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23rd (1st Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
23rd (1st Sportsman's) Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was raised Formed at the Hotel Cecil in the Strand, London, on 25 September 1914 by E.Cunliffe-Owen.
In June 1915 they joined 99th Brigade, 33rd Division at Clipstone camp near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire in July 1915. In August they moved to Salisbury Plain for final training and firing practice. In November they received orderes to prepare to proceed to France and the Divisional Artillery and Train were replaced by the units raised for the 54th (East Anglian) Division. By the 21st of November the 33rd Division had concentrated near Morbecque. On the 25th of November 1915 The Battalion transferred to 2nd Division as part of an exchange to strengthen the inexperienced 33rd Division. They took part in the Winter Operations 1914-15 and in 1915 saw action at The Battle of Festubert and The Battle of Loos. In 1916 they fought in the Battles of the Somme, including the Battle of Deville Wood and the Operations on the Ancre. In 1917 they were in action during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, the Battles of Arras and The Battle of Cambrai. In 1918 they fought on the Somme, in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and The Battle of the Selle. 2nd Division was selected to advance into Germany and formed part of the Occupation Force after the Armistice.
The 23rd was the first of two Sportsmen's Battalions. The 24th (2nd Sportsmen) was also raised at the Hotel Cecil by Mrs Cunliffe-Owen. The war diaries of both battalions are held by the Fusiliers' Museum at the Tower of London. The 24th RF also served in France until the Armistice, and marched into Germany at the end of 1918. Both battalions were presented with Colours at the end of the war, an unusual mark of distinction for Kitchener battalions, in recognition of their service.
14th Sep 1914 Recruiting
19th Sep 1914 Recruiting
25th Sep 1914 Fundraising
27th September 1914 Recruiting
28th September 1914 Recruiting
29th September 1914 Recruiting
30th September 1914 Recruiting
1st Oct 1914 Recruiting
1st Oct 1914 Recruiting
1st Oct 1914 Scouts Assist
3rd Oct 1914 Recruiting
5th Oct 1914 Rumours
6th Oct 1914 Medical Examinations
6th Oct 1914 Medical Examinations
9th Oct 1914 Preparations
10th Oct 1914 Affiliation
14th Oct 1914 CO
17th Oct 1914 Inspection
17th Oct 1914 Training Grounds
19th Oct 1914 Recruiting
19th Oct 1914 New Barracks Opened
23rd Oct 1914 Inspection
9th Dec 1914 Good Progress
1915 On the Move
1st July 1915 In Camp
3rd July 1915 Training Areas
4th July 1915 Arrivals
5th July 1915 Arrivals
7th July 1915 Arrivals
9th July 1915 New OC
Jul 1915 Training Instruction
Jul 1915 Billets
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
4th Nov 1915 Orders
5th Nov 1915 Exercise
6th Nov 1915 Advance Party
7th Nov 1915 Advance Party
8th Nov 1915 Inspection
8th Nov 1915 Orders
15th Nov 1915 On the Move
16th Nov 1915 On the Move
17th Nov 1915 In Camp
18th Nov 1915 On the Move
20th Nov 1915 Visits
20th Nov 1915 Recce
22nd Nov 1915 New Billets
24th Nov 1915 Conference
25th Nov 1915 Reorganisation
26th Nov 1915 Instruction 
29th Nov 1915 Instruction
30th Nov 1915 Instruction
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
7th Dec 1915 Reliefs
8th Dec 1915 Reliefs
9th Dec 1915 Bad Weather
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
16th Dec 1915 Reorganisation
17th Dec 1915 Trench Work
19th Dec 1915 Reliefs Completed
22nd Dec 1915 Reliefs
23rd Dec 1915 Trench Work
24th Dec 1915 Trench Work
25th Dec 1915 Reliefs Complete
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
12th Jan 1916 Route March
21st Jan 1916 Trench Work
22nd Jan 1916 Reliefs
7th Feb 1916 Relief
9th February 1916 Call Ups
15th Feb 1916 Reliefs
1st Mar 1916 Artillery Active
13th Mar 1916 Reliefs
17th Mar 1916 Reliefs
11th Apr 1916 Training
12th Apr 1916 Bad Weather
20th May 1916 Training
15th Jun 1916 Reliefs
16th Jun 1916 Reliefs
26th Jul 1916 Gas
27th Jul 1916 1st KRRC and 23rd Royal Fusiliers advance At 7.10am after a one hour barrage on Delville Wood the 1st KRRC and 23rd Royal Fusiliers of 99 Brigade and 2nd Division began their advance from the south. By 9am they had occupied a line 50 yards from the northern edge of the wood
27th Jul 1916 Attack Made
3rd Aug 1916 Reliefs
4th Aug 1916 Reliefs Complete
10th Oct 1916 Training
11th Oct 1916 Training
12th Oct 1916 Training
13th Oct 1916 Training
17th Feb 1917 Attack Made
13th Apr 1917 Working Parties
14th Apr 1917 Reliefs
23nd Apr 1917 Reliefs
1st May 1917 Reorganisation
21st of May 1917 Quiet Night
24th of May 1917 Relief Completed
27th May 1917 Working Parties
28th May 1917 Working Parties
31st May 1917 Reliefs
20th Jun 1917 Move
21st Jun 1917 Reliefs
14th Aug 1917 Reliefs
6th Oct 1917 On the March
13th Oct 1917 Competition
14th Oct 1917 Competition
15th Oct 1917 Inspection
25th Oct 1917 Exercise
31st Oct 1917 Training
4th Nov 1917 Football
5th Nov 1917 On the March
6th Nov 1917 On the March
7th Nov 1917 On the March
26th Nov 1917 Reliefs
27th Nov 1917 Attack Made
27th Nov 1917 Intermittent Shelling
30th Nov 1917 In Action
1st Dec 1917 Reliefs
2nd Dec 1917 Attack Made
10th Dec 1917 Orders
12th Dec 1917 21st Londons relieved Consolidation continued for the 21st Londons, situation fairly quiet except for some sniping from Graincourt. At 6 p.m. Two companies are relieved by 23rd Bn Royal Fusiliers. Remaining Companies relieved about midnight by the 22nd Bn London Regiment.
12th Dec 1917 In the Line
4th Jan 1918 In Reserve
5th Jan 1918 In Reserve
6th Jan 1918 In Reserve
7th Jan 1918 Training
9th Jan 1918 Snow
10th Jan 1918 Snow
11th Jan 1918 Poor Weather
12th Jan 1918 Training
13th Jan 1918 Snow and Frost
14th Jan 1918 Training
15th Jan 1918 Training
16th Jan 1918 Bad Weather
17th Jan 1918 Poor Weather
19th Jan 1918 Orders
20th Jan 1918 Orders
21st Jan 1918 Heavy Rain
23rd Jan 1918 Reliefs
24th Jan 1918 In the Line
25th Jan 1918 Artillery Active
26th Jan 1918 Orders
27th Jan 1918 Fog
28th Jan 1918 Artillery Active
29th Jan 1918 Artillery Active
30th Jan 1918 Artillery Active
31st Jan 1918 Thick Mist
1st Feb 1918 Trenches Improved
2nd Feb 1918 Trenches Improved
3rd Feb 1918 Orders
4th Feb 1918 Shelling
5th Feb 1918 Warmer
6th Feb 1918 Orders
7th Feb 1918 Fraternisation
8th Feb 1918 Quiet
9th Feb 1918 Reorganisation
10th Feb 1918 Shelling
11th Feb 1918 Quiet
12th Feb 1918 Quiet
13th Feb 1918 Some Shelling
14th Feb 1918 Patrols
15th Feb 1918 Artillery Active
15th Feb 1918 Reliefs
16th Feb 1918 Artillery Active
17th Feb 1918 Enemy Aircraft
18th Feb 1918 Misty
19th Feb 1918 Quiet
20th Feb 1918 Gas Shells
21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation
22nd Feb 1918 Patrols
23rd Feb 1918 Shelling
24th Feb 1918 Shelling
25th Feb 1918 Shelling
26th Feb 1918 Artillery Active
27th Feb 1918 Artillery Active
28th Feb 1918 Shelling
1st Mar 1918 Raids
1st Mar 1918 Working Parties
2nd Mar 1918 Snow
3rd Mar 1918 Patrols
4th Mar 1918 Quiet
5th Mar 1918 Patrols
6th Mar 1918 Gas
6th Mar 1918 Reliefs
7th Mar 1918 Enemy Active
8th Mar 1918 Enemy Active
9th Mar 1918 Mist
10th Mar 1918 Enemy Active
10th Mar 1918 Raids
11th Mar 1918 Gas
12th Mar 1918 Gas
13th Mar 1918 Raids
14th Mar 1918 Artillery Active
15th Mar 1918 Intense Fire
16th Mar 1918 Trench Raid
17th Mar 1918 Patrols
18th Mar 1918 Raids
19th Mar 1918 Patrols
20th Mar 1918 Reliefs
21st Mar 1918 Arrangements
21st Mar 1918 In Action
22nd Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
22nd Mar 1918 Messages
23rd Mar 1918 Messages
23rd Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
23rd Mar 1918 Rearguard Action
24th Mar 1918 Messages
24th Mar 1918 In Defence
24th Mar 1918 Fierce Fighting
25th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
26th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
27th Mar 1918 In Defence
27th Mar 1918 Moves
28th Mar 1918 Reorganisation
29th Mar 1918 Enemy Quieter
30th Mar 1918 Reorganisation
31st Mar 1918 Shelling
31st Mar 1918 Intermittent Shelling
1st Apr 1918 Reliefs
20th Apr 1918 Reliefs
29th Apr 1918 Reliefs
8th May 1918 Reliefs
27th May 1918 Sports
13th Jun 1918 Reliefs
22nd Jun 1918 Reliefs
30th Jun 1918 Reliefs
15th Jul 1918 Reliefs
30th Jul 1918 Reliefs
5th Aug 1918 Reliefs
18th Aug 1918 Orders
19th Aug 1918 Training
2nd Sep 1918 Orders
3rd Sep 1918 Attack Made
4th Sep 1918 Advance
8th Oct 1918 Attack Made
23rd Oct 1918 Orders
24th Oct 1918 In Action
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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| Want to know more about 23rd (1st Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers? There are:5467 items tagged 23rd (1st Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with23rd (1st Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers during the Great War 1914-1918. - Albany MM. William. Pte. (d.2nd August 1916)
- Armstrong Christopher. 2nd Lt. (d.9th Apr 1916)
- Brindle Edmund. Pte.
- Clennell James Albert. Pte. (d.24th Oct 1918)
- Cooney Thomas. Pte. (d.10th March 1917)
- Davis George Leigh Blakeman. 2nd Lt. (d.27th September 1918)
- Dutton George Francis. L/Cpl.
- Edwards Robert Richard. Pte. (d.8th October 1918)
- Gromadzki William. Pte. (d.31st May 1918)
- Hobden Albert George. Pte (d.17th Nov 1916)
- Jones Arthur Rowland. Pte. (d.17th Apr 1918)
- Manning Ernest. Cpl. (d.28th Nov 1917)
- Pattinson MC. Reginald Bowman. Pte.
- Walton Julien Merral. L/Cpl. (d.21st May 1917)
- Witham Dennis Haworth. L/Cpl. (d.27th June 1917)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 23rd (1st Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers from other sources.
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L/Cpl. Dennis Haworth Witham 23rd (Sportsmans) Btn Royal Fusiliers (d.27th June 1917) Denis Witham died in the trenches in 1917. He was a Lance Corporal in the 23rd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. He was just 20 years old.
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L/Cpl. George Francis Dutton 190th Quarrying Company Royal Engineers My Grandfather George Dutton, was born in 1895 in Eckington, Derbyshire, near Sheffield. He was one of 7 brothers. The family were mostly miners, and the family background was definitely working class. George, in 1911 was a gobber in a pit.
In 1916, he married and gave his occupation as Lance Corporal, Royal Fusiliers, Marriage by Licence at Nottingham Registry Office. His wife was also working class, in the lace industry.
He was in the 23rd Royal Fusiliers, but in Spring 1916 was attached to the RE 190th Field Company (quarrying). This was found on a casualty record. He was wounded on 9th January 1916.
A Gunshot wound, he had 3 days treatment at No. 2 General Hospital at Quai De Escales, Le Havre, he was serving attached to 190th Field Company, Royal Engineers. A note in the margin records, Hospital ship St Patrick, so presumably he went back to England.
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L/Cpl. Julien Merral Walton 20th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.21st May 1917) During World War I, Julien Walton enlisted in the Sportsman's Battalion in 1915, and served as a Lance Corporal with the 20th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. He was killed on the 21st of May 1917 and is remembered on the Arras Memorial to the Missing.
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Pte. William Gromadzki 23rd Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.31st May 1918) William Gromadzki served with the 23rd Royal Fusiliers.
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Pte. Edmund Brindle 23rd (1st Sportsmans) Battalion Royal Fusiliers Eddie Brindle was my grandfather, born 17th April 1891 and died 1961. He was brought up in the Isle of Man and returned there after the war, spending some time with relatives in Dublin immediately after the war.
I remember relatives saying he didn't want to speak about his war experiences, but used to have terrible nightmares for a full 2 years after the war crying out in his sleep. I just about remember him as a gentle giant, he died when I was 4 years old. I wish I knew more.
My mother was born in 1930 and she desperately tried to get him to talk about his experiences. My Mum was a literature student winning many prizes for her poetry and won a scholarship based on a project she did on World War 1 poets. She told me in more recent years - she only followed this line of study in the hopes of finding out about her father's experiences, but he never opened up.
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Pte. Arthur Rowland Jones 23rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.17th Apr 1918) Arthur Jones is a long lost member of the family now found.
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Pte. Reginald Bowman Pattinson MC. 23rd Btn. Royal Fusiliers  Reginald Bowman Pattinson was born on 5th July 1892 in Penarth, Glamorganshire. He was the son of Richard and Jane Pattinson. Reginald worked as a bank clerk before the war and lived in Wanstead, Essex. He was unmarried on the 1911 census.
He joined the 23rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers as a private. He was in theatre from 23rd July 1916 to 11th June 1917.
On 27th of November 1917 he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant (from Officer Cadet). [London Gazette 21st December 1917]
Reginald was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and good leadership. He was now a 2nd Lt serving with the 8th Battalion, London Regiment.
On 28th May 1919 he was promoted to Lieutenant while serving with 8th Battalion, London Regiment [London Gazette Supplement 6th June 1919]. It is assumed that they were demobilised about this time, but the date has not been confirmed.
On 23rd January 1923 he transferred from 8th to 7th Battalion, London Regiment TA. [London Gazette 26th January 1923]
On 15th December 1935 he transferred from 7th Battalion City of London Regiment TA Reserve to the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers, retaining rank and seniority [London Gazette 14th January 1936].
On 4th June 1941 he resigned his commission, retaining rank (Reg no 42824) [London Gazette 3rd June 1941]
After the end of WW1, he married and resumed his banking career. He died on 20th May 1970.
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Pte. Thomas Cooney 23rd Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.10th March 1917) My Great Uncle Tom Cooney was born in Hammersmith London in 1898. He enlisted, we think, in 1916 and was in the 1st Sportsman Regt - 23rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers. His army number was G/10159. The family have a photograph and all his medals and papers associated with his death which occured on 10th March 1917 in a small battle called the Battle of Grevillers Trench and Lady's Leg Ravine. Tom's body was exumed in 1920 and re intered in Adanac Military Cemetery.
My great uncle was killed together with 7 of his commrades. I have done a massive amount of research and eventually found the exact place (within a few hundred yards) where he and his commrades fell. In 2007 on the 90th Anniversary of the battle, we his family, erected a commemoration plaque on the site of the battle, with the permission of the French land owner.
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Pte. Robert Richard Edwards 23rd Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.8th October 1918) Robert Richard was previously in The Border Regiment (203704). He was a self-employed salesman and was born in Liverpool in 1888. He was married (1909) to Sarah Alice Dalton.
His mother (Ellen Fahey) and father (John William Edwards) died in 1910 and 1906 respectively. Robert Richard had to look after orphaned siblings.
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Cpl. Ernest Manning 17th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.28th Nov 1917) Ernie Manning was my Uncle, he died 4 days after my father was born and I have a good deal of memorabilia including his medals and badges.
He is commemorated on the Louveral Memorial near Cambrai.
Editor's Note:- Official records show that he commenced his service in the 23rd Battallion (1st Sportsmans) of the Royal Fusiliers but transferred to the 17th Battalion in October 1916.
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2nd Lt. Christopher Armstrong 23rd (Sportsman's Battalion) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.9th Apr 1916) Christopher was born on 10th October 1888 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire and was baptised on 21st December at St Mary's and All Saints Chesterfield. His father was Charles Armstrong, born in Little Paxton, a brewer and later owner of the Star Brewery, Cambridge. He was educated at the Perse School, Cambridge, and St Lawrence's School, Ramsgate. Christopher was admitted to Jesus College, Cambridge in October 1907. He excelled at athletics and won the following medals:
- 1907 Long Jump
- 1908: 100 yards race. Awarded The Langton Victor Ludorum Medal, Jesus College.
- 1909: Long jump and 1/4 mile race, run in 52 seconds.
- 1909: 2nd place 100 yards and Putting the shot.
- 1910: Long jump
After leaving Jesus, Christopher lived with his parents at The Grove, a beautiful regency house set in large grounds, and was studying to take over the Brewery. In 1914 Christopher enlisted as a Private in the Sportsmen's Battalion and was posted to Hornchurch. His nephew, John Vincent Armstrong, reported that he had bribed a doctor to pass him as fit even though he had poor eyesight. The 23rd (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and 24th (Service) Battalion (2nd Sportsman's), better known as the Sportsmen's Battalions, were among the Pals battalions formed in the Great War. Christopher was then commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers 14th Battalion attached to the 6th Loyal Northern Lancashire Regiment in 1915. On 13th October 1915 he was writing a letter to his sister Pearl, in South Camp, Seaford, Sussex, about to go on active service to Serbia, he thought. He was in 38 Brigade 13th Division. It would seem that in fact the Brigade went to Gallipoli. On the 14th November he sailed to Mudros on the SS Olympic from Liverpool.
In February 1916 the Division began to move to Mesopotamia, to strengthen the force being assembled for the relief of the besieged garrison at Kut al Amara. By 27 March, the Division had assembled near Sheikh Sa'ad and came under orders of the Tigris Corps. It then took part in the attempts to relieve Kut. After these efforts failed and Kut fell.
This is Christopher's last letter, dated:29.3.16 "Dear Baba, lots of letters from you the other day many thanks and all that sort of thing. I don't write as often as I ought but as often as I can. As you will doubtless have heard we have done quite a large move lately. From Port Said to Kuweit where is this?,(sic) . From there transshipped and on to Basra, pronounced Busrh, from there to a river boat with a barge alongside each side squashed on board like sardines. There was not room for all the men to lie down at the same time so you can guess. Well we have endured this for 6 days or so and that was comfort to our present place. We went up the Tigris past Qurnah and Amarah and several places past that I suppose, I must not say to where exactly but probably if you have a map it will be 3 places further up and we are short of the firing line by 2-3 miles and from a town as far as it is from Cambridge to Ely 27 miles. In a few days about Wednesday we are in for shouting and sprinting and cold steel. We have had many tries to get forward but up to now have been very unsuccessful. Now it is our turn to have a cut at it and we shall see what will happen. I could tell you all about if I was allowed to. Perhaps next time I write I shall be able to tell you all about what it feels like and all that sort of thing lets hope I shall be able to. Always hope for the best. Well my dear cheers. I am Chris"
Written on the back of this letter ‘Chris’s last letter before Sarnai’.
Over 12,600 men were killed, wounded or missing from the 13th Western Division. Christopher went missing. He was found to have been killed in action on 9th April 1916 at Kut el Amara in modern Iraq. He led his platoon in the 1st line into some vacant Turkish trenches but it was an ambush; the trenches were bombed and very few men survived. His name is on the Roll of Honour in Jesus College, and Great St.Mary's Cambridge. He is buried in Amara War Cemetery in plot xviii.J 12. Amara is on the left bank of the Tigris 520 km from the sea between the left bank and the Chahaila Canal.
He was reported 'missing' but not presumed dead and his family continued to hope for months afterwards.
His nephew said that he was well loved and greatly missed.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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Hard as Nails: The Sportsmen's Battalion of World War One Michael Foley
This is the history of the Sportsmen's Battalion, Royal Fusiliers 23rd service battalion, which consisted almost entirely of men from the world of sport or entertainment. The battalion was privately raised and took men up to the age of 45. The battalion included a champion boxer, cricketers, footballers, MPs and the author John Chessire. They were men who did not need to serve in the First World War but had an unquestioning sense of duty. The history is enhanced by the letters and drawings by John Chessire, giving a first-hand account of their experiences. A man from the upper classes, a writer, poet and artist, he chose to serve as a private so he could do his duty, even when it conflicted with his religious beliefs and love for his family. The book covers the battalion's beginnings in London and progression to Hornchurch, France and then Germany. It includes their time at Vimy Ridge, at the Somme and at the Battle for Deville Wood.
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