265117 CQMS Albert Henry Crofts from Long Eaton

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Served in France with the 1/7th and 1/6th Battalions……a most interesting item of ephemera….

“Good-By; Good Luck and all success to you in Civil life, from your old Commander”

[GF Boyd Major General Commanding 46th North Midland Division]

Albert Henry Crofts (Crafts) was born in 1881 and was a picture frame maker from Long Eaton. He enlisted into the 7th Battalion (Robin Hood Rifles) in February 1912 and arrived in France in June 1915 with the 1st reinforcement.

Alfred was still serving with the 1/7th Battalion in February 1917, but later transferred to the 1/6th Battalion. He was eventually disembodied in February 1919.

Interestingly Alfred has two Medal Index Cards recoding different surnames

It would appear that Alfred was serving with the 8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters at the outbreak of the Second World War and deployed with them to Norway where they suffered heavy casualties during the German invasion in April 1940.

Major-General Sir Gerald Farrell Boyd (1877-1930)

See here

1365 Pte Benjamin James Savage

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A mill hand from Cressbrook, who served with 5th Platoon “B” (Chapel & Whaley Bridge) Company and was killed during the attack on Hohenzollern Redoubt.

Many thanks to Marion Anderson for sending these pictures of her relative

Benjamin in his dress uniform. The backdrop indicates that this was taken at the 1911 summer camp held at Scarborough where he signed the Imperial Service Agreement – see here for details of the camp.

Before the war – 1911-1914

Benjamin enlisted into the 6th (Derbyshire) Battalion, the Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment on 18th March 1911 aged 18 years. In the 1911 Census he is recored as a mill hand at Cressbrook Mill.

The first page of Benjamin’s army service record, which recorded him as just over 5′ 3″ tall and with good physical development. Benjamin attested and was medically examined at Tideswall, which suggests that he may have initially served with “D” Company that comprised men from Bakewell, Tideswall and Stoney Middleton.

Benjamin attended the summer camps of 1911, 1912 and 1913; interestingly, there is no record of him being at the Hunmanby camp of 1914 when war was declared.

Mobilisation – August 1914

Benjamin was mobilised with the other men of the 6th Battalion on the 4th August 1914 and would have arrived in Chesterfield the following day. See here for details of the mobilisation.

This picture possibly shows Benjamin’s section with the family that they billeted with in Harpenden. Benjamin is lying on the corner of the flag. Clearly visible are Imperial Service Badges above the men’s right tunic pocket. The men also have 5-tier Territorial shoulder badges and are equipped with ‘Long’ Lee Enfield rifles.

France – February 1915

The 46th North Midland Division arrived in France in February 1915 and soon found themselves in front line trenches. The North Midland Division had trench duties at Ploegsteert Wood (March), Neuf Berquin (March), Kemmel (April to June) and Ypres (June to September) before taking part in the Battle of Loos and the attack on Hohenzollern Redoubt.

During a period of rest at Ypres the Battalion were able to organise an inter Company cricket match between platoons of “B” Company and involving many local sportsman from the Chapel and Whaley Bridge areas. Of the 22 men who played in the cricket game on that warm July afternoon, ten were to lose their lives before the end of the War, three of these before the end of 1915; one of those would be Benjamin.

The attack on Hozenzollern Redoubt – 12th – 15th October

During the fighting for Hohenzollern Redoubt the 46th Division suffered 180 Officers and 3583 men killed, wounded or missing. The 1/6th Sherwood Foresters had 13 men killed, one man missing believed killed and 2/Lts Percival and Gardiner and 48 men wounded. The bodies of all of the men who were killed were not recovered or their graves identified after the War and they are commemorated on the Loos Memorial. The fact that so many bodies were not recovered is a testimony to the severity of the fighting and only Bernard White from Grassmoor, who died in a casualty clearing station in the Chateau at Vermelles, has a known grave.

‘Casualty Form – Active Service’ recording that Benjamin had earlier suffered from acute urticaria (a chronic rash), most likely contracted from trench duty, and received treatment at the 1st North Midland Field Ambulance and then the 46th Divisional Clearing Station. The form also records Benjamin’s death ‘in the field’ on the 14th October 1915; he was only 22 years old.

Personal effects sent to Benjamin’s parent and subsequent correspondence from them enquiring about some missing items including a watch and leather wallet. It was likely that he had those items on his person and they were not recovered along with his body.

After the War

Benjamins’s family was presented with a ‘Next of Kin’ Memorial Scroll, Plaque and King’s Message. These were posted out separately, typically in 1919 and 1920, and a ‘King’s message’ was enclosed with both, containing a facsimile signature of the King.

Benjamin’s name is recored on the Cressbrook Village Memorial. The image on the left is the original wood Cenotaph that was erected before the permanent stone memorial (right). Amongst the other men listed is 19-year old Fred Ponsonby, who also served with the 1/6th Battalion, and was shot by a sniper on the 21st May 1915.

Benjamin’s father and mother, Thomas Hamilton Savage and Diana Richard-Savage who are standing on the doorstep of their home at Whitefield Road in Stockton Heath. Benjamin’s sister Isabel Savage-Charlesworth (right). Her husband Thomas was a Gunner in the Royal Field Artillery and died of his injuries exactly two years after Benjamin died, and just a few months after their son – Benjamin’s nephew (Marion’s grandfather) – was born.

241804 Pte George Jonathan Amrose William Woodget a bookseller from Blackfriers.

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Enlisted in December 1915 into the 3/6th Battalion. Possibly served in Ireland with the 2/6th Battalion and likely to have arrived in France with the 59th Division in Spring 1917. One of the few survivors of the first day of the Kaiserschlacht (21st March 1918), but was severely wounded by a gas shell.

43715 Pte Joseph Clare from Bourne in Lincolnshire

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Attested in December 1915 (Derby Scheme). Mobilised and posted to the 19th Battalion for training in April 1916. Arrived in France in August 1918 and served with the 17th and 2/6th Battalions.

Attested:                     13/12/1915

To Army Reserve:        14/12/1915

Mobilised:                   18/04/1916

Posted (19th Battn):    22/04/1916

France:                        31/07/1916

Posted (17th Battn):    02/08/1916

GSW leg:                     03/09/1916

Joseph was wounded during the attack by the 17th Battalion – the Welbeck Rangers (117th Bde/39th Division) – on German trenches around Beaumont Hamel. In total the Battalion suffered 454 casualties.

Home:                         15/09/1916

Posted (D):                  15/09/1916

Posted (3rd Battn):      15/06/1917

France:                        28/07/1916

Posted (Base):            28/07/1917

Posted (2/6th Battn):   17/08/1917

Home:                         13/10/1917

                                    GSW head with depressed fracture of skull

It is highly likely Joseph was wounded on the 26th September 1917 during the Battle of Ypres -see here.

Posted (D):                  13/10/1917

Discharged:                 31/08/1918

Joseph received a pension.