4 replies to this topic

[loujn]

Mornig to all,

can someone just explain me the following which i got from 1914-1918 re the battalion -

"Formed at Chesterfield on 14 September 1914 as a second line unit. Moved on 2 November to Buxton, with Bn HQ occupying the Empire Hotel.
Moved to Luton in January 1915 and placed under command of 2nd Notts. & Derby Brigade in the 2nd North Midland Division.
August 1915 : formation became the 176th Brigade, 59th (2nd North Midland) Division. Moved to Watford after a few weeks at Dunstable.
Moved to Ireland in April 1916 to quell disturbances.
Moved on 12 January 1917 to Fovant and landed at Boulogne 25 February 1917.
7 May 1918 : reduced to cadre.
31 July 1918 : disbanded in France."

My questions are -

1) they were formed as a home service unit, can anyone tell me what duties the men would have been required to do as home service recruits? were they based in their home towns or moved away?

2) i assume that with the hostilities continuing that was why the regiment was then changed to active service?

3) it states that the battalion went to Ireland to deal with the troubles their before going off to France - so i am assuming that if my man joined up prior to this date he would have gone to Ireland? did all the battallion go?

Sorry if these questions seem a bit stupid!!

My man is John Morley, he was killed on 27th September 1917 and has a memorial at Wieltje, Belgium.  There is no service record for him but I have his medal card.

Thank you any one who can answer my questions
Louise

[old owl]

Hi Louise,

There are some Notts and Derby experts on the Forum, so hopefully one will see this post and answer your questions more fully.  However I will try and answer some points.

1)  I believe that the second line territorial battalions were originally formed as feeder battalions to the first line battalion, in this case the 1/6th Bn.  In other words they trained and held new recruits, who would then be sent as replacements for casualties in the 1/6th Bn.  I am not certain that they had any other committments than this at that time.

2)  As the war progressed and more battalions were needed at the front, then many of these second line battalions were sent to France as active service battalions.

3)  I think that the whole battalion would have gone to Ireland, but I am not certain about this!

There is a good chance that your man served in Ireland but it is just possible that he either transferred to the 2/6th from another battalion after they arrived in France, or went out as a replacement having not served abroad previously.

If you know where he came from then it may be worth looking in the local newspaper around the time of his death to see if he receives a mention.  If you can find an obituary then this will more than likely tell you where he had served and, or, when he went overseas.

I hope that this is helpful.

Good luck with this.

Robert

[steve morse]

Your man seems to have only served with 2/6th and his 6 digit number means a) He had a 4 digit Territorial force number or he joined up on or after 1 jan 1916.  His medal index card gives no date of entry into theatre and I cannot find any service records.

The 2/6th took part in The Battle of Polygon Wood 26th to 29th September and they were forward of Wieltje.  The battalion sustained 11 officer and 220 other rank casualties. Many from continuos enemy shelling. The ANZAC troops relieved them on 29th.
The battalion had attacked at 5.50 am on 26th and took its objectives by 7.30 am.  Another battalion then went through them to take the next objective. The 2/6th relieved the 2/5th in the new front line at 8pm on 27th.

As Robert says, the local newspapers would be a good place to look.

Steve M

[PPCLI]

Hi Louise,


The following enlistment dates for 6th Battalion men are taken from the Notts & Derby Regiment SWB Rolls, compiled by James O'Hara (forum member jmoha):

01/03/1915 - 4014/241320
01/03/1915 - 4020
02/03/1915 - 4024
03/03/1915 - 4030
03/03/1915 - 4033/241325
04/03/1915 - 4045
06/03/1915 - 40xx/241334
06/03/1915 - 4059/241335

So John Morley enlisted in the first week of March 1915; his number 241329 (actually his original 4-digit number) will fall either side of 4045. Whatever his original number, since he wasn't already in France with the 1/6th Bn, then he would almost certainly have went with the 2/6th to Ireland.

What you need is forum member Mike Briggs to see this thread. If anyone is able to narrow down his enlistment and possible original 4-digit number, then he is the man.

Best wishes,

Stuart

[mikebriggs]

Louise,

Stuart has pretty much narrowed it down for you. John Morley would have almost certainly had a 4-digit number between 4039 and 4046.

Just to add that the records for 4041 George Walters and 4051 George Marshall are available and this numbering would suggest that John Morley enlisted 4th or 5th of March.
Both Walters and Marshall were miners from the Chesterfield area and were attested by 2Lt WT Marshall in Chesterfield straight into 2/6th Battn (as opposed to 3/6th). I would image same happened for John.

As far as I can remember men were enlisted at that time at the Regimental Offices on Corporation street.

He would have served in Ireland and France.

cheers
Mike