Private 1439 James Peden 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers killed in action
at Vielle Chapelle on Thursday 15th October 1914 aged 34.
James is buried in the Vieille-Chapelle New Military Cemetery France.
James was a Regular Soldier enlisting in July 1905, he was the son of Richard
and Mary Peden, of Milford.
Private 2756 Walter Pepper 1st/5th Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby
Regiment) Killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on
Saturday 1st July 1916 aged 38. Walter also fought in the South Africa War and
had landed in France on Thursday 2nd March 1916.
On Saturday 1st July 1916, the weather was hot with an early morning mist when
at 7:30am supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of
Commonwealth forces launched an offensive on a line from north of
Gommecourt to Maricourt. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven
days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met
unexpectedly fierce resistance. Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal
advances on the southern flank, the initial attack was a disastrous failure. The
1st/5th Battalion went over the top at Gommecourt and was cut to ribbons. They
suffered particularly badly. 184 men and 11 Officers were killed. The net gain that
day was effectively zero.
Walter has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial
France.
Walter was resident and born in Belper on Saturday 28th July 1877, before reenlisting he worked for Hickman and Stretton Builders of Ripley. He was the son
of George Pepper a Chimney sweep and Jane Pepper. He lived at Windy Gap
Belper and left a widow and three children, 2 girls and a boy.
Like many men waiting in the trenches on the night of Friday the 30th of June
Walter must have known, unlike the General’s and their staff ensconced many
miles to the rear, that it was not going to be a ’stroll over no mans land to take
possession of the German Lines’ so he had written to his wife on the eve of
going over the top;
‘Dearest,
…….I could not rest without saying goodbye, happen for the last time…..but I
want you to cheer up and be brave for the children’s sake. We must put our trust
in God and hope for the best - to come safely through. We go over in the morning
and I am in the first line. They are giving them a terrific bombardment….. It is
simply hell upon earth here.
My last thoughts will be with you at home as we are stepping over the trenches.
May God watch over me and guard me and bring me safely through
1881 Census
Ruth PEPPER Dau. Female 13 Belper, Derby, England Cheviner
Stephen PEPPER Son Male 10 Belper, Derby, England Scholar
Arthur PEPPER Son Male 8 Belper, Derby, England Scholar
Walter PEPPER Son Male 3 Belper, Derby, England Scholar
Ernest PEPPER Son Male 10 m Belper, Derby, England
Private 200625 Harold Arthur Percival MM ‘D’ Company 11th Battalion
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) wounded and died on the same
day at a Field Hospital Marroiles on Tuesday 5th November 1918 aged 35.
He was originally posted to the Sherwood Foresters 4th (Reserve) Battalion
spending two years in Britain and a further year in Ireland on garrison duty.
Harold is recorded by the CWGC as serving with "D" Company, there is no
reference of ’D’ company being in action on Tuesday 5th November 1918 and he
was probably attached to one three other Companies.
In the early hours of Monday 4th November 1918, the Battalion moved off from
Pommereuil to Malgarni, where they dug in to new positions. At 5.45am, "A", "B"
and "C" Companies advanced. There was some fighting but by the end of the
day, there had been a successful advance and the men secured for the night
along the road between Landrecies and Maroilles.
A further advance started at 6.15am on the 5 th November, with "A" Company
acting as the vanguard. It encountered heavy machine gun and rifle fire but
captured the first objective at Old Mill des Pres. "A" Company and half of "B" now
pushed on to Maroilles and prevented the Germans blowing up the bridge.
The Military Medal was awarded to Harold and Private Albert Stellebrass for;
Extract from Regimental History.
"For gallantry on 5.11.1918 during an attack on Maroilles, an enemy Machine
Gun which was in a farm building was holding up the advance guard. Under very
heavy Machine Gun Fire this man worked his Lewis Gun section onto a flank and
brought effective fire to bear on the enemy position. He afterwards charged the
enemy and drove him out thus allowing the offensive to proceed. Throughout the
whole operation this man displayed marked courage and ability. This action was
completed with the aid of Private H. Percival, who also received the same
award."
Extract from a letter written to Harold’s wife by his commanding Officer.
"About noon, he and I found ourselves alone towards the centre of the town, with
six Huns holding a bridge over which we had to advance. Your husband went
back and got two more men and together we rushed forward. The Huns were
taken by surprise and, after firing a machine gun at us for a few minutes, cleared
off. The bridge was fully mined and but for the rapid advance would have been
blown up. .......When we got to the bridge I ordered two men to cover our
advance while your husband and I crossed the bridge. Here your husband shot
two Huns and I shot one, reducing their number to three. We went on another 50
yards and then quite suddenly a machine gun fired at us from less than 15 yards.
Four bullets struck your husband in the thigh and stomach and he fell. I threw
myself down flat and the machine gun continued to fire at us. But by some
miracle missed me. About five minutes later the machine gun and Huns cleared
off. I then said to your husband "I'm going to chance it and have a look at you"
but he replied "Don't be foolish. Keep still or they will get you as well". When I got
to him the machine gun started to fire again and again I missed the bullets.
He insisted that we must wait until things quietened down ere he was moved but
I was able to get him to a small hollow in the ground where no bullets could get
him. I then got hold of some men and advanced again but not before I personally
directed the stretcher bearers to your husband. That was the last I saw of him.
On the stretcher, he became unconscious".
He is buried in the Le Cateau Military Cemetery Nord France.
Harold was the son of William and Charlotte Percival of Hazel Street, Hazel
Grove,
and the husband of Sarah Jane Percival, of Nether Laune, Belper Lane, Belper.
He moved to Belper in 1906 and worked for the English Sewing Cotton Ltd.
He enlisted in Belper in1914
Lieutenant Samuel ‘Sammy‘ Porter B.Sc (Lond) 11th Battalion York & Lancaster
Regiment attached to the 8th Battalion Manchester Regiment. Born in 1889 in
Stratford Essex he was killed in action on Saturday 7th August 1915 aged 26, he
was shot in the head while leading his men in a charge on the Turkish trenches,
his last words to his men were, ‘come along boys, you‘re not afraid to die‘.
He is buried in the Redoubt Cemetery Helles Turkey.
Samuel was ‘Gazetted’ in 1915
London Gazette February 1915
Lieutenant.
Samuel Porter. Dated 21st December, 1914.
The British High Command decided to land a new force, north of Anzac at Suvla
Bay, on 6/7 August. In an attempt to keep Turkish forces occupied, the troops
around Helles would make another attempt to break-out, although its main aim
was one of diversion.
The attack would become known as the Battle of the Vineyard. The troops were
in position by 7am. The Turkish Army was obviously prepared for another assault
and was shelling the British position.
The Battalion War Diary notes that "The enemy bombardment was tremendous
and even before the first assault; we had a good many casualties in the
trenches".
Leading the attack would be "C" Company. At 9.40, they left the trench and
reached the Turkish front line, some 70 yards away. There were many casualties
- some had got no more than 20 yards before being mown down by machine gun
fire.
Taken from the Derby Mercury 27th August 1915.
" Belper Schoolmaster Killed”
Information has been received from the War Office of the death from wounds of
Lieut. S. Porter, York and Lancaster Regt. Lieut. Porter, who before the war was
a Master at the Strutt Schools at Belper, joined the York and Lancaster’s last
October and recently proceeded with his regiment to the Dardanelles where
unfortunately he lost his life.
Samuel was the son of Linton Porter a Railway Engine Driver and Clara Porter,
of 72, East Rd. West Ham, London.
Samuel came to Belper in January 1912 as an assistant science and
mathematics Teacher at the Herbert Strutts School.
He was educated at the County High School for boys Ilford and in 1908 entered
the Kings College London on a Drapers Company scholarship. He obtained a
second class degree in physics, he was a member of the Derwent Tennis Club.
Samuel Porter.
Serjeant 200206 Ronald Joseph Potter 2nd/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters
(Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action at Mouquet (‘Mucky’) Farm on
Monday 7th May 1917 aged 21.
Extract from the 2nd/5th Battalion History.
‘The strength and likely resistance of the enemy there (Mouquet Farm) had been
very much underestimated and thus many good lives sacrificed in vain. The
casualties of the 2/5th in this operation….one hundred and fifty, all ranks, were
reported killed, wounded or missing‘.
Ronald was one of the missing and has no known grave but is commemorated
on The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
Born in Belper enlisted in Belper Ronald was the son of John and Martha Potter,
of Ivy Villa, High St., Belper.
Private 6439 James Price M.M. 22nd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion
Northumberland Fusiliers killed in action while attacking German trenches at
Greenland Hill near Arras on Tuesday 5th June 1917 aged 26.
The attack was begun at 4:25 A.M. and to quote the Divisional commander,
General Nicholson "It began badly, continued badly, and ended worse."
The barrage was inaccurate and at the time of the assault the enemy machine
guns were highly active.
James has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, which
commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South
Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916
and 7th August 1918 and have no known grave. He had earlier been awarded the
Military Medal for distinguished conduct in the field while attending to the
wounded under heavy shellfire.
Born in Belper enlisted in Sheffield James was the Husband of Edith Glen
(formerly Price), of 4, Havercroft Terrace, Killamarsh, Sheffield and the son of Mr
and Mrs James Price.
Before the war James was employed at Holden and Sons of Belper.
Rifleman C/6625 Thomas Rowland Prime 18th Battalion King's Royal Rifle
Corps. Killed in Action near Combles on the first day of the Battle of Flers-
Courcelette on Friday 15th September 1916 aged 21.
The battle of Flers-Courcelette, 15-22 September 1916, was the third main phase
of the battle of the Somme.
The offensive finally broke through the area that had proved to be so difficult
since 14th July 1916, using a small number of tanks for the first time in history,
the British Army finally captured High Wood and pressed on through Flers and up
the Bapaume road to Courcelette .
Thomas is buried in the Bulls Road Cemetery Flers France.
He was born in Belper enlisted in Derby Thomas was resident in Sheffield and
the brother of Mrs. Emma Moorwood Smy, of 16/1, Portobello St. Sheffield.
Second Lieutenant John William Raistrick 1st/8th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion West
Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) born in 1885 in Pudsey Yorkshire
killed in action near Lens on Saturday 19th May 1917 aged 32.
John also known as Jack was educated at Bradford Secondary school and Leeds
University where he graduated in science. He was a science and geography
teacher at the Herbert Strutt School. A keen sportsman he helped to run the
school football team.
He enlisted in 1915 and was the Son of E. B. and S. J. Raistrick. Native of
Pudsey, Yorks. He left behind his Fiancée Miss Peach.
In the 1901 census J W Raistrick son of E B Raistrick is described as a pupil
school teacher.
The 1/8 West York’s (Leeds Rifles) was part of the 49th Division which was in
Brigade Support in the Laventie Area from February to July 1917.
John is buried in the Laventie Military Cemetery La Gorgue France.
C.P.O. Electrical Artificer 4th Class Hubert Frederic Rendall of the H.M. Drifter
‘Our Allies’ Royal Navy Died on Monday 5th August 1918 aged 29 of accidental
injuries caused by an explosion.
Hubert is buried in the Gallipoli Communal Cemetery Italy one of only seven
Commonwealth burials of the First World War in that cemetery.
The Royal and Merchant Navies were active in the Mediterranean and Adriatic
throughout the war and many of their dead are buried along the Italian coast.
In 1917, Gallipoli was made the base of the motor launches sent to the Adriatic
Drifter Fleet.
HM Drifter ‘Our Allies’, Port No LT492 ( Lowestoft) , Admiralty No 2206, 91 tons
launched 1915, a net drifter requisitioned August 1915 and returned 1920. Armed
with a 57mm gun. She was used as a net barrier tender in the Adriatic.
Hubert was born in Castleford on Tuesday 8th January 1889. He enlisted in
Belper.
Hubert was the son of William Robert Johnson Rendall a Certificated Head
Teacher and Eliza Rendall, of Schoolhouse, Glasshoughton, Castleford,
Yorkshire.
Prior to enlisting he had worked as an electrician at the English Sewing Cotton
Company and had lodged with Mr J Wass of Bridge Foot Belper for 4 years.
He was a member of St Peter’s church and was also a musician ‘of no mean
order’.
Private 34016 Cecil Rice 3rd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby
Regiment) transferred to (239572) 472nd Agricultural Company Labour Corps .
Died at home Holbrook Road Belper on Saturday 7 th December 1918 aged 24.
When the Labour Corps was formed in mid 1917 it was decided that men would
be assigned to it from other regiments, often because of their reduced medical
category.
Cecil served with 3rd Battalion Sherwood Foresters, on coastal defence at the
Sunderland (Tyne Garrison). He only served a short time before transferring to
472 Agricultural Company Labour Corps. Cecil fell ill and died of "Pneumonia
with influenza‘. He died at his parents house in Belper.
Cecil was the son of Mrs. Rice, of 12, New Houses, Holbrook Rd., Belper.
His brother William also fell. (see below).
Cecil was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours.
Cecil Rice.
The Rice brothers buried together in Belper Cemetery.
Private 39986 William Rice Leicestershire Regiment Depot Died at the Derby
Royal Infirmary on Saturday10th January 1920 aged 21 from the effects of
wounds received during the war.
The Leicestershire Regiment Depot was based at Glen Parva Leicestershire.
He is buried in the Belper Cemetery.
William was the son of Mrs. Rice, of 12, New Houses, Holbrook Rd. Belper.
His brother Cecil Rice also fell. (see above)
Rifleman C/6462 Jacob Richards 18th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps. Died
on Sunday 17th September 1916 aged 20 of bullet wounds to both thighs at the
No 5 Casualty Clearing Station. He received his wounds near Combles during
the Battle of the Somme .
Combles was one of the largest villages on the Somme, and a major billeting and
communications quarter for the German Army.
Cavernous catacombs underneath the village were used to shelter troops.
To the west of the village were two wooded areas Bouleaux ('Bully') and Leuze
('Lousy'). These became the battleground of the 56th (London) Division from
early in September 1916. By the 25th of September most of the wooded area
had been taken, and a joint attack by British and French troops took the village
on 26th September.
Jacob is buried in the Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension France.
He enlisted in July 1915 and was the only son of Jacob Richards a Chimney
Sweep and Mary Richards, of 1, Bridge Street, Belper.
Before joining up Jacob worked at Denby Colliery and Salterwood Pit he was a
member of the choir of Christ Church, Belper.
Jacob Richards.
Private 200629 Arthur Richardson 2nd/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts
and Derby Regiment) killed in action at the second Battle of Bullecourt on
Saturday 5th May 1917 aged 35.
After the initial assault around Bullecourt failed to penetrate the German lines,
British commanders made preparations for a second attempt. British artillery
began an intense bombardment of the village, which, by Friday 20th April, had
been virtually destroyed.
Although the infantry assault was initially planned for 20th April, it was pushed
back a number of times and finally set for the early morning of Thursday 3 rd May
1917.
At 03:45, British troops from the 62nd Division attempted to capture the village of
Bullecourt.
German resistance was fierce, and, when the offensive was called off on
Thursday 17th May, very few of the initial objectives had been met and
considerable losses had been incurred, the Battalion had been stationed in
Ireland during the 1916 Easter Uprising.
Arthur has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial, the
Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
Arthur was an Iron Moulder at the Park Foundry and was born and resident in
Belper he was the son of William Richardson who was employed by Mr Strutt as
a horseman on his estate and Mary Richardson, of Belper Lane, Belper. He
enlisted in October 1914 and was single.
Arthur Richardson.
Sapper 100866 Herbert Robertson 98th Field Company Royal Engineers killed
in action at Hermonville on Monday 27th May 1918 aged 32.
At 1am on Monday 27th May 1918 the Germans put down an very intense
barrage consisting of high explosive and gas along the whole of the forward area.
All the troops were 'stood to' at their battle stations, but this resulted in many
casualties on account of the shelling.
'the whole front from Soissons to Reims broke into flame, and we knew that for
the third time in ten weeks we were up against the real thing. Within fifteen
minutes it was obvious that the Hun had an extraordinary concentration of guns
of every calibre, and that his bombardment had been organised beforehand in
most thorough and accurate fashion. A big proportion of gas was used, about
four varieties being distinguished in the later French and British reports. The
whole line was deluged with shells, and the front trenches especially must have
been reduced to a pulverised mass‘.
Herbert is buried in the Hermonville Military Cemetery Marne France.
Special memorials are erected in the Cemetery to five Sappers of the Royal
Engineers, one of which was Herbert, who fell on the 27th May 1918, and were
buried in the German part of the cemetery, but whose graves could not be found.
Herbert was born in Stockport in 1886 and was resident in Belper and enlisted in
Derby.
In 1901 Herbert was an Office boy in Stockport.
Private 33491 George William Rollinson ‘D’ Company 14th Battalion York and
Lancaster Regiment Killed in Action near Ypres on Sunday 14th October 1917
aged 27.
George is buried in the Roclincourt Military Cemetery France.
George was born in Belper, resident at 41 Long Row and enlisted in Derby in
February 1916.
Prior to enlisting George was employed by the Sewing Cotton Company at the
Belper Mills and was a member of the Baptist Church being the secretary of their
football team.
He left a wife and a 12 year old son.
George Rollinson.
Private 10917 Frank Edgar Ryde 18th Battalion Manchester Regiment died of
wounds at the 13th Stationary Hospital Boulogne on Wednesday 12th July 1916
aged 23. He was wounded on Tuesday 11th July 1916 and died the following day
without regaining consciousness.
In July 1916, the 18th Battalion of the Manchester’s, which was a Kitchener
battalion, along with the 16th and 17th Manchester’s, attacked an area known as
Guillemont, suffering very heavy casualties during the engagement like many
other ‘Pushes’ it started well only to become bogged down in a stalemate with
terrible loss of life.
Frank is buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery France.
Born and resident in Belper Frank enlisted in Manchester in November 1914.
He was the son of Tom Ryde a Joiner and Undertaker and Eliza Ryde, of The
Scotches, Belper.
Before enlisting Frank worked for Messrs Waters which was part of the English
Sewing Company, he was single.
Lance Corporal 32663 Herbert Selby 5th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light
Infantry. Died of spotted fever (usually caught from ticks) at Etaples on Tuesday
24th July 1917.
Herbert is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery.
During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense
concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was
remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the
northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped
among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one
stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with
22,000 wounded or sick.
Herbert was born and enlisted Belper, prior to enlistment he worked at
Ambergate Wireworks.
He was married to the daughter of Mr and Mrs George Blount of Penn Street
Belper. His wife received notification of his illness and was granted a pass to visit
her husband in France, she was at his bedside when he died and stayed on to
attend his funeral.
Herbert Selby.
Private 32520 Charles Sellors 1st/5th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment.
Died at the Military Hospital Devonport on Tuesday 11th June 1918 aged 30 from
the effects of being gassed and wounded at Kemmel Hill on Friday April 26 th
1918.
He had only just returned to his unit after being invalided back to England having
been gassed previously on Wednesday 10th October 1917.
Charles was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours.
Born and resident in Belper Charles enlisted in Derby on Monday 1 st January
1917 and was the son of Samuel Sellors a Lead Smelter and Eliza Sellors, of
Belper and husband of Ann Elizabeth Shaw (formerly Sellors), of 102, Bridge St.,
Belper.
Prior to enlisting he was employed at Brettles as a hosiery worker.
Charles Sellors.
Private 51856 Harry Shepherd 12th Battalion Royal Scots. Killed in action at
Kemmel Hill on Thursday 25th April 1918 aged 27.
At 02:30 hours on Thursday 25th April 1918 over 250 batteries of German guns
opened up on Allied artillery positions with a mixture of gas and high explosive.
For the next two hours they concentrated solely on destroying the British gun
emplacements.
After such a furious bombardment at 06:00 hours the Germans launched their
infantry to the attack.
By 07:10 hours Kemmel Hill was theirs and by 10:30 hours it was all over.
Harry has no known grave and is commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial to
the Missing
Born and enlisted in Belper Harry was resident in Derby and the son of Edwin
Shepherd a Platelayer on the Railway and Emma Shepherd.
Lieutenant John Cecil Shipway 24th Battalion Victoria Rifles Canadian Infantry
killed in action by machine gun bullets leading his men in an attack at Cherisy on
Wednesday 28th August 1918.
He is buried a few yards from where he fell in the Quebec Cemetery Cherisy
France.
Cherisy village was captured by the 18th Division on Thursday 3 rd May 1917, but
lost the same night. It then remained in German hands until it was retaken by the
Canadian Corps on Tuesday 27th August 1918.
John was the son of the late Frank and Ann Shipway, of Bridge Street Belper and
the husband of Hetty Shipway (nee Watson), of 44, Fieldhead Rd., Sheffield,
they were married in January 1918.
Before the war he had worked as a traveller for B K Morton and Company
engineers of Sheffield and Canada, he was a fine cricketer and footballer having
played for Westmont Cricket Club Montreal during a three year stay in Canada
before the war.
The grave of John Simpson.
Private 119039 John William Simpson Royal Army Medical Corp. died at the
Military Hospital Bagthorpe Notts on Monday 25th November 1918 aged 31 from
pneumonia following influenza, he had been in hospital for 11 days.
He had not served abroad but his duties had been attending to the wounded at
the Military Hospital Bagthorpe Nottingham.
John was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours.
He was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Aaron Simpson of Bridge Street Belper and
the husband of Mrs Alice (Sophia) Simpson (nee Winfield) of Mill Lane Belper.
John had formerly worked at the English Sewing Cotton Company and had for
some time assisted Mr Morton at the Palace Belper, he was a well known local
footballer playing for the Baptist Club.
Private 292230 Frank Sims 1st/7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers killed in
action at Passchendale aged 27, during the Third Battle of Ypres whilst taking
part in the Attack by the 50th Division on the Houthulst Forest on Friday 26th
October 1917.
From the War Diary of C.O. of the 4th Northumberland Fusiliers.
‘Punctually at 5.40 a.m. the creeping barrage fell. It was to move forward at the
rate of one hundred yards in eight minutes. Had the "going" been good, the slow
"creep" would hardly have restrained the troops, who lay close up under the
barrage waiting for the first "lift"; so close indeed that several casualties were
suffered. But at the first "lift" of the guns the attackers rose to their feet and
advanced. The rain had, however, done its deadly work, for all the gallant fellows
could do was to drag themselves along through the thick clinging mud and water
at a much slower pace than the barrage, which soon got ahead. Then from "pillbox " and shell hole a murderous fire was poured upon them. Many fell dead;
some of the wounded fell into the gaping holes of water and were drowned;
fortunate were those who escaped, but on went the survivors‘.
Frank was not one of the ‘survivors’ and has no known grave but is
commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial which is one of four memorials to the
missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient.
Born in Belper enlisted in Derby Frank was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Abraham
Sims, a Coal Hewer of Marsh Lane, Belper and the husband of Julia Hannah
Sims (nee Peat), of 40, Long Row, Belper.
Before the war Frank worked at the Denby Pottery and was a member of the
Congregational Church.
Private 36063 Frederick Skidmore 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion
Northumberland Fusiliers killed in action during the Third Battle of Ypres on
Tuesday 23rd October 1917 aged 28, he had just returned to his unit after being
in hospital with a wound to his cheek.
The Third Battle of Ypres, or Passchendaele, was a very costly battle. For the
sake of a few kilometres, the British had lost 310,000 men and the Germans
260,000.
Frederick has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial
which is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover
the area known as the Ypres Salient
Born in Belper enlisted in Derby Frederick was the son of Albert Skidmore a
Framework Knitter and Clara Skidmore, of 63, Long Row, Belper and the
husband of Flora E. Skidmore (nee Widdowson), of 32, Holbrook Rd., Belper,
they had a two year old son.
Prior to enlisting Frederick had worked for Wragg and Selvey.
Frederick Skidmore.
Private M2/019784 Percival Henry Slater Army Service Corps.
Died of wounds at the No 8 General Hospital Rouen on Friday 18 th December
1914 aged 32.
No.8 General Hospital was quartered at Bois Guillaume in a large private house
and grounds.
Percival is buried in the Bois-Guillaume Communal Cemetery France.
In 1901 Percival was a Carter.
Lance Corporal 32617 Gerald Smith 5th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light
Infantry Killed in action at Delville Wood on the Somme on Friday 15th September
1916 aged 22. He was seen sheltering in a shell hole in no mans land during
some heavy shelling, later he was seen at a field dressing station but nothing
further was seen of him.
Gerald has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial
Somme France.
He was the third and youngest son of Mr John Smith a hairdresser of King Street
and was the husband on Mrs Grace Smith (nee Neaum) King Street Belper.
Before the war he had been employed by Mr Wood a grocer.
Bombardier 186543 John Alfred Smith "B" Battery. 161st Brigade. Royal Field
Artillery died of wounds on Tuesday 11th December 1917 aged 25.
John is buried in the Mendinghem Military Cemetery Belgium.
Born in Belper enlisted in Derby John was the only son of Alfred Smith a
Labourer in a Wire Works and Elizabeth Smith, of 46, Nottingham Rd. Belper.
Private 27070 Charles Spencer 16th Battalion ('Chatsworth Rifles') Sherwood
Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on Tuesday 16 th April 1918
aged 27 near Ypres, Somme during the German Spring Offensive.
Previous to his death Charles had been wounded twice.
Charles has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial
France which relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the
Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former
Somme battlefields and commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United
Kingdom who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 st
March to 7th August 1918.
Born and resident in Belper enlisted in Derby in June 1915 Charles was the
second son of Charles and Priscilla Spencer, of Prospect Cottage, Foundry
Lane, Belper.
Before enlisting he was a moulder at the Eagle Ironworks Belper.
Private 45477 Charles Edgar Spencer 2nd/4th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire
Light Infantry Died on Wednesday 3rd July 1918 aged 27 of inflammation of the
lungs at Denain War Hospital after being taken prisoner by the Germans.
News of Charles’s death was received via the Red Cross.
Charles is buried in the Denain Communal Cemetery France, which is 20 miles
north east of Cambrai.
Denain was a German hospital centre ("Kriegslazarett Abteilung 29" (War
Hospital Detachment 29) during the greater part of the War up to the 1st
November, 1918.
The Communal Cemetery, was used by the Germans to bury their soldiers and
(in 1917 and 1918) 153 British prisoners were buried.
Charles was born in Belper and enlisted in Sheffield. He had 3 brothers who also
served, George the eldest who had been wounded, disabled and discharged,
Henry and Maurice who had been wounded.
Private 43202 George Charles Spencer 17th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment
Died at Chelmsford Hospital on Sunday morning 13th May 1917 aged 22 from
pneumonia after contracting a cold while under canvas at a military camp near
Chelmsford. His mother and father travelled to Chelmsford on Friday 11th May
1917 and were at his bedside when he died.
He was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours.
Born and resident in Belper George enlisted in Derby and was the son of Charles
and Kate Spencer, of 88, Nottingham Rd., Belper. Both of his parents were
buried with George when they died.
Although George was 6 foot three inches tall he was said to be ‘of delicate
constitution’.
George had one brother, Hugh, who also served in the war in Egypt with the
Honourable Artillery Company.
Private 44342 William Arthur Spencer 11th Battalion South Wales Borderers
killed in action near Armentières on Sunday 28th October 1917 aged 34.
In late August 1917 the 11th Battalion was sent down to Armentières. In this
sector both they distinguished themselves by their vigorous patrol work in which
they took prisoners, made valuable identifications, and generally kept the
German patrols busy by their determined action.
William has no known grave and is commemorated on The Ploegsteert Memorial
Belgium which commemorates more than 11,000 servicemen of the United
Kingdom who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known
grave.
William was the son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Spencer, of Barton Knoll, Belper.
Corporal 200626 William Henry Spencer 2nd/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters
(Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on Easter Monday 9th April 1917
aged 23 by a shell at Marqueffles Farm just north of Bois de Bouvigny.
He is buried in the Vadencourt British Cemetery Maissemy France.
William was the son of Walter Spencer who in 1901 was ‘living on his own
means’ and Hannah Elizabeth Spencer, of Belper Lane, Belper.
Prior to enlisting William had worked at the Park Foundry and was a member of
the Baptist Sunday School and a footballer for the Baptist Club.
Bombardier 806240 William Henry Spendlove "B" Battery. 296th Brigade Royal
Field Artillery Died of wounds at Wimereux on Wednesday 3rd October 1917
aged 40.
He is buried Wimereux Communal Cemetery France.
Wimereux formed an important hospital centre and the medical units used the
communal cemetery for burials.
Husband of Florence Ethel Spendlove, of Belper.
William was a butcher in Bridge St. Belper for a number of years.
Company Quartermaster Serjeant 632032 Eric William Parker Stamper 2/5th
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) attached to the 150th Company
Labour Corps. Died at Stonebroom Vicarage on Thursday 7th November 1918
aged 27.
He is buried in the Holy Cross Churchyard in Morton.
Eric was the son of the Rev William Parker Stamper and Mary Potts
Stamper,(nee Sidebottom) of Stonebroom Vicarage, Alfreton, Derbyshire.
His brother Geoffrey Stamper also fell.
Eric Stamper’s gravestone
Private 3/45389 Albert Edward Stevens 8th Battalion South Wales Borderers
killed in action on Sunday 9th December 1917 aged 29 by a bursting shell on his
way to the cookhouse in Salonika.
He is buried in the Doiran Military Cemetery Greece.
The Salonika Campaign of 1915-1918 in Greece and Macedonia was, like the
1915 Gallipoli Campaign in Turkey, an attempt by the Allies to open a second
front to relieve pressure on British and French forces in Belgium and France.
Born in Belper in March 1888 enlisted in Derby Albert was the husband of Harriet
Amelia Stevens, of New Rd. Belper they had three children Ken and Ivy and
Ronald Stevens who died in 1997. His wife first received the news of his death
stating that he had died in France, however this was corrected later by the
Records Office at Shrewsbury with an apology from the Colonel in charge.
Albert was the son of Henry and Fanny Stevens (nee Worthy)
In 1901 Albert was an Errand Boy, however prior to enlisting he worked at
Ward‘s Factory.
Private 2414 Thomas Stephenson ‘B’ Company 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood
Foresters Killed in action near Ypres on Friday 23rd July 1915 aged 19.
In July 1915 the battalion was occupying an area of the Ypres Salient known as
Hill 62, at the edge of Sanctuary Wood, close to the German lines.
Thomas has no known grave and is commemorated on The Menin Gate Ypres
Belgium.
Thomas was the son of Mary Jane Hyde (formerly Stephenson), of 17, Park Rd.
North, Bedford, and the late Samuel Stephenson.
Sapper 141998 Samuel Arthur Stone 101st Field Company (Surveying Section)
Royal Engineers Killed in Action at Zillebeke south of Ypres on Thursday 23rd
November 1916 aged 22.
Samuel has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate which is
one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area
known as the Ypres Salient.
Born and resident in Belper Samuel enlisted in Derby in the summer of 1915 and
was the son of George Edwards Stone and Mary Edwards Stone, of 70, Sandbed
Lane, Belper.
Samuel was educated at Belper Grammar School, he then attended evening
classes at the Herbert Strutt School and the Derby Technical College where he
gained honours in geometry, mathematics, building construction and quantity
surveying.
Before enlisting Samuel was articled to Hunter and Woodhouse architects and
surveyors of Belper
Bombardier 149314 Charles Stone ‘C’ Battery Royal Horse Artillery and Royal
Field Artillery 82nd Brigade.
Died of serious head wounds at No 3 Stationary Hospital Rouen on 23 rd
September 1918 aged 24. He had returned to his unit in France only three weeks
before his death after being granted special leave to visit his father who had been
seriously ill.
Charles is buried in the St. Sever Cemetery Extension Rouen France.
He was born in Belper and enlisted in Derby in 1916 and was the son of Mr and
Mrs H Stone of the Duke of Devonshire Bridge Street Belper.
Private 6992 George William Stone 2nd/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts
and Derby Regiment) died of wounds at Erchin on Wednesday 27th March 1918
aged 39.
He is buried in the London Cemetery Neuville-Vitasse France.
Born and resident in Belper George enlisted in Derby and was the son of
Thomas and Sarah Stone, of Belper.
Private 41944 Frederick Street Depot Highland Light Infantry. Formerly 39913
Lincolnshire Regiment. Died of wounds at Govan Hospital Glasgow on Saturday
23rd June 1917 aged 38 after many weeks in hospital partially paralysed.
He had been wounded in France in March 1917.
Frederick was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours.
Born and resident in Belper he resided at his sisters Mrs Hitchcock of Belper
Lane, Frederick enlisted in Derby and was the son of Joseph Street.
Prior to enlistment Frederick worked on the Strutt’s estate.
Fred Street’s Grave.
Lieutenant Anthony Herbert Strutt 16th (Chatsworth Rifles) Battalion Sherwood
Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Died of wounds at Vermoorzeele Belgium
on Saturday 27th April 1918 aged 22.
Extract from the Battalion History.
On the 27th April Ridge Wood and Voormezeele were part of the frontline and we
fought what amounted to a rearguard action all day. This was our final day in the
trenches as we were to be relieved that night. It is therefore with regret to record
the last casualty among our original officers. During the relief while leading the
remnants of us out of the firing line Lieutenant A H Strutt was mortally wounded.
Anthony is buried in the Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No 3 Belgium.
He was born in 1895 at Brailsford Hall and was the son of George Herbert and
the late Edith Strutt, of Blakeney House, nr. Derby.
He was educated at Harrow School and had been matriculated for Trinity College
Cambridge when the war broke out, he trained with the Inns of Court Officer
Training Corp before joining the Sherwood’s. He went through the Battle of the
Somme in 1916 before being invalided home with trench fever late in 1916 and
returned to France in September 1917.
He was a very keen sportsman.
Herbert Strutt.
Private 7429 William Albert Sunderland 2nd Battalion York and Lancaster
Regiment killed in action at Bois Grenier (a diversionary attack coinciding with
the Battle of Loos) on Sunday 25th October 1914 aged 28.
William has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial
Comines-Warrenton, Hainaut Belgium, which commemorates more than 11,000
servicemen of the United Kingdom who died in this sector during the First World
War and have no known grave.
William was the husband of Rachel Mee (formerly Sunderland), of Far Laund,
Belper they had one child.
Prior to enlisting William worked at Wingfield Manor pit.
Private 18187 Arthur Swindall York’s and Lanc’s Labour Corp died at home at
34 Dark Row on the Sunday 11th August 1918.
He enlisted on Sunday 12th December 1915 and was discharged due to ill health
on Wednesday 30th January 1918,
Arthur’s Labour Corps number of 18187 indicates that he became a member of
the York’s and Lanc’s Corps on its formation in 1917.
Private 81570 Ernest Taylor 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby
Regiment) Killed in action with seven of his comrades when the dugout they were
in took a direct hit from a shell in the Ypres Salient on Tuesday 17 th July 1917
aged 28, he had only been in the trenches for two days.
He is buried in The Essex Farm Cemetery Ieper, West-Vlaanderen Belgium.
The land south of Essex Farm was used as a dressing station cemetery from
April 1915 to August 1917.
Born and resident in Belper Ernest enlisted in Derby and was the husband of
Mary Alice Taylor (nee Maskey), of High St., Belper, they had one son aged 5.
Ernest was a well known local cricketer and footballer playing for the Belper
Pottery Club and before enlisting he worked at Denby Pottery.
He was the son of Mr John Taylor of Victoria Terrace Belper.
Ernest Taylor.
Private 26946 George William Taylor 16th Battalion ('Chatsworth Rifles')
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action by a rifle
grenade near Bethune at 9:00am on Tuesday 4 th April 1916 aged 24.
He is buried in the Bethune Town Cemetery France.
George was a well known local footballer and cricketer and before the war
worked at Salterwood Colliery. The previous year before enlisting he had lost his
wife to illness. He was the son-in-Law of Herbert Boot, of Windmill Lane, Belper.
Herbert also lost his son Private 17126 William Herbert Boot 1st Battalion Scots
Guards
Private 200342 Joseph Taylor 1st/5th Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby
Regiment) Killed in Action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on
Saturday 1st July 1916.
Many of the British soldiers were killed or wounded the minute they stepped out
of the front line trenches into No Man's Land. Many of the men walked slowly
towards the German lines, loaded down with supplies and expecting to encounter
little or no opposition. They made a tragically easy targets for the German
machine-gunners.
Joseph has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial
France the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, which bears the names of
more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom who died in the
Somme sector before 20th March 1918 and have no known grave.
Joseph was born and enlisted in Belper, he lived with his mother on Penn Street,
his father had been a soldier but died in 1912.
Joseph worked in the tarmac department at Denby before enlisting.
Able Seaman R/139 Herbert Throw Drake Battalion Royal Naval Division Royal
Naval Volunteer Reserve Killed in action by a shell from a trench mortar on
Saturday 4th August 1917 aged 26. Herbert was originally buried on the
battlefield then on Friday 29th October 1920 his body was exhumed and reburied
in the Point-du-Jour Military Cemetery
Herbert was in the Army Reserve on 28th February 1916 he entered service on
26th August 1916 ;
Draft for BEF 16th December 1916, and joined the Drake Battalion on 3 rd March
1917.
Herbert was Bricklayer working for Harris and Hunt of Marehay and was born in
Belper on Tuesday 18th October 1892
He was the son of George and Maria Throw of 7 North Terrace, Belper.
Household Members at the 1901 census:
Name. Age.
George Throw 40 a Bricklayers Labourer.
Maria Throw 33
Leonard Throw 12
George Throw 10
Herbert Throw 8
Victor Throw 4
Patty Throw 2
Lucy Throw 3 months
His two brothers George in the Derbyshire Yeomanry and Leonard in the Royal
Field Artillery, both served in the war and survived.
Private 64808 John Arthur Tomlinson 15th Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light
Infantry killed in action at Aval Wood on the 22nd August 1918 aged 40, he was
on sentry duty in the trenches when the Germans started shelling the trench, he
took shelter in a dugout which received a direct hit from a shell.
John is buried in the Aval Wood Military Cemetery Vieux-Berquin France.
John was called up in July 1917
He was the son of Mr and Mrs E Tomlinson of Over Lane Belper.
Private 32549 Arthur Tomlinson ‘B’ Company 12th Battalion (Pioneers)
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Pioneers were troops for
manual labour as opposed to fighting.
Died of bullet wounds to the abdomen and thigh at 6:00pm on Saturday 11 th
November 1916 aged 20.
On Thursday 9th November 1916 Arthur was on sentry duty when he was struck
by a bullet which entered his abdomen and thigh, he died three days later after
sinking into a coma.
Arthur is buried in the Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension France which was
used for burials by the 6th Casualty Clearing Station.
Born on Thursday 3rd December 1896, resident in Belper, Arthur enlisted in
Derby on Monday 22nd November 1915 and was the son of Reuben and Emily
Tomlinson, of Openwoodgate, Belper.
Prior to enlistment Arthur was employed at Smedley’s Engineering Works Belper.
Arthur Tomlinson.
Private 33439 George Topham 11th Battalion Lancashire Regiment died of
wounds at the No 3 Casualty Clearing Station after being wounded on Messines
Ridge on Friday 8th June 1917 aged 27.
Employing 2,300 guns and 300 heavy mortars, the British Army began a massive
bombardment of German lines on Monday 21st May 1917. Simultaneous
explosion of the mines took place at 3.10 on Friday 7th June. The blast killed an
estimated 10,000 German soldiers and was so loud it was heard in London.
Under a creeping barrage, nine divisions of the British Second Army advanced
and they took all their preliminary objectives in the first three hours of the battle.
The British Fifth Army also took advantage of the situation to make significant
territorial gains from the Germans. The German Army counter-attacked but by
Thursday 14th June, the Messines Ridge had been completely occupied by
British forces.
The British Army suffered 17,000 casualties during the battle at Messines Ridge
George was one of those casualties.
George is buried in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension France.
Born and resident in Belper George enlisted in Derby he had been employed at
John Haynes builder as a bricklayer.
He left a wife and a seven month old child.
Lance Corporal 200622 John Wilfred Topham ‘D’ Company 5th Battalion
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action at 5pm on
Wednesday 26th September 1917 aged 24 by shellfire at Passchendale.
Officially known as the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele became infamous
not only for the scale of casualties, but also for the mud.
The infantry attacked at 5.50am on Wednesday 26 September on a frontage of
near five miles amidst the clamour of an immense protective bombardment.
Smoke and dust mixed with heavy ground mist made visibility poor, but the
leading waves, keeping close to the barrage quickly overran dazed defenders in
the forward zones.
John has no known grave and is commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial to
the Missing which bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose
graves are not known.
Son of Thomas Topham a Frame Work Knitter and Ellen Topham, of 30, Belper
Lane, Belper.
Prior to enlisting John worked at the Ambergate Wire Works.
John Topham.
Serjeant 32110 Arthur Varney M.M. 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts
and Derby Regiment ‘The Men from the Greenwood‘) killed in action by shellfire
at St Quentin on Friday 4th October 1918 aged 20.
He was also wounded on Saturday 1st July 1916 during the first day of the
Somme when the Battalion attacked the Leipzig Salient.
"It was as a result of the first appeal to the men of Britain by Lord Kitchener that
the 11th (Service) Battalion Sherwood Foresters was formed at Derby on
Thursday 17th September, 1914, and the men who were enlisted were largely
miners of Nottingham and Derby."
Arthur is buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery Gouy France. He was awarded the
Military Medal on 15th June on the field for gallantry in action fighting the
Austrians on the Italian front.
Arthur was born in South Wigston, Leicestershire and enlisted in Belper on
Sunday 7th November 1915 aged 17 and he was the eldest son of Arthur and
Zipporah Varney, (nee Wells) of 4, Field Row, Belper.
Before enlisting Arthur worked at Brettles.
Private 70537 Herbert Norman Walker 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts
and Derby Regiment) killed in action at Ypres on Tuesday 16th January 1917
aged 27 he was on sentry duty in a sap when the Germans started shelling the
frontline, a shell exploded close to Herbert and he was killed instantly.
He had previously served in Ireland with his Battalion during the 1916 Easter
Uprising.
Herbert is buried in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground Iepers Belgium.
Herbert was born in Derby and enlisted in 1915, he was a resident of Mill Lane
Belper were he lived with his wife and one child, he had been employed at the
Denby Ironworks.
Herbert Walker and his MIC.
Serjeant 21189 John William Walker 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters died of
wounds to the shoulder and chest at 5:30am on Friday 29th September 1916 at
the 44th Casualty Clearing Station Puchevilliers France.
John was wounded during the attack on the Schwaben, Zollern and Hessian
Trenches at Theipval on 25th September 1916.
He is buried in the Puchevillers British Cemetery France.
John was born and enlisted in Belper in January 1915 he was resident in Derby
and was the son of Mr James Walker of Far Laund Belper and the Fiancée of
Miss Clara F Roper.
Before enlisting he had worked at Denby Colliery.
John Walker’s grave at Puchevillers.
John William Walkers memoriam notice from the Belper News.
Serjeant 14299 Joseph Walker 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and
Derby Regiment) killed in action on Friday 3rd March 1916 aged 22 during an
attack on German Trenches at the Ypres Commines Canal.
Joseph has no known grave and is commemorated on The Ypres Menin Gate
Memorial Belgium.
Each night at 8 pm the traffic is stopped at the Menin Gate while members of the
local Fire Brigade sound the Last Post in the roadway under the Memorial's
arches.
The Memorial bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose
graves are not known.
Born and resident in Belper Joseph enlisted in Derby in September 1914 and
was the son of Mrs. H. Walker, of High St., Belper he was the eldest of seven
children and was over six feet tall.
Before joining up Joseph was employed at Ford’s Colliery Marehay.
Joseph Walker.
Private 54448 Cyril Usherwood Wardle 2nd/4th Battalion Duke of Wellington's
(West Riding Regiment) killed in action at Ramponeau on Monday 4th November
1918 aged 19.
2nd/4th Battalion Duke of Wellington's was formed at Halifax in September 1914
as a home service ("second line") unit.
They moved to Derbyshire on Monday 1st March 1915 attached to 186th Brigade
in the 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division.
Moved to Thoresby Park (Ollerton) in May 1915.
Moved in October 1915 to Retford, November 1915 to Newcastle, January 1916
to Salisbury Plain, June 1916 Halesworth, October 1916 to Bedford.
They finally landed in France in January 1917
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial
France.
This Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8 th
August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and
Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave.
Cyril was born in Liverpool and enlisted in Liverpool in May 1918, however he
was resident in Belper and was the grandson of the late Mr William Wardle of
Belper and the son of Mr Ernest U Wardle of Liverpool.
Before the war Cyril worked for his uncle Mr L A Burton a confectioner of Belper
who had adopted him at seven years of age, he was a member of the Baptist
Church and joint secretary of the Sunday School.
Private 030096 John William Wass Calais Depot Royal Army Ordnance Corp.
Died at the No 10 Canadian Stationary Hospital Calais on Friday 31st January
1919 aged 26 from severe influenza followed by pneumonia.
In April 1915, No.6 Base Supply Depot was started at Calais to help relieve the
pressure on Boulogne and to provide a base nearer to the front than Havre or
Rouen. The base remained open until the last Commonwealth forces left France
in March 1921.
John is buried in the Les Baraques Military Cemetery Sangatte France.
John was the son of William Charles and Lucy Ann Wass, of The Butts, Belper.
He was the husband of Alice Wass, of 1, Hopping Hill Terrace, Milford, they had
one child.
Before enlisting John had been a collector and inspector for the Derby Gas
Company and had been a well known local footballer as a fullback ‘there were
few in the district his equal’.
John had a brother, Norman E Wass, who served with the 25th King’s
Liverpool’s, Norman survived the war.
Private 24661 Albert Waterfall 15th Battalion "Nottingham" [Bantam] Sherwood
Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) died of wounds at No 10 Casualty Station
on Wednesday 1st August 1917 aged 20.
He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
During the First World War, the village of Lijssenthoek was situated on the main
communication line between the Allied military bases in the rear and the Ypres
battlefields. Close to the Front, but out of the extreme range of most German field
artillery, it became a natural place to establish casualty clearing stations.
The 15th (Bantam) Battalion, made up initially of men who although fit were
below the normal minimum service height of 5' 3", moved to France with the 35th
(Bantam) Division in 1916. The Battalion fought with great distinction and heavy
casualties throughout the 1916 battles on the Somme. However at the end of
1916, the problems of finding 'bantam' reinforcements in sufficient numbers
became too difficult; the 15th Foresters was redesignated a normal 'service'
battalion and fought as such until the end of the War.
Born and resident in Belper Albert enlisted in Derby in March 1915 and was the
youngest son of William and Mary Ellen Waterfall, of 172, Over Lane,
Openwoodgate, Belper.
Prior to enlisting he had been employed at Denby Colliery.
He was the brother of Alfred Waterfall, his other brother Percy served in France
with a Lewis Gun Section and survived.
Private 26945 Alfred Waterfall 1st Garrison Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts
and Derby Regiment) Died of enteric fever at Port Suez Egypt on Sunday 26 th
August 1917 aged 29.
Alfred is buried in the Suez War Memorial Cemetery Egypt.
The 1st Garrison Battalion was formed in Lichfield in July 1915. In October 1915
it began transferring to Egypt, via Malta and Gallipoli.
Suez was an important hospital centre during the First World War with two Indian
general hospitals, two stationary hospitals and casualty clearing stations based
there at various times.
Born and resident in Belper Alfred enlisted in Derby and was the son of Mr
William Waterfall and Mary Ellen Waterfall of 172, Over Lane, Belper and the
husband of Sarah Waterfall, of 157, Nottingham Rd., Belper, they had two young
children a boy and a girl.
Prior to enlisting Alfred was employed at the White Lea Pit near Ripley where his
father was also employed.
He was the brother of Albert Waterfall, his other brother Percy served in France
with a Lewis Gun Section and survived.
Private 25665 Leonard Waterfall 16th Battalion ('Chatsworth Rifles') Sherwood
Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in Action during The Battle of the
Ancre Heights on Sunday 3rd September 1916 aged 21.
Leonard is buried in the Knightsbridge Cemetery Mesnil-Martinsart France.
Leonard enlisted in the spring of 1915 (the third brother to join the colours*) and
went to France a few months later.
Prior to enlisting he worked at Captain Lowe's Denby Colliery.
The attack started at 5.10am after an intensive bombardment lasting four
minutes. The 17th Battalion successfully reached the German 1st and 2nd lines.
However, following several unsuccessful attempts the 16th Battalion Rifle Brigade
were unable to hold their objective and as a consequence the 17th Battalion were
forced to retire. As a whole the Division were unable to reach and consolidate
their objectives.
"Dear Mr and Mrs Waterfall and family - I feel I must write a few lines to
sympathise with you in your sad loss of your son Leonard . . . . . As you will know
we had been in action on the Sunday morning, September 3rd and Leonard was
killed in the afternoon. I came across him after we had come out of our attack
and I will remember how pleased we both were to see each other . . . . as so
many of us, along with Leonard were sent of to get the wounded boys in and
when I got back I heard the sad news about Leonard."
The three Waterfall’s who died were all brothers A fourth brother, Ernest served
as a Gunner in the R.F.A. and survived the War being discharged in early 1917
due to the effects of being gassed.
Percy the youngest brother enlisted in 1916 (serving with a Lewis Gun Section of
the Sherwood Foresters) and also survived the War.
Sons of William and Mary Ellen Waterfall, of 172, Over Lane, Belper, Derby.
Private (Signaller) 36228 Henry Herbert Waterfield 1st Battalion Sherwood
Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action at Hendicourt on Saturday
14th April 1917 aged 26.
Herbert has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial,
the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, which bears the names of more than
72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom who died in the Somme sector
before 20th March 1918 and have no known grave.
Son of George Waterfield a Domestic Coachman and Harriett Waterfield, of The
Cottage, Marsh Lane, Belper.
Private 200065 Ernest Wathall 15th Battalion "Nottingham" [Bantam] Sherwood
Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action on Monday 14th October
1918 aged 22 during the severe fighting at Hill 41, a little south of the village of
Dadizeele (now Dadizele).
At 5.32 a.m. on October 14th, in fine but foggy weather, the great assault was
launched, the 15th Battalion were attacking a large fortified farmhouse when
Ernest was shot in the head and he died instantaneously.
Extract from the 15th Battalion’s War Diary.
14th October 1918 Large scale operations continue. Battalion assembled on the
Viet Wegen road at 0300, behind the Cheshire’s. Advanced with little opposition,
in dense mist. Resistance stronger near Cabin Copse.
Ernest is buried in the Dadizeele New British Cemetery Belgium.
He had served in Ireland with his Battalion during the 1916 Easter Uprising.
Born and enlisted in Belper Ernest was resident in Kilburn and the youngest son
of Mr and Mrs John Wathall of Chesterfield Road Belper, he was the husband of
Edith Ellen (‘Nellie‘) Wathall, (nee Barker) of 1, North Terrace, Kilburn, Derby,
they were married in September 1914.
Prior to enlistment he worked at Ford’s Colliery Marehay, he was described as ‘a
fine manly fellow‘.
Private 16196 Frederick Watson 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment Died of
severe head wounds at the General Hospital Rouen on Friday 2 nd June 1916
aged 19 he was attached to the machine gun section of the Lincolnshire
Regiment .
Frederick is buried in the St Sever Cemetery Rouen France.
During the First World War, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed
on the southern outskirts of Rouen. They included eight general, five stationary,
one British Red Cross, one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot.
Born and resident in Belper Frederick was the son of William and Margaret
Watson, of 33, Long Row, Belper.
Private 32544 Frederick Arnold Watson 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters
(Notts and Derby Regiment) died of wounds, (including a broken leg received on
Saturday 15th July 1916), at St Lukes Hospital Bradford on Thursday 27 th July
1916 aged 19.
He was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours.
Born and resident in Belper Frederick enlisted in Derby.
Frederick Watson and his gravestone.
Private 3829 Harold Watson 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby
Regiment) Killed in action at Neuve Chappelle on Sunday 21st March 1915 aged
20.
Harold is buried in Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension France
Born and resident in Belper Harold enlisted in Nottingham in August 1914 and
was the son of John and Ann Watson, of 58, Long Row, Belper.
Before the war Harold worked at the New Denby Pit.
He was the brother of Wilfred Watson who also perished.
Private 25628 James Arnold Watson Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby
Regiment) attached to Labour Corps Died at home on Wednesday 23 rd October
1918 aged 28 after spending 14 weeks in the Derby Infirmary suffering from
heart trouble following the effects of being gassed, he was sent home from the
hospital on Saturday 19th of October 1918 and died 5 days later.
James was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours.
James was the husband of Nellie Day (formerly Watson), of 33, Queen St.,
Belper, they had three children, and was the sixth son of Mr Benjamin Watson of
Shireoaks Belper.
Prior to enlisting in 1915 James had worked at the Ambergate Wireworks and
Milford Mills.
James Watson’s grave Belper Cemetery.
Sapper 201326 Thomas Brooks Watson 260th Railway Company Royal
Engineers. Died of wounds at the 101st Field Ambulance on Wednesday 9th
January 1918 aged 38.
Born and resident in Belper Thomas enlisted in Derby and was a Railway
Shunter.
Private 42069 Wilfred Watson 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and
Derby Regiment) Died of wounds at Le Treport on Monday 19th August 1918
aged 21 as a result of a German gas attack.
His parents were given permission to visit him in hospital in France however
when they reached London they were informed by the military office of his death.
He is buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery Le Treport France.
During the First World War, Le Treport was an important hospital centre the town
contained three general hospitals (the 3rd, 16th and 2nd Canadian), No.3
Convalescent Depot and Lady Murray's B.R.C.S. Hospital.
Born and resident in Belper Wilfred enlisted in Derby in April 1915 and was the
son of John and Ann Watson, of 58, Long Row, Belper.
Prior to enlisting he was apprenticed to Mr John Haynes and worked for 4 years
as a joiner.
He was the brother of Harold Watson who also died.
Private 35277 Stanley Webster 1st/5th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment died of
wounds at No 1 Australian Casualty Station Ypres on Thursday 11th April 1918
aged 18, he had been wounded in action the previous day Wednesday 10 th April
1918.
He is buried in the La Kreule Military Cemetery Hazebrouck France.
La Kreule Military Cemetery was opened in April 1918 by the 1st and 2nd
Australian Casualty Clearing Stations, which came back from Outtersteene
ahead of the German advance, and the 17th, which arrived from Lijssenthoek.
Stanley was the son of Stanley Webster a Frame Work Knitter & Grocer and
Constance Webster of 1, Halfway House, Derby Rd., Belper.
Before the war Stanley had worked as a hosiery hand for Moore and Edy of
Derby, he had 3 sisters, Edna, Lucy and Lily.
Private 32963 Joseph Weston 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment killed
in action on Messines Ridge during the Battle of Messines on Saturday 9 th June
1917 aged 27.
On June 9th The Battalion suffered heavy shelling and sustained many
casualties.
Joseph is buried in the Messines Ridge British Cemetery
Born and resident in Belper Joseph enlisted in Derby and was the son of Abram
Weston a Brick maker and Emily Weston, of High Street Belper and the husband
of Maud Weston, of 3, North Terrace, Belper they had a one year old child.
Before enlisting Joseph had worked at Denby Pottery was a member of the
Congregational Church and a well known local footballer.
Lance Corporal 19537 William Whawell 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire
Regiment (Formerly 22377, Notts & Derby’s Regiment) transferred to the
Northamptonshire Regiment just prior to embarkation to France on Tuesday 13th
July 1915. William and his draft joining the 2nd Battalion in the trenches near
Fromelles on Wednesday 21st July 1915.
He died of wounds at the 2nd Australian Hospital Wimeraux on Sunday 31st
March 1918 aged 31.
William is buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery France.
Born in Belper enlisted in Derby William was the husband of F. Whawell, of
Marsh Lane, Belper.
Private 37070 Ernest Harrison Wheatley 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
Killed in action at Bellewaerde Ridge Ypres on Wednesday 1st August 1917 aged
33.
Ernest is buried in the Divisional Collecting Post Cemetery Ieper, WestVlaanderen Belgium.
Born and resident in Belper Ernest enlisted in Stratford on Avon and was the son
of George and Elizabeth Wheatley, of 7, Long Row, Belper.
In 1901 Ernest was a Boot Shop Assistant.
Private 26514 William Wheatley 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and
Derby Regiment) Killed in Action at Zillebeke on Tuesday 24th April 1917 aged
19.
William is buried in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground Iepers Belgium.
Born and resident in Belper William enlisted in Derby.
Private 41087 Frederick White 7th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment. Killed in
action during the battle for Bouzincourt village on Sunday 31st March 1918 aged
19. Bouzincourt village remained partly in German hands after the battles of
March 1918.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial France.
Born and resident in Belper Frederick enlisted in Derby and was the son of
Frederick White a bricklayer and Eliza White, of Wirksworth Rd, Belper.
Private 42961 Robert Wigley 1/1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment killed in
action on the first day of the Battle of Epehy on Wednesday Tuesday 18 th
September 1918 aged 18, dying within minutes of being shot in the abdomen.
The British-led assault went ahead on the morning of September 18 th 1918, with
a creeping artillery barrage from approximately 1,500 guns, as well as 300
machine guns. Although the Germans held steady on both flanks, they were
soundly defeated in the centre by the Allied advance.
He is buried close to where he fell in the Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery Somme
France.
Robert was the second son of Mr Albert Edward Wigley a Joiner and Mrs. Sarah
Wigley, of Handley Wood, Shottle, Belper.
Prior to enlisting Robert had been apprenticed to Mr Beresford butcher of Bridge
Street and had been a member of the Wesleyan Chapel at Shottle.
Robert Wigley.
Serjeant 200005 William Wilkinson Machine gun Section 1st/5th Battalion
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) killed in action on the first day
of the Battle of the Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916 aged 36. He was attached
to the machine gun section of the Sherwood Foresters and had been in the local
Territorial force for 9 years before joining up.
On 1st July 1916 the 139th Brigade went over the top at Gommecourt and was
cut to ribbons. The 1/5th Battalion suffered particularly badly. 184 men and 11
Officers were killed.
Extract from the 5th Battalion History.
‘The two Machine Gun Sections of the Fifth went over with the Battalion but were
wiped out before covering 150 yards’.
On 1st July 1916, supported by a French attack to the south, thirteen divisions of
Commonwealth forces launched an offensive on a line from north of
Gommecourt to Maricourt. Despite a preliminary bombardment lasting seven
days, the German defences were barely touched and the attack met
unexpectedly fierce resistance ( the Allied Forces had been told they would be
able to walk over no-mans land).
Losses were catastrophic and with only minimal advances on the southern flank,
the initial attack being a catastrophic failure.
William has no known grave and is commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial,
the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.
Born 1880 in Belper and enlisted in Belper William was the husband of Emily
Wilkinson, of High Street, Belper, they had two sons aged 7 and 10.
He was the son of Mr William Wilkinson and the late Mrs Wilkinson of Windmill
Lane Belper.
William worked for Holden’s before joining up.
Gunner 221868 Alfred Williams No.1 Depot Royal Field Artillery Died on Friday
16th March 1917 aged 19 in Newcastle-on-Tyne from spotted fever (usually
caught from dogs or from tick bites).
The No.1 Depot Royal Field Artillery was based in Newcastle-on-Tyne during
1914-1918.
Alfred was buried in the Belper Cemetery with full military honours.
Alfred was born in Belper and enlisted in Derby on Friday 2 nd February 1917 he
had only been in the army for 5 weeks.
He was the son of Frank and Lucy Williams of Hillcrest, Windmill Lane, Belper.
Prior to enlisting Alfred worked at the Ambergate Wireworks and a member of the
Belper Wesleyan Church.
He had a brother George and a sister Eva.
Memoriam for Alfred from the Belper Post
Alfred William’s Grave.
Private 37270 John Maurice Wilmot 2nd Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light
Infantry Killed in action near Arras on Tuesday 28th May 1918 aged 19.
John is buried in the Berles New Military Cemetery France.
The village of Berles-au-Bois remained in British hands from the summer of
1915, when it was taken over from French troops, until the end of the War; but it
suffered at times from severe shelling.
Born and enlisted in Belper John was the only son of John Wilmot who was a
coal dealer and keeper of a fried fish shop and Mary Wilmot, of 6, Nottingham
Rd., Belper, he also had a Fiancée Bella.
Lance Corporal 28007 George Winson ‘B’ Company 12th (Pioneers) Battalion
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in action South east of
Zillebeke on Wednesday 27th June 1917 aged 35. According to the War Diary the
area of Zillebeke was, ‘shelled at odd intervals during the day‘.
George has no known grave and is commemorated on The Menin Gate which is
one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area
known as the Ypres Salient.
Born and resident in Belper George enlisted in Derby and was the son of George
Winson a Gas Works Labourer and Sarah Winson, of 13, Canada St., Belper and
the husband of Mary Ellen Fletcher (formerly Winson), of 12, Croft Cottages,
Cow Hill, Belper they had five young children.
In 1901 George was a Carrier.
Private 201983 Fred Woolley 2nd/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and
Derby Regiment) killed in action at Ribecourt during the Battle of Cambrai on
Wednesday 5th December 1917 aged 23. He was with a large group of men who
were occupying a captured German dugout when a fire broke out. There were
several shafts but some were just air holes capped over with concrete. Fred and
another man dashed up one of these, his Sergeant shouted for them to come
back and try another exit, but it was too late. When the Sergeant reached the
surface he gathered some men together and tried to open up the shaft were Fred
and the other man were trapped, however without the proper tools to get through
the concrete cap the attempt had to be abandoned.
Because of his athleticism Fred was for sometime employed as the Battalion
runner, delivering messages to and from headquarters, at times under heavy fire.
Fred has no known grave and is commemorated on The Cambrai Memorial
which commemorates more than 7,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom who
died in the Battle of CambraI.
Sir Douglas Haig described the object of the Cambrai operations as the gaining
of a 'local success by a sudden attack at a point where the enemy did not expect
it' and to some extent they succeeded. The proposed method of assault was
new, with no preliminary artillery bombardment. Instead, tanks would be used to
break through the German wire, with the infantry following under the cover of
smoke barrages. The attack began early in the morning of Tuesday 20 th
November 1917 and initial advances were remarkable. However, by Thursday
22nd November, a halt was called for rest and reorganisation, allowing the
Germans to reinforce. From 23rd to 28th November, the fighting was concentrated
almost entirely around Bourlon Wood and by 29th November, it was clear that the
Germans were ready for a major counter attack. During the fierce fighting of the
next five days, much of the ground gained in the initial days of the attack was
lost.
Previous to serving in France Fred served with his Battalion in Ireland during the
1916 Easter Uprising.
Born and resident in Belper Fred was the son of Samuel Woolley a Clerk in the
estate office of Mr Strutt and Mary Woolley, of 71, Long Row, Belper.
As a boy he had been a member of the Christ Church Choir.
Second Lieutenant Henry Gordon Wright 5th Battalion attached to the 11th
Battalion Middlesex Regiment born 1885 in Canterbury killed in action near Arras
on the first day of the Battle of Arras France on Easter Monday 9 th April 1917
aged 32 his Company had been chosen to lead the first wave of the attack.
When the battle started, on Easter Monday the 9th April, the weather was bitterly
cold. It had been the hardest winter for decades, making life extremely miserable
in the trenches. The attack took place in showers of rain, sleet and snow.
Henry was a gifted artist, he had designed and painted the illuminated scroll for
the fallen of the Belper Conservative Club to which, unfortunately his own name
was added. He was an Art Teacher at the Herbert Strutt School, and had also
been acting Commander of the Belper Home Guards.
Henry Wright.
In 1908, Henry decided to form a Hockey team and with that, Belper Hockey
Club was born.
Henry is buried in the Saint Catherine British Cemetery Arras France.
He left a wife but no children.
Henry Gordon Wright’s MIC Card.
Private 1643 George Wynne 1st/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and
Derby Regiment). Killed in action on Wednesday 23rd June 1915 aged 19 shot
through the heart by a sniper when entering the trenches near Hooge, Ypres.
As the Battalion was moving up to the front they were spotted by a German plane
and they came under severe shelling, rifle and machine gun fire resulting in 7
men killed and 12 wounded, George was one of the 7 killed.
He had celebrated his nineteenth birthday in the trenches a few weeks earlier.
George is buried in the Sanctuary Wood Cemetery Belgium.
On his grave stone it says buried near this spot.
Born and enlisted in Belper on Tuesday 4th August 1914 he had joined the
Territorial’s at the age of fifteen in 1911.
George was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Wynne, of 1, China New Rd.,
Belper.
Before enlisting George was a Platelayer for the Midland Railway and described
as ‘being of fine physique’
What Is War
war is how the old cull the youth
war destroys
beauty and truth
they tell of the glories of the past
they stood back to back
and fought to the last
among the upright stones
let them talk of war
above the poor misguided bones
and as about them
they stare
let them start war
if they dare.