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11th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters
11th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) was raised at Derby in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Third New Army and became part of 70th Brigade in 23rd Division. They undertook training in Derby the moved to Stanhope Lines at Aldershot in December 1914, then to Shorncliffe in February 1915 and in May they moved to Bordon. They proceeded to France landing at Boulogne on the 27th of August 1915. They transferred to with 70th Brigade to 8th Division on the 18th of October 1915, in an exchange with 24th Brigade allowing the inexperienced troops to learn from those who had battle experience, returning to their orginal divisions in June 1916. The 23rd Division were at Bomy beginning a period of intensive training for the Battles of the Somme. They were in action in The Battle of Albert including the capture of Contalmaison, The Battles of Bazentin Ridge, Pozieres, Flers-Courcelette, Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy including the capture of Le Sars. In 1917 they fought in The Battle of Messines, The Battles of the Menin Road, Polygon Wood and the The First and Second Battles of Passchendaele. In November 1917 the Division moved to Italy concentrating between Mantua and Marcaria before taking over the front line at the Montello on the 4th of December. In 1918 they were in action during the fighting on the Asiago Plateau. The 11th Sherwood foresters left 23rd Division in September 1918 and moved to France to join 74th Brigade in 25th Division and were in action in the Final Advance in Picardy.
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
30th of January 1916 Football competition
9th February 1916 Call Ups
4th Apr 1916 70th Infrantry Brigade prepare for battle On the 4th April 1916, in preparation for the coming battle, the 8th Division moved up to the Le Boisselle-Thiepval sector, the 8th Battalion York & Lancaster occupying trenches to the left of the sector in front of Authuile Wood, periodically withdrawing to reserve at Albert. The ground occupied by the 8th Division was the most difficult of the whole front, no-man’s land being exceptionally wide and the attack of the 70th Brigade would have to be made beneath the southern spur of the Thiepval salient which was commanded in enfilade by the Germans.
8th May 1916 Reliefs 
10th May 1916 Reliefs
30th Jun 1916 Move up
1st Jul 1916 11th Sherwoods on The Somme
19th Jul 1916 Going on Fine
12th Aug 1916 The Splendid Sherwoods
29th of October 1916 Very Quiet
1st December 1916 Covering 23rd Division 236th London Brigade Royal Field Artillery at Ypres record:
All map references on Zillebeeke Bund.3.E 1/10,000 and sheet 28 1/40,000
236th Brigade RFA still covering the 23rd Division. A236 and B236 Batteries registered for special operations. Heavy mist made general observation impossible enemy artillery and trench mortars were very quiet. At 1230 a raid was attempted by the 11th Sherwood Foresters on sap at I.30.b.15.20, which was not successful.
17th of February 1917 Very Quiet
29th Jul 1917 Missing
24th Sep 1917 In Action
29th Mar 1918 Prisoners
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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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 with11th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters during the Great War 1914-1918. - Adams Leonard. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Adwick Albert. Pte. (d.11th Dec 1917)
- Bagshaw Ralph. Sgt. (d.24th October 1918)
- Baker Arthur George. Pte. (d.1st October 1916)
- Batchford William. Pte. (d.21st October 1918)
- Batchford MM. William. Pte. (d.21st Oct 1918)
- Bowden Frederick. RSM.
- Bowyer MM. Ernest. Sjt.
- Brimble Thomas James. Cpl. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Clarson Alfred. Pte. (d.9th Jun 1917)
- Cocker George William. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Collins DCM William Henry. L/Cpl.
- Collins DCM. William Henry. Sgt.
- Cooling Albert Ernest. 2nd Lt.
- Cox Henry Thomas. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
- Davies Richard M.. Pte. (d.15th Nov 1917)
- Dimmock George. Pte.
- Evans Frank Eber. A/Sgt.
- Gamble Charles Henry. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
- Garfoot DCM. John Richard. A/Sgt.
- Gibson Ernest. Pte. (d.9th Apr 1917)
- Gimson John. Pte. (d.11th Jun 1917)
- Gregg Arthur. Pte. (d.9th April 1917)
- Hamlett John James. Pte. (d.8th June 1917)
- Hannant James Edward. Cpl. (d.21st Nov 1916)
- Hardwell Tom. Pte.
- Hazell William Francis. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Hodgkiss Richard. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Hopkinson William. Sgt. (d.31st July 1916)
- Howlett Alfred. Pte. (d.5th Oct. 1918)
- Hudson Charles. Capt.
- Humphrys Leonard George. Lt.
- Insley John. Rflmn. (d.14th August 1917)
- Ithell Thomas. Pte.
- Jinks Edgar. Pte.
- Jones Charles Frederick. L/Cpl. (d.15th Jun 1918)
- Keys MM. Sydney J.. L/Cpl. (d.16th September 1917)
- Macdonald Ian Pendlebury. Lt.
- Mallender John Henry. Pte. (d.23rd June 1916)
- May Joseph Stanley. Pte. (d.21st Aug 1918)
- Minnoch David Cassells. Pte.
- Mitchell William Henry. Pte. (d.18th October 1917)
- Moore Harry. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
- Moss Arthur. L/Cpl. (d.23rd October 1916)
- Osborne Henry Taylor. Pte. (d.16th Oct 1917)
- Peace Joseph. Pte. (d.5th Oct 1918)
- Phillips Sidney. Pte. (d.27th April 1917)
- Radford Thomas. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Radford Thomas. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Read Jesse. L/Cpl (d.1st July 1916)
- Rockley George. Pte. (d.6th Jun 1917)
- Spicer George Henry. Pte. (d.9th April 1917)
- Vardy Frederick. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Varney MM. Arthur. Sgt. (d.4th Oct 1918)
- Walker George. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Walker Herbert Norman. Pte. (d.16th January 1917)
- Wheeler Albert Edward. Pte. (d.16th Jan 1917)
- Whitaker George Thomas. Pte.
- Whitlock MM & bar. George Charles. Pte. (d.23rd Nov 1917)
- Wickes Arthur. Pte. (d.29th July 1916)
- Wild William. Pte. (d.23rd Oct 1918)
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 11th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters from other sources.
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2nd Lt. Albert Ernest Cooling 14th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment Albert Ernest Cooling was one of 11 children born 20th June 1891 at Cuckney in Nottinghamshire.
He enlisted at Chesterfield in 1915 as a 24 year old. He first entered France with the 11th Battalion,
Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment on the 27th August 1915.
By the November he was promoted to 2nd Lt and transferred to the 14th Battalion. Hesaw action on the Western Front for almost a year before being severely
wounded in the neck by machine gun fire during the Battle of the Somme autumn of 1916 and was subsequently repatriated to a Military Hospital in South East England
for treatment and to convalesce. He relinquished his commission in January 1918 on account of ill-health caused by his wounds. He went on to serve in WW2 as a Captain. He died in 1959 in Suffolk aged 68.
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Pte. Ernest Gibson 11th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (d.9th Apr 1917) Ernest Gibson was my grandmother's first husband.
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Pte. Joseph Stanley May 11th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (d.21st Aug 1918) Joe May was one of four brothers who fought in WWI, of whom only one survived. Two of them, including Joe, died in the final few weeks of the conflict. Joe was my grandmother's cousin. Her only brother, Stanley Ernest May, 1/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was killed on the first day of the Somme in 1916. Joe's brothers were Percy White May, who was killed on 16th fo June 1916 and is buried in Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L'Avoue; and Ernest William May, Royal Field Artillery, who died in Heilsberg POW Camp on 4th of October 1918 and is buried in Berlin. Harold Brook May also served with the Sherwood Foresters. He survived the war and died in 1969.
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A/Sgt. John Richard Garfoot DCM. 11th Btn. Sherwood Foresters John Richard Garfoot was awarded the DCM for the following: On 4th of November 1918, near Landrecies, he went forward against an enemy strongpoint with a Lewis gun and two men, and under heavy fire rushed the post, captured the position, 1 officer, 21 men, one machine-gun and one anti-tank rifle.
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L/Cpl. Sydney J. Keys MM. 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (d.16th September 1917)  Sydney Keys enlisted in February 1916 in Derby. He gave his place of birth as Kensworth and his residence as Huthwaite.
He served with the 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. It was whilst with his battalion on the Western Front that on 15th/16th September 1917 he was killed by shell fire, his body was buried where he fell. However, he has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Notts Free Press, 5th October 1917 reported, Huthwaite Hero's Death Military Medallist killed in Action. After being the recipient of the military Medal as recently as June last, the news of his death in action has come as a great blow to the many friends of private S. Keys, 35438. B Company, 11th Sherwood Foresters, a well-known Huthwaite figure. He lived with his sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, of Ashfield Street, Huthwaite, by whom the following letters have been received last Friday and Monday respectively:
Dear Mrs. Hughes,- It is with deep regret that I have to inform you of the death of Private S. Keys. He was in my platoon and was killed in the front line by shell fire on the 15th. His death was instantaneous and he suffered no pain. During the short period I knew him I always found him a good soldier, who did his duty well. He was buried next day, and I have lost a good man whose place will be very difficult to fill. I wish to express my sympathy with you and your family in this sad bereavement. These are all the details I can give you. J. Greville, 2nd. Lieut. "It is with deep sympathy that I write to tell you that your brother, Private S. Keys, 35438, was killed in action on September 16th. and was buried by his battalion near where he fell. The place will be sent to you. He has died a hero, and I know that he is mourned by many pals. But "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." R.I.P. May I again offer to you and all his folk at home my sincere sympathy in your great bereavement.- Yours faithfully, J.K. Jones, (Chaplain C.E.).
Notices also published by the Mansfield Recorder dated 5th October 1917, Private Keys was born at Kensworth, near Luton, and was 26 years old. He came to Huthwaite eight years ago and lived (as stated) with his married sister. He joined up in February, 1916, and being in a low medical class he was in England ten months, and was then put in class A. Three months later he was sent to France. In June he was awarded the Military Medal for remaining at his post, though wounded, and setting a good example to his comrades. His pre-war employment was as a barman, and by reason of his quiet unassuming disposition he had many friends, and the step-brother (Corporal W. Dean), of the Bedfords, has won the D.C.M., but lost his left arm and has had twelve months in hospitals.
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Pte. Albert Adwick 11th Btn. C Coy. Sherwood Foresters (d.11th Dec 1917) Albert Adwick served with C Coy, 11th Sherwood Foresters.
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Cpl. James Edward Hannant 11th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (d.21st Nov 1916) James Hannant died at the Red Cross Hospital, Bellahouston, Glasgow, at 9.10 a.m. on 21st November 1916 of secondary haemorrhage which was bleeding that occurred from seven to fourteen days after surgery for a leg wound (gunshot).
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L/Cpl. Arthur Moss 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (d.23rd October 1916) One of my great Uncles was Arthur Moss, son of John and Hannah Moss of Buxton. Arthur was born in 1891 when the family lived at Burbage (a suburb of Buxton, Derbyshire).
In 1914, Lord Kitchener first appealed to the men of Britain to enlist for the Great war. At Derby on 17th September, 1914, the 11th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters was formed, consisting mainly of miners from the Derby and Nottingham region. It was with this regiment that Arthur Moss enlisted. Two years later, now ranked Lance Corporal, Arthur Moss found himself at The Battle of The Somme.
From what I can gather, Arthur was involved in the Battle of Transloy, at Le Sars, the third and final push of the Sherwood Foresters, and it was here he became badly wounded. On returning to England he was transferred to The Military Hospital in Glasgow (Red Cross, Bellahouston). On Monday, October 23rd, news was received that Arthur had died of his wounds, aged 26. He was buried in Burbage Churchyard on Thursday 26th October 1916.
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Lt. Ian Pendlebury Macdonald 11th Battalion Sherwood Forrest Ian Macdonald served with the 11th Battalion, Sherwood Forresters.
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Pte. Henry Thomas Cox 11th Btn. Sherwood Forresters (d.7th June 1917)  Harry Cox, was a 38-year-old Grocery Manager, originally from Alfreton, married to Grace in 1905 and having two children, Ronald and Greta. He joined the army on 1st February 1917 and was trained at Brockton Barracks on Cannock Chase.
He wrote three letters to his sister, Minnie, my grandmother, which I have. They were written between February 24th and April 1917. He was not impressed with army life and clearly missed his family. He expected to be sent to France in late April.
He was listed as missing on 7th of June 1917 and his body was never found. His name is recorded on the Menin Gate. An article and photograph in the Derbyshire Courier on the 27th July said that his brother-in-law who was in the RAMC attached to the same battalion, the 11th of the Sherwood Foresters was told that Harry was last seen in the front trench before the great mine explosion and failed to answer the roll call on the following day. From this information I believe that he must have died on the first day of the battle of Messines.
The three letters are beautifully written and he was clearly an intelligent, pleasant man who must have been a great loss to his wife, children, parents and nine siblings.
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Lt. Leonard George Humphrys 11th Btn Sherwood Foresters Leonard Humphrys was one of three Ilkeston brothers serving in WW1. The others were Captain CC Humphrys with the Royal Naval Reserve and Lieutenant Colonel HJ Humphrys CBE DSO MC of 7th Black Watch, 179th and 251st Tunnelling Companies, Royal Engineers and 8 Royal Scots (as CO). Leonard served with the 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters, he was severely wounded in 1916 and transferred to the Royal Engineers (home service) developing offensive gas units. He was a gas engineer by profession.
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Rflmn. John Insley 10th Btn. Royal Irish Rifles (d.14th August 1917) I understand that my uncle John Insley joined the 11th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters at Derby, presumably in September 1914. At some point during the war he and many others of the battalion were transferred to the 10th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles. To date I have not discovered when and why this occurred.
I had no idea where he had been killed until I took a party of cubs and scouts to Ypres and the Menin Gate in the 1990s. Whilst there I said to my son that I had a feeling that he was there somewhere. We searched the local regiments Notts & Derby, South Staffs etc, with no luck. The guide informed us that to find out where relatives were buried we could contact the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This I did to be told that he was on panel 40 of the Menin Gate under the Royal Irish Rifles.
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Pte. John James Hamlett 11th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) (d.8th June 1917) John Hamlett died on Mount Sorrel (Hill 60) the day after the huge explosion instigated by the Australians.
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Pte. George Dimmock 11th Btn. Notts & Derby Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) George Dimmock joined up on 26th October 1914, at Longton, Stoke on Trent. He was married on 4th August 1907. He was posted to the 11th Battalion Notts & Derby Regiment.
George was posted to France on 27th August 1915. Battles he fought in during 1915 were: Neuve Chapelle, Aubers and action at Bois Grenier and, in 1916, at the Battle of Albert.
He was wounded on 1st July 1916 and returned to the UK on 9th of that month. He was at home until 13th December 1916 - 157 days. He returned to France on 14th December and remained there until 31st March 1917. George returned to the UK on 1st April 1917 and was invalided out on 3rd December 1917. He was awarded the Silver War Badge with the 10th Battalion.
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Pte. Albert Edward Wheeler 11th Battalion Notts and Derby Regiment (d.16th Jan 1917) Albert Wheeler was my Grandfather. He was born 21st June 1887 and died 16th Jan 1917 somewhere near Ypres, it is thought he was killed by shell fire while on sentry duty. He is buried in the Railway Dugout Burial Ground at Ypres in Belgium. His brother George, a Grenadier Guard died at Ginchy the previous September.
Albert, and his wife Harriet, and three sons Bertie, Frank and Geoffrey had emigrated from Derbyshire to Canada in April 1912. He kept a detailed diary of the journey in which he writes about seeing icebergs and then hearing that the SS Titanic has hit an iceberg and gone down with some people on board.
Unfortunately, my Grandmother Harriet did not like life in Canada and the family returned to Derbyshire in 1914 with tragic consequences. Albert enlisted in the Army in 1915 and was posted to the Western Front. He never returned.
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Pte. William Francis Hazell 11th Btn. Nottingham & Derbyshire Regiment (d.7th Jun 1917) Bill Hazell was my great uncle. His sister Florence Hazell was my paternal grandmother. He was a fishshop assistant and lived in Child's Hill, north London (between West Hampstead and Golders Green).
I have been told that my grandmother was much affected by her young brother's early death at the age of 24. I have visited his memorial which is on the Menin Gate and it is a very sad and moving place. I note that his date of death coincided with the explosion of mines before the Battle of Messines and am interested in knowing if he was killed as a result of the blasts or in the fighting which took place subsequently.
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RSM. Frederick Bowden 11th Btn Sherwood Foresters Fred Bowden was a stonemason with Great Western Railways and a Territorial before the War. He served for the entire war including the first day of the Somme at Authuille Wood near Albert. He is the only name mentioned in the Regimantal Diary in the planning for the Sommes battle. "Lance-Corporal Fred Bowden to take charge of prisoners". He won a Military Medal at San Sisto Ridge, Asiago in Italy in 1918, no citation exists.
In the final weeks of the war a shell took out one inch of his shin and he spent several months in Scotland convincing surgeons not to amputate his leg. He wore special shoes from this time on due to his shorter leg. He finished the war as a Regimental Colour-Sergeant and a photograph exists of him wearing a red sash over his uniform.
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Pte. John Henry Mallender 11th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (d.23rd June 1916) Private John Henry Mallender, 11th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, was killed in action on 23rd June 1916, age 24.
He was a cousin of my maternal grandmother, Doris Bowles nee Mallender, and the son of James and Emily Mallender, 39 King Street, Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
John is buried in Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, Albert, Somme, France. "A corner of a foreign field that will be forever England."
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Pte. Thomas Radford 11th Btn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) (d.1st Jul 1916) Thomas Radford came from a large family and lived on New High Street, in Buxton, Derbyshire. He went to enrol in Derby with his brother and brother in law.
His brother Samuel survived as did John Clearly who was gassed and brought back to England. Uncle Tommy unfortunately died on the 1st day of the Somme, aged just 28.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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BENEATH HILL 60 tells the extraordinary true story of Oliver Woodward, the legendary Australian metal scientist. In 1916, Woodward faced the most difficult decision, ultimately having to separate from his new young love for the deadly carnage of the Western Front. On treacherous territory, behind the German enemy lines, Woodward and his secret platoon of Australian tunnelers face a suicidal battle to defend a leaking, tunnel system. A tunnel packed with enough high explosives to change the course of the War.
Hill 60: Ypres (Battleground Europe) Nigel Cave
The shell-ravaged landscape of Hill 60, some three miles south east of Ypres, conceals a labyrinth of tu nnels and underground workings. This book offers a guide to the memorials, cemeteries and museums at the site '
Beneath Hill 60 [Paperback] Will Davies
'Ten seconds, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one - fire! Down goes the firing switch. At first, nothing. Then from deep down there comes a low rumble, and it as if the world is spliting apart...' On 7th June 1917, nineteen massive mines exploded beneath Messines Ridge near Ypres. The largest man-made explosion in history up until that point shattered the landscape and smashed open the German lines. Ten thousand German soldiers died. Two of the mines - at Hill 60 and the Caterpillar - were fired by men of the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company, comprising miners and engineers rather than parade-ground soldiers. Drawing on the diaries of one of the key combatants, "Benealth Hill 60" tells the little-known, devastatingly brutal true story of this subterranean war waged beneath the Western Front - a stygian battle-ground where men drowned in viscous chalk, suffocated in the blue gray clay, choked on poisonous air or died in the darkness, caught up up in vicious hand-to-han
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