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24th (2nd Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
24th (2nd Sportsman's) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was raised at the Hotel Cecil in the Strand, London, on the 25th of 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 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.
20th Nov 1914 2nd Sportsmans Battalion raised 24th (Service) Battalion (2nd Sportsman's), Royal Fusiliers better known as the Sportsmen's Battalions, were among the Pals battalions formed in the Great War. Rather than be taken from a small geographical area, these particular battalions were largely made up of men who had made their name in sports such as cricket, boxing and football or the media.
24th (Service) Battalion (2nd Sportsman's)
Formed in London on 20 November 1914 by Mrs E.Cunliffe-Owen.
March 1915: moved to Hornchurch.
June 1915 : came under command of 99th Brigade, 33rd Division.
Landed at Boulogne in November 1915.
13 December 1915 : transferred to 5th Brigade in 2nd Division.
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
19th Nov 1915 On the Move
20th Nov 1915 Visits
20th Nov 1915 Recce
24th Nov 1915 Conference
25th Nov 1915 Reorganisation
26th Nov 1915 Instruction 
27th Nov 1915 Visits
28th Nov 1915 Instruction
29th Nov 1915 Instruction
30th Nov 1915 Instruction
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
9th February 1916 Call Ups
25th Mar 1916 Hard Life in the Trenches
30th Mar 1916 Heavy Thaw
12th Nov 1916 Preparations
13th Nov 1916 Preparations
13th Nov 1916 Attack Made
15th Nov 1916 Withdrawal
3rd Mar 1917 Reliefs
24th Apr 1917 Reliefs
21st of May 1917 Quiet Night
25th Jun 1917 Sports
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
22nd Jan 1918 Reliefs Complete
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
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
2nd Mar 1918 Snow
3rd Mar 1918 Patrols
4th Mar 1918 Quiet
5th Mar 1918 Patrols
6th Mar 1918 Gas
7th Mar 1918 Enemy Active
8th Mar 1918 Enemy Active
9th Mar 1918 Mist
10th Mar 1918 Enemy Active
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
24th Mar 1918 Messages
24th Mar 1918 In Defence
25th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
26th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
27th Mar 1918 In Defence
27th Mar 1918 Moves
31st Mar 1918 Shelling
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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| Want to know more about 24th (2nd Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers? There are:5362 items tagged 24th (2nd 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 with24th (2nd Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers during the Great War 1914-1918. - Adams Henry. Pte. (d.9th September 1918)
- Chapman Cornelius. Sgt. (d.18th February 1919)
- Clare Alfred Frederick. L/Cpl. (d.14th April 1917)
- Clements Charles Reuben. Pte.
- Cockett Charles. Pte.
- Cole William James. Pte.
- Collins Arthur Thomas. Pte. (d.17th April 1917)
- Dey Frederick William. Pte. (d.8th March 1916)
- Dowsett Henry Selwood. Fus.
- Firstbrook MM. Ernest Albert. Pte. (d.13 Nov 1916)
- Hatfield George Hague. L/Cpl. (d.30th July 1916)
- Heppell Frederick William. Pte.
- Hindom Sidney George. Cpl.
- Hindom Sydney George. Cpl.
- Holmes Peter.
- Jackson Ernest. Pte. (d.7th Nov 1918)
- McGuiness MM. Joseph. A/L/Cpl.
- Southgate Sidney. Pte. (d.4th Sep 1917)
- Wright James. Pte.
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 24th (2nd Sportsmans) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers from other sources.
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Peter Holmes 24th (Sportsmans) Btn. Royal Fusiliers Peter Holmes was married to Florence (nee Armstrong).
At the time of his enlistment in Liverpool (January 1915) he was 36 years old. Height: 5'8", weight: 12st 2lbs, good physical condition, except for defective teeth.
The 24th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers spent the next 11 months training in Nottingham and then on Salisbury Plain, before moving to France in November of 1915 as part of the 99th Brigade, 33rd Division.
The spring of 1916 saw Peter involved on localised operations. When the Battle of the Somme opened Peter and his Battalion were enjoying a period of rest and re-fit. However, this didn't prevent Peter from being injured in action and having to leave the line to recover.
Peter subsequently returned to the regiment and took part in the Battle of Ancre, only to be wounded on the first day.
This necessitated him leaving from the line for a month, before re-joining his Regiment in the area of Festubert, where he was under constant threat from artillery and sniper fire.
In 1918 he joined the Labour Corps serving in an Area Employment Company.
He was appointed Acting Sgt 7th of March 1919 and returned to England to be demobilised on the 12th May 1919, with no disability.
Peter died in the 1945 in Chester Royal Infirmary, Chester. He was my 1st Cousin 2 x removed.
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Pte. James Wright 24th Btn. Royal Fusiliers James Wright served with 24th Royal Fusiliers in the Great War. He also served with the 1st, 2nd and 12th Royal Fusiliers. He also served with the Canadian Army during WW2.
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Sgt. Cornelius Chapman 24th Btn., A Coy. 1 Plt. Royal Fusiliers (d.18th February 1919) Cornelius Chapman is my grandfather who is at rest in Cologne Cemetery. He suffered a gunshot wound in August 1918 and came back to England to recover but then succumbed to pneumonia after returning to the front and died in February 1919 possibly following flu?
He had two children Walter (Sonny) and Constance who he never met.
Other than my sister and myself and our family I know of no other living relatives but would welcome any information
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Pte. Charles Reuben Clements 24th (Sportsmans) Btn. Royal Fusiliers  My maternal grandfather Charles Clements, of London, enlisted in the 24th (2nd Sportsman's) Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers on 4th of June 1915, and was given the regimental number 3526. It is evident from Army Form 172B, a copy of which I have in my possession, that he lied about his age when he signed up, claiming to be 22, when he was only 18 or 19. Also, that he was 5'6" tall, and weighed 130lbs (9st4lbs). He went on to serve on the Western Front for three years, fighting in the Battles of the Somme, the Ancre, Arras and Cambrai, among others, before being seriously wounded by shrapnel in the left arm (elbow) and leg (thigh, knee and ankle) on 12th of September 1918, and repatriated to the U.K. on 15th September, spending the remaining two months of the war in hospital. Judging from the regimental war records in The Royal Fusiliers in the Great War by H.C. O'Neill, it is most likely that he incurred his injuries during the 2nd Division's attack on Moeuvres, on the Siegfried Line, which was part of the larger Hundred Days Offensive that finally won the war. After the war, he returned to his job as a gentleman's outfitter in London, and died there in 1958.
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Pte. Arthur Thomas Collins 24th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.17th April 1917) Arthur Collins served with 24th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
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L/Cpl. Alfred Frederick Clare 24th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.14th April 1917) Alfred Clare son of Alfred Howard & Ann Clare, 9 Foster Hill Road, Bedford. Born, lived and enlisted in Bedford. Initially served with the Royal Fusiliers then rejoined 24th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. He was killed in action on 14th of April 1917, age 28 years Pas de Calais and is buried in Bois-Carre British Cemetery, Pas de Calais. He was a member of the Methodist church and was remembered on the War Memorial inside St. Pauls Methodist church, Bedford (the church has now been demolished) A pupil of Bedford Modern School 1896-1905, commemorated on the School War Memorial, which was unveiled in 1923 and in the Roll of Honour, published in The Eagle, December 1923. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com
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Pte. Charles Cockett 24th Btn. Royal Fusiliers Charles Cockett served with the 24th Btn. Royal Fusiliers.
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Pte. Frederick William Heppell 24th Btn. Royal Fusiliers Frederick William Heppell enlisted on 27th January 1915. He went to France on 15th November 1915, and was discharged wounded on 7th August 1916.
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Pte. Frederick William Dey 24th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.8th March 1916) Frederick William Dey was born in Exmouth. He enlisted at Paignton, Devon. Frederick was killed in action and is buried in Bully-Grenay Communal Cemetery, French Extension, France.
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L/Cpl. George Hague Hatfield 24th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.30th July 1916) George Hatfield served in the 24th Btn Royal Fusiliers. He died of wounds on 30th July 1916 and is buried in Abbeville Cemetery, France.
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Cpl. Sydney George Hindom 24th (2nd Sportsmans) Btn. Royal Fusiliers Sydney Hindom was the south coast high diving champion and gave lots of exhibition dives at fetes etc. In those days it was called fancy diving.
He joined up late in life and was wounded and captured at Guillemont on 1st August 1916. He was imprisoned at Hamelberg and was repatriated in June 1918.
He married in 1920 and had one son and two daughters and one stepdaughter.
He died in 1939 as a result of his war wound.
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Cpl. Sidney George Hindom 24th Btn Royal Fusiliers Sidney Hindom was taken prisoner after being wounded at Gullemont in July or August 1915. He was imprisoned at Hamelburg and repatriated to Holland 13th June 1918. A keen diver, he became the south coast diving champion regularly diving from the top of Thatcher rock off Torquay. He never fully recovered from his wound and he died in Exeter hospital in 1939.
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Pte. William James Cole 24th (2nd Sportsmans) Btn Royal Fusiliers William Cole was in the 2nd Sportsmans Battalion and was discharged after being wounded.
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Pte. Ernest Jackson 24th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.7th Nov 1918) Ernest Jackson was executed for desertion 07/11/1918 age 32 and buried in Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension, Romeries, France.
He was one of the last two British soldiers to be executed.
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