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8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters
8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) was a territorial unit with HQ in Newark, serving with the Notts. & Derby Brigade in the North Midland Division. They were mobilised for war service on the 5th of August 1914. The Division concentrated in the Luton area by mid August. In November they moved to Braintree to prepare for service overseas. They proceeded to France, landing at Boulogne on the 25th of February being first complete Territorial Division to arrive in a theatre of war when they joined the BEF in the Ypres salient. On the 12th of May the Division was retitled 46th (North Midland) Division. They were in action during The German liquid fire attack at Hooge and The attack at the Hohenzollern Redoubt in October. On the 23rd of December the were ordered to proceed to Egypt via Marseilles leaving the DAC, Divisional Train and the Mobile Veterinary Section behind. All units had arrived by the 13th of January 1916 but they spent just a few days in Egypt, being ordered to return to France where the units left behind rejoined. On the 1st of July 1916 they took part in The diversionary attack at Gommecourt. In 1917 they were in action during the Operations on the Ancre, Occupation of the Gommecourt defences, The attack on Rettemoy Graben, The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The attack on Lievin and The Battle of Hill 70. In 1918 they saw action in The Battle of the St Quentin canal, including the passage of the canal at Bellenglise, The Battle of the Beaurevoir Line, The Battle of Cambrai, The Battle of the Selle and The Battle of Sambre. At the Armistice, the advance units of the Division were at Sains-du-Nord. The Division moved back to Landrecies on the 15th of November then to the Le Cateau area in early January 1919 where demobilisation began.
25th Feb 1915 8th Btn Notts & Derby Regt land in France The 8th Battalion Notts & Derby (Sherwood Forresters) landed in France.
4th of April 1915 A White Flag 
7th of April 1915 Mostly Quiet
17th Apr 1915 Trench Mortars
15th Jun 1915 Enemy Mine Explodes
23rd Jun 1915 Reliefs
25th Jun 1915 Account of the German Mine attack
30th Jun 1915 5th Lincs into the Trenches
30th Aug 1915 Huns tried to Burn us Out
7th Oct 1915 Planning
12th Oct 1915 On the Move
13th Oct 1915 In the Attack
15th Oct 1915 Commanding Officer Killed
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
18th Nov 1915 Graves Cared For
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
2nd Feb 1916 Artillery Active
9th February 1916 Call Ups
9th Mar 1917 Explosion
20th Mar 1917 Sherwoods relieve Leicesters
18th Apr 1917 Reliefs Completed
4th Aug 1917 Trench Raid
7th Aug 1917 Gas
24th April 1918 Reliefs
3rd Oct 1918 In Action
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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 with8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters during the Great War 1914-1918. - Baker Percy.
- Baker Rowland James. (d.28th Sep 1914)
- Baker Rowland James. (d.28th Sep 1914)
- Cox Ernest Cecil. Pte.
- Curzon John Henry. Pte. (d.23rd Mar 1918)
- English A.. Pte. (d.24th June 1916)
- Nixon Leonard. Pte. (d.3rd Jun 1918)
- Peck Frank. L/Cpl. (d.14th Aug 1918)
- Rowland George. L/Cpl (d.13th May 1917)
- Sharp Edgar Joseph. Drmr. (d.2nd Nov 1917)
- Stendall Joseph. Cpl. (d.27th Apr 1917)
- Vann VC, MC. Bernard William. Lt.Col.
- Whitehead Ernest. Pte.
- Wright John William. Pte. (d.20th Apr 1915)
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 8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters from other sources.
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Rowland James Baker 8th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regt.) (d.28th Sep 1914) The first soldier to be buried in Newark Cemetery was James Rowland Baker, a Drummer with the 8th Bn, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regt.) He died at home on 28th September 1914, Aged 22. He was the son of Mr. And Mrs. J. Baker of 49 Albert Street, Newark.
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Rowland James Baker 8th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regt.) (d.28th Sep 1914) The first soldier to be buried in Newark Cemetery was James Rowland Baker, a Drummer with the 8th Bn, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regt.) He died at home on 28th September 1914, Aged 22. He was the son of Mr. And Mrs. J. Baker of 49 Albert Street, Newark.
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Pte. A. English 1st/8th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) (d.24th June 1916) A English was killed in action on the 24th of June 1916 and is buried in the Foncquevillers Military Cemetery in France,
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Lt.Col. Bernard William Vann VC, MC. 8th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment)  Bernard Vann was attached 1st/6th Bn. Sherwood Foresters when he was killed in action on the 3rd of October 1918 and buried in Bellicourt British Cemetery in France.
He was awarded the Croix de Guerre (France). Son of Alfred George Collins Vann and Hannah Elizabeth Vann, he was the husband of Doris Victoria Vann, of Coates Rectory, Cirencester, Glos.
An extract from The London Gazette, No. 31067, dated 14th Dec., 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery, devotion to duty and fine leadership during the attack at Bellenglise and Lehaucourt, on September 29th, 1918. He led his battalion with great skill across the Canal du Nord through a very thick fog and under heavy fire from field and machine guns. On reaching the high ground above Bellenglise the whole attack was held up by fire of all descriptions from the front and right flank. Realising that everything depended on the advance going forward with the barrage, Col. Vann rushed up to the firing line and with the greatest gallantry led the line forward. By his prompt action and absolute contempt for danger the whole situation was changed, the men were encouraged and the line swept forward. Later, he rushed a field-gun single-handed and knocked out three of the detachment. The success of the day was in no small degree due to the splendid gallantry and fine leadership displayed by this officer. Lt. Col. Vann, who had on all occasions set the highest example of valour, was killed near Ramicourt on 3rd October, 1918, when leading his battalion in attack."
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Percy Baker 8th Btn Sherwood Foresters Percy Baker was my 2nd great uncle. He served in the 8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters for 183 days. He was attested to service on the 3rd of February 1914. At that time, his rank was Boy (since he was 16 years old at the time).
Eventually, on the 5th of August 1914, he was discharged. According to his pension record, he was discharged because he was physically unfit for war service. He died in 1923 in Nottinghamshire. This is all I know of him.
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L/Cpl. Frank Peck 1st/8th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (d.14th Aug 1918) Frank Peck was shot by a sniper on his way back to their camp. He is buried in Fouquieres Churchyard Extension, 2 miles from Bethune in Northern France.
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Cpl. Joseph Stendall 2nd/8th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (d.27th Apr 1917) My Great Uncle Joseph Stendall served with the 2/8th Notts and Derbys
Regiment. The Free Press shows that he enlisted in January 1915, trained at Watford and served in Dublin during the Irish Rebellion.
He went to France in February 1917. He was a Lewis Gunner with No.10 Platoon. Killed in Action when in the attack near Hargicourt, France, he had reached the German wire and was doing great work when he was shot. He had been recommended for the French Croix De Guerre.
Prior to enlisting he worked for S. Eden and Sons at The Hermitage, Mansfield.
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Drmr. Edgar Joseph Sharp 8th Sherwood Foresters British Army (d.2nd Nov 1917)  My maternal Grandfather Edgar Joseph Sharp was born in Farndon, Newark, Notts on 14th January 1878 to Joseph and Jane (nee Aldridge) Sharp, one of five children. Between June 1880 and April 1881 the Sharps moved to King Street, Newark, and later to Mill Gate. Edgar married Edith May Hawksworth at Christ Church, Newark on 13th June 1909, and they had three daughters. They settled in Farndon Fields, and later moved to Parliament Street, Newark.
Edgar signed up in the Territorials in Newark in 1908, and was mobilised for war service on 5th August 1914. The 8th Battalion proceeded to France, landing at Boulogne on the 25th of February being first complete Territorial Division to arrive in a theatre of war when they joined the BEF in the Ypres salient. Drummer Edgar Sharp, was from the B Company 7 Platoon 1st/8th Sherwood Foresters. Later the 8th Battalion moved to Egypt, and then back to France in January 1916.
It seems that he was posted on gas sentry duty above the Company HQ dugout shortly before six on the morning of 2nd November 1917. At five past six he was hit by a piece of shrapnel from a German shell, and died as a result. I have tried to pinpoint precisely where. I know from what I have seen that the 1st/8th were located on the left sub-sector of the Bde. Front of Hill 70, and an extract from diaries of the 1st/7th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters - who swapped duties with the 1st/8th Battalion - refer quite clearly our front line as being between Bois Ras and Bois Hugo. As my Grandfather's Company were covering the left sector, he was perhaps closer to Bois Hugo.
Edgar is buried in the Philosphe Cemetery at Mazingarbe.
His Company Sergeant Major, J F Rawding, wrote to my grandmother, and below is an extract from his letter:
"I posted him myself on Gas sentry over Coy HQ dug-out, and at five minutes past six (a.m.) on the 2/11/17 he was hit by a piece of shell and I can say that he never suffered any pain. He was killed instantly. He was well liked by everyone in the Company, even his Officers thought a lot of Dr or Runner Sharp. I myself have known him as a soldier in the Newark Company for many years. He was one of my best runners who could always be relied upon to take a message. Only a few minutes before his death we were talking about the old times we used to have in Newark."
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Pte. John Henry Curzon 8th Btn Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) (d.23rd Mar 1918) John Curzon was born in King Street on 30th April 1885, he married Daisy Baker of Horncastle,Lincolnshire on 2nd August 1909 in Southwell Parish Church. At the time of his wedding he was employed as a Twist hand at Carey's lace factory, located in the Old House of Correction, Burgage Green, Southwell.
They were blessed with 3 sons, Ernest, Frank and William (my father in law). John was possibly in "H" Company, 8th Territorial Battalion at the Drill Hall, Southwell. After training he went to France, with "H" Company
on the 2nd March 1915, he was wounded in the left arm when the Germans mined their trenches at Wijtshate (Whitesheets), Belgium. This was probably John's final service with the 8th Battalion.
He appears to have been transferred to the 10th Battalion when they arrived in France in July, he was killed in action while serving with them on 23rd of March 1918 at Hermies, France. He has no known grave and is named on the Arras Memorial, Southwell Minster and a plaque on Carey's Gate, now Rainbows.
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Pte. Leonard Nixon 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) (d.3rd Jun 1918) Leonard Nixon was born 20th Nov 1899 at Kirby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire and enlisted at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, he resided in Kirby-in-Ashfield. He joined the 1st Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbys Regt) as Private, 97920. Leonard died from wounds on the 3rd of June 1918 whilst serving with 8th Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derby Rgt) He is buried in the Allied Section of Guise (La Desolation) French National Cemetery, at Flavigny-Le-Petit.
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Pte. John William Wright 8th Btn. Notts and Derby Regiment (d.20th Apr 1915)  I have been researching my family tree for a few years now and the most upsetting relative I have come across is the untold story of my great uncle John William Wright.
I have only one photo of this brave young man, he was only 18 years old when he died. Since finding out about him, I have been trying to recover his war medals which were stolen from my grandmothers home many years ago. I have so far failed in my task.
John William Wright served with the 1st/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters
He was born in Bilisthorpe, Nottinghamshire and lived at; 47 Montague Street, Mansfield, the proud son of Joseph Wallhead Wright and Florence Wright. The Newark advertiser records him as being wounded in April 1915 when he served with D company. The Nottingham Daily Express dated 04/05/1915 shows some details of parents. His medal roll shows he landed in France 02/03/1915. John was killed in action by a sniper when looking over the parapet when serving in the lines in the Kemmel sector, Belgium 20/04/1915, he was buried at Kemmel Chateau military cemetery plot no e62.
Kemmel Chateau was north east of Kemmel village and the cemetery was established on the north side of the chateau grounds in December 1914. It continued to be used by divisions fighting on the southern sectors of Belgian front until March 1918, when after fierce fighting involving both Commonwealth and French forces, the village and cemetery fell in to German hands in late April. The cemetery was retaken later in the year, but in the interval it was badly shelled and the old chateau destroyed. There are now 1135 Commonwealth burials of the first world war in the cemetery and 21 from the second world war (which all date from the allied withdrawal ahead of the German advance of May 1940.) The cemetery was designed by sir Edwin Lutyens.
I feel a great sadness and joy in now knowing what happened to this very young relative who died so tragically young, what a great pride I feel in knowing he is a part of my family god bless him.
I would love one day to make a trip to the cemetery in Belgium to meet for the first time my great uncle as his mother and father where never able to make the trip to Europe to see their son again.
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Pte. Ernest Whitehead 1/8th Btn Sherwood Foresters My father, Ernest Whitehead, enlisted in October 1914 and lost an arm whilst serving in France in 1916. He subsequently became a postman, the only disabled postman I have ever come across. He served as a postman for 29 years.
My father, who was a farm waggoner, enlisted on 22nd October 1914 and served with the 1/8th Sherwood Foresters in France from 6th June 1915 to 25th April 1916. He returned to the UK after losing his right arm just below the elbow. He would never talk about that time and I don't even know the circumstances in which he was wounded.
It looks likely that he lost his arm on the 15th or 16th April in the trenches east of Berthonual farm near Mt St Eloy.
It is interesting that, until I unearthed it, even my mother didn't know that it was the second time he had been wounded (Aug 1915). After a period in Roehampton Hospital and discharge he became a Postman in October 1919, a job he held down until he was retired at 60 in 1949.
An amusing aside - My father had two artificial arms complete with hand. One for everyday use and one for “bestâ€. When my father died he was buried wearing his “best†artificial arm and hand. My mother could not decide what to do with the other arm and hand. The NHS did not want them back and she could not face putting them in the dustbin. So for whatever reason decided to bury them in her garden. We chuckled but Mum couldn’t understand what we found so funny. We could picture the scene years later when some poor person digging in the garden found a hand and arm emerging. What a shock.
Apart from discharge papers etc. I have nothing from my father's time in WW1.
The little Dad said: He said once with a chuckle about the Belgians running along the trench and shouting " La Boche La Boche". He said that he had been to Armentiers when the song "Mademoiselle from Armentiers Parlez Vous" was on the wireless. My sister says that our father was in hospital with gassed Canadians. He mentioned this once while watching All Quiet on the Western Front. My sister also says that when he lost his right arm a shell burst in the trench and killed all the men by him including someone he enlisted with.
For other family connections in WW1 see www.whiteheadm.co.uk
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