 1917 aged 25. John is buried in the Cambrin Military Cemetery France. The village of Cambrin until the end of the First World War was only about 800 metres from the front line trenches. John was the son of Mr. J. J. and Mrs. M. A. Kirk, of Brookside, Belper. Before the war John worked at the Cooperative Stores Pendleton Manchester but had previously been employed in Belper as Manager of Mr Pott’s boot repairers in the Market Place.

Private G/19432 Harry Knight 7th Battalion Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) Died at the Military Hospital Leeds on Thursday 29th November 1917 aged 19 from shrapnel wounds to his head, arms and thigh . He had been in hospital for three weeks after being invalided back to England, his foster mother was with him when he died. Harry was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours, he was the foster-son of his Auntie, Mrs Sarah Facer, of Holbrook Rd Belper. Prior to the war Harry had been employed at the Salterwood Colliery and was not married.

Lance Corporal 41119 Clifford Granville Lees MM 8th Battalion King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) Died in the military hospital Newcastle-under-Lyme on Tuesday 8th October 1918 aged 19 from wounds received in France on Sunday 29th September 1918. Clifford was buried in Belper Cemetery with full military honours. The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) landed in France on 27th September 1915. Born Belper enlisted in Derby Clifford was the son of Elijah Lees a Chimney Sweep & Grocer and Mary Elizabeth Lees, of 13, Days Lane, Belper.

Private 37205 John Thomas Holmes Lees 9th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry killed in action on Wednesday 18th September 1918 aged 19 and has no known grave John is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial which bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8th August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave. Born Belper enlisted in Derby John was the son Elijah Lees a Chimney Sweep & Grocer and Mary Elizabeth Lees, of New Road House, Belper, Derbyshire.

Trooper 75125 George Lichfield A Squadron 1st/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry. Died of pneumonia as a result of influenza in the 63rd General Hospital Salonika on Thursday 21st November 1918 aged 24. Extract from the History of the Derbyshire Yeomanry 1914-1919. ‘The winter months were quite uneventful, and owing to their general unpleasantness are best forgotten. Demobilisation was commenced almost immediately though it was considerably retarded owing to an outbreak of influenza in the Regiment, which unhappily caused several deaths at practically the eleventh hour‘. He had been wounded in the leg during service in Gallipoli on Tuesday 24th August 1915 but made a full recovery and rejoined his unit. George is buried in the Mikra British Cemetery Kalamaria Greece. Before mobilisation George worked at Denby Colliery and was the son of Mrs Fisher of 6, High Street, Belper and the husband of Martha Lichfield, of Swinney Lane, Belper.

Private 26379 James Liggett 1st/5th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment killed in action at Lievin on Tuesday 8th May 1917 aged 27. He is buried in Loos British Cemetery France. Born in Belper enlisted in Derby on Thursday 8th June 1916 James was the son of Aymer Leggett who was a Potter and Sarah Ann Liggett he was the husband of Ethel Ellis (formerly Liggett), of The Chevin, Belper (they were married only a few months before he was killed). James was a member of the Pottery Cricket Club and prior to enlistment worked at the Denby Pottery.

Gunner 83229 John Joseph Litchfield D Battery 95th Brigade Royal Field Artillery died of wounds on Wednesday 15th December 1915 aged 22. He is buried in the Cite Bojean Military Cemetery Armentieres France. Born in Belper enlisted in Derby John was the second son of William and Martha Litchfield (nee Lynam), of Nether Heage, Belper. Before enlisting on Monday 18th January 1915 John worked at the Oakerthorpe Colliery as a miner, he was a member of the United Free Church Nether Heage. His older brother James William also served in the war in the Royal Field Artillery.

Private 66301 William Henry Little 26th ‘Bankers’ Battalion Royal Fusiliers killed in action at Hollebeke during the Battle for Pilckem Ridge on Friday 3rd August 1917 aged 30. ‘No major offensive action was undertaken on the 3rd of August while the artillery began to move forward. It had been raining heavily for several days. German counter attacks took place against 8th Division and 15th (Scottish) Division, 39th and 55th (West Lancashire) Divisions but in each case were dealt with by British artillery and stubborn defence‘. It was during the repulsing of the German attacks that William was killed. The Bankers Battalion was raised by the Lord Mayor and City of London from Bank Clerks and Accountants on Saturday 17th July 1915. They landed in France on Thursday 4th May 1916. They went to Italy in November 1917 and returned to France in March 1918. William has no known grave and is commemorated on The Menin Gate Ypres Belgium. William was the son of William Henry and Gertrude Little, of London and the husband of Florence May Little, of Queen St. Belper.

Private 70463 William Loving 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on Friday 12th October 1917 aged 23, 300 yards south of the Ypres to Staden railway line at the time of his death he was acting as a stretcher bearer. On October the 12th zero hour 5:25am the 10th Battalion attacked the German trenches in front of them the accompanying creeping barrage was thick and intense and the attack was a complete success, however the Germans made several counter attacks throughout the day which were repulsed but resulted in 171 casualties for the Battalion one of which was William. William was buried by his comrades but as so often happened his grave was obliterated by later shellfire so William has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing. He was killed on the same day in the same action as William Brailsford (see page ) Born and resident in Green Lane Belper William was the son of John & Ellen Loving, his brother John also served in the war in the Tank Corp. Prior to enlisting he worked with his father in the family ironmongers’ business.

Private 2641 Joseph Maiden 5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in Action during the German shelling of the trenches near Bellacourt on Thursday 20th July 1916. Joseph is buried in the Bellacourt Military Cemetery Riviere France and also named on the Midland Railway Memorial. Resident in Belper Joseph enlisted in Stourbridge, Worcestershire in late September or early October 1914. Before enlisting he was employed as a porter at Belper Railway Station.

Private 2625 George Marsh 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) attached to 172nd Field Company Royal Engineers killed in action on Saturday 17th July 1915 aged 31 at Hill 60 Ypres when a German mine exploded under the trenches burying him, his comrades dug him out but he had already died from asphyxia. In July 1915 the Germans used flame-throwers to gain the crest-line at Hooge. He is buried in the Voormezeele Enclosure No.3. Four kilometres south-west of Ieper town centre Belgium. George was the son of William and Margaret Marsh and the husband of Martha Ann Meakin (formerly Marsh), of 7, Bargate Rd., Belper.

Private 2102 George Marsh 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on Friday 19th November 1915. George is buried in the St. Vaast Post military Cemetery Richebourg-L'Avoue France. George was born and enlisted in Belper in early August 1914. George was married and lived on Bargate Road Belper he had one daughter age 11. George was a well known local footballer he played in goal for Holbrook Swifts and Milford.

George Marsh.

Private 200632 Frederick Enos Mason 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on Thursday 24th May 1917 aged 30 by shrapnel while working with a wiring party . Frederick is buried in the Maroc British Cemetery Grenay France. This cemetery was used by fighting units and field ambulances, and protected from German observation by a slight rise in the ground. The 1st/5th Battalion landed in France on Saturday 26th February 1916. Fred enlisted in September 1914 and was well known around Belper as being ’a humorous singer of no mean ability’. He was also a member of the St Peter’s Choir. Frederick was the only son of Enos Mason a Baker and Jane Mason, of Green Lane, Belper. Frederick was educated at the National Schools Belper where he won a scholarship to Wirksworth Grammar School after which he was apprenticed to Mr John Haynes Builder.

Corporal 201082 Francis William Melbourne ‘D’ Company 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action during the first few minutes of the Battle of the Somme on the Saturday 1st July 1916 aged 25. The attack itself began at 07:30 on Saturday 1st July with the detonation of a series of 17 mines. The first, which was actually exploded ten minutes early, went off at 07:20. The first attacking wave of the offensive went over the top from Gommecourt to the French left flank just south of Montauban. The attack was by no means a surprise to the German forces. Quite aside from being freely discussed in French coffee shops and in letters home from the front, the chief effect of the eight-day preliminary bombardment served merely to alert the German army to the imminent attack. As a consequence of the lack of surprise by the advance bombardment, and the lack of success in cutting the German barbed wire and in damaging their underground bunkers 37,000 men were killed or wounded - most within 30 minutes of the opening assault. To quote a contemporary diary "line after line of men were knocked down like tin soldiers swept with a stick". Francis has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France. Francis enlisted in November 1914, he was the son of William Melbourne a Colliery Labourer and Rachel Melbourne, of Myrtle Villa, Spencer Road, Belper. Before enlisting Francis worked at Salterwood Colliery, he was single. Francis Melbourne.

Private 50826 William Gratian Melbourne 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry (formerly 4876 Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Killed in action (missing presumed dead) on Thursday 21st March 1918 aged 22. On March 21st, 1918 the German Army launched a major offensive. In just five hours, the Germans fired one million artillery shells at the British lines held by the Fifth Army – over 3000 shells fired every minute. The artillery bombardment was followed by an attack by elite storm troopers. These soldiers travelled lightly and were skilled in fast, hard-hitting attacks before moving on to their next target. Unlike soldiers burdened with weighty kit etc, the storm troopers carried little except weaponry (such as flame throwers) that could cause much panic, as proved to be the case in this attack. On 21st March 1918 William’s Battalion was in the frontline near the villages of Queant and Pronville. The enemy nearly drove a wedge between the 71st and the 18th Infantry Brigades but the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry counter attacked and kept the Germans at bay until dusk. Out of the Battalion strength of nearly 1000 men only 2 officers and 25 other ranks survived the day. William was not one of the 25 survivors and has no known grave but is commemorated on The Arras Memorial, which is in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery France. The Memorial commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7th August 1918. William was a resident of Derby and enlisted in Belper in November 1916 and was the only son of the late Joseph Melbourne and Mary Ellen Carnelly of 65 Nottingham Road Belper. Prior to enlistment William was employed at the Park Foundry and was a member of St Peter‘s Church.

William Melbourne ’s MIC.

Lance Corporal 1109 William Albert Mewis 1st/5th Battalion Machine Gun Section, Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) died of wounds at the No 10 Casualty Clearing Station at 4:30am on Tuesday 3rd August 1915 aged 23. He was in the trenches at Sanctuary Wood Merville and was going to fetch some rations when he was hit in the abdomen by a bullet, his unit was about to be relieved the following day after 10 days in the frontline. The frontlines in this area were very close, sometimes only a few yards apart and the Battalion suffered daily with casualties. The wood was given it's name because early in the War, some soldiers sheltered here, in effect were offered sanctuary, from battle as they tried to return to their units. In the following years the wood saws some of the bitterest fighting of the war after which the name could hardly be considered fitting, but it stuck. William is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery which is located 12 Kilometres west of Ieper town centre. Belgium He was the son of Arthur Mewis a Railway Labourer and Clara Jane Mewis, of Queen St. Belper.

Private 201791 William Burbidge Miller 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in Action by a bullet during an attack at Lens on Monday 25th June 1917 aged 21. ‘At 1:45am the raiding parties moved off and reached the enemy trench, the British artillery had accounted for quite a few of the enemy but there was considerable opposition which necessitated in bomb and bayonet work’ During the Battle of Lens they fought with the Germans in the streets of Lens, and in the generating plant, where a hordes of Germans were hiding. Observation on Lens from Captain John Milne 1 st /4 th Leicestershire Regiment. The whole place was chaos. It was a rabbit warren infested by wild men. Never was there such a reign of battle, murder and sudden death….Savages rushed at each other with cold steel…Friend and foe were mixed in a welter of slag, bricks and blood. The battalion fought at Lens in June/July 1917 suffering losses of 183 or a quarter of its trench strength. William is buried in the Maroc British Cemetery Grenay France. William finally enlisted after 4 attempts and was the son of Alyce E. Miller, of the Cross Keys Market Place, Belper and the late Joseph Miller. Before enlisting William had a hairdressers shop in the Market Place Belper. His brother John also served in the war and was badly wounded spending 10 weeks in hospital, he survived the war.

Private 58685 Leslie Milward 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. Killed in action on Wednesday 18th September 1918 aged 20. Leslie has no known grave he is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial France. This Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8th August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby Leslie was the son of Mrs Emma Milward, of 11, North Terrace, Belper.

Lance Corporal 200113 Frank Mitchell 1st/5th Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Died of wounds on Good Friday 29th March 1918 aged 26. He is buried in the Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extensions. France. This cemetery was used by fighting units and Field Ambulances until October, 1918. Frank was the son of Mrs. Miriam Key, of Rough Over Lane, Belper.

Private 6851 Sydney Herbert Morley 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916 aged 35. The 11th Battalion were ordered forward but faced withering German machine gun fire as soon as the attacking waves left the trenches. "We were one of the first battalions to go over, and there were not many that who got back safe. I think the Germans must have had hundreds of machine guns, as nearly all our Officers were either killed or wounded before they had gone far“. (Private Percy Williams) "At nine o'clock our time had come. At last the words came - "Sherwood’s over!" We were soon over but not a man out of my platoon got over 60 yards. Nothing could live in it. We were enfiladed by machine gun fire on both sides, also on our front. I think I was the last one on my pins in our lot; I got one in the right elbow, and went down close to one of our officers, who had the calf of his leg blown away. I crawled into a shell hole and began to remove the pack as best I could. I dared not show myself much, as Hun snipers were about, and I could hear the crack, crack of the explosive bullets as they were picking off our wounded as they tried to crawl back to our lines" (Private Frank Carroll) The 11th Sherwood Foresters suffered 518 casualties on the 1st July 1916 most of them within minutes of leaving the trenches. Sydney has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, which bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom who died in the Somme sector before 20th March 1918 and have no known grave. Sydney was Born in Belper enlisted in Nottingham and was a resident of Stapleford Notts. Before enlisting Sidney was a Plumber.

Private 411391 Francis Moseley 10th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles Died at the Military Hospital Derby on Saturday 16th August 1919. Private 85889 Herbert Newton 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action during the Battle of St. Quentin on Monday 25th March 1918 aged 19. The Russian Revolution and their subsequent withdrawal from the War in the East had allowed the Germans to transfer troops to the Western Front. On the 21st of March 1918 they were ready to launch 76 Divisions against the 28 of the Allies along a 50 mile Front in the St Quentin area. The plan appears to have been to split the British and French Armies, capture the Channel ports and thus cut off the British Army and prevent further landings. “The enemy pressed forward with machine guns, artillery and aeroplanes and kept up a gruelling fire from all these weapons. It was a summer like morning with hot sun and as the battle went on hour after hour unceasingly, with the enemy artillery becoming ever more pressing the fatigue of marching and fighting was more and more felt“. Herbert has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial France. This Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21st March to 7th August 1918. Herbert was the son of John Marsh Newton a Welder at the Wire Mills and Millicent Newton, of Harrison's Yard, Bridge St., Belper.

Lance Corporal 4015 George Nightingale 1st/4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment Killed in action on Thursday 26th October 1916 aged 26 by shellfire while the battalion was in a reserve position. Four days previously, on the Sunday 22nd October 1916, George was awarded a "Gallantry Card" for ‘conspicuous gallantry in the field‘. George is buried in the Berles Position Military Cemetery France. The village of Berles-au-Bois remained in British hands from the summer of 1915, when it was taken over from French troops, until the end of the War; but it suffered at times from severe shelling. George enlisted in Sleaford on Saturday 22nd May 1915. George was born in 1890 at Belper and was resident of Belper he was the son of William Nightingale who was employed in the Red Cross Hospital Belper & Sarah Ann Nightingale. He had 8 siblings 5 brothers & 3 sisters. Before enlisting George was a shop manager in Sleaford Lincolnshire having previously worked at Ball and Stillman in Belper he was also a member of the Belper Baptist Church Choir. He is also commemorated on the Sleaford War Memorial.

George Nightingale.

Private 2417 Wilfred Noble 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on Friday 23rd July 1915 aged 23 at Hill 62 near Sanctuary Wood. The Battalion was leaving the trenches when a German shell burst killed Wilfred and two of his comrades. Some of the heaviest fighting in the First World War was fought in the battlefield's of Sanctuary Wood in 1915. Wilfred has no known grave and is commemorated on The Menin Gate, which is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. Wilfred was the son of Mr and Mrs James A Noble who was a Joiner. Before he enlisted in early August 1914 Wilfred had been a Moulder at the Park Foundry but had also been trading as a Greengrocer.

Private 3531 Samuel Pape ‘F’ Company 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916 aged 28. On Saturday 1st July 1916, supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of Commonwealth forces launched an offensive on a line from north of Gommecourt to Maricourt. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met unexpectedly fierce resistance. Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal advances on the southern flank, the initial attack was a disastrous failure. The 1st/5th Battalion went over the top at Gommecourt and was cut to ribbons. They suffered particularly badly. 184 men and 11 Officers were killed. On the morning of the 1st July Sir Henry Rawlinson commanding the Fourth Army had sent out a message to all his men wishing them luck, and highlighting that they were to hold tight every yard of ground gained: ‘The accurate and sustained fire of the artillery during the bombardment should greatly assist the task of the infantry‘. However as they had marched forward the soldiers must have noticed the large trenches being prepared for the dead, where many of them lie to this day. Samuel has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial France Samuel was resident in Belper lodging with Mrs William Jessop on Bridge Street, enlisting in Belper in October 1914. Prior to enlisting he was an assistant at Melia’s on King Street. Samuel was the son of Wattam Pape, a Blacksmith of 65, Southgate, Sleaford, Lincs.

Private 70505 George Arthur Parkin 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action in the Cuba Trench east of the Roeux- Gravelle Road during the Arras Offensive on Friday 18th May 1917 aged 23. George has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial France. George enlisted in Belper.

Private 21766 John Thomas Parkin 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Killed in action on Wednesday 12th July 1916 aged 35. John has no known grave and is commemorated on The Menin Gate, which is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. Broadly speaking, the Salient stretched from Langemarck in the north to the northern edge in Ploegsteert Wood in the south, but it varied in area and shape throughout the war. John had been invalided home in July 1915 for three months with trench foot after serving in Gallipoli. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby in January 1915 John was the son of Henry and Matilda Parkin, of 53, Holbrooke Rd., Belper and the husband of Mary Ellen Parkin, of 13, Bargate Lane, Belper they had six children. John was a Coal Miner Hewer at Denby Colliery prior to the war and was a member of the Primitive Methodist Church.

Gunner 775763 Ernest Paxton 29th Brigade Royal Field Artillery Died on Wednesday 4th September 1918 aged 31 after being gassed. Ernest is buried in the Terlincthun British Cemetery France. This cemetery was used chiefly for burials from the base hospital. In August 1917 Ernest had been sent back from France to hospital in Norwich suffering from dysentery, he returned to his unit in December 1917 after 10 days home leave. Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Belper in March 1915 Ernest was the Husband of Kate I. Paxton (nee Foster), of The Mount, Heage, Belper they had one young child. In 1901 Ernest was a Cotton Spinner but prior to enlisting he had carried on a butchers business in Belper for some time but was employed at the Hartsay Colliery.

Private 1439 James Peden 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers killed in action at Vielle Chapelle on Thursday 15th October 1914 aged 34. James is buried in the Vieille-Chapelle New Military Cemetery France. James was a Regular Soldier enlisting in July 1905, he was the son of Richard and Mary Peden, of Milford.

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