139th Trench Mortar Battery casualties on this day

John Lakeman Percival MC

The following men were wounded:-

• 2351/240538 Sgt Harry Wilshaw DCM
• 4250/241415 L/C Percy Thomas Dudley
• 1877/240310 L/Cpl Albert Henry Wyche
• 2151/240439 Pte William Wheatley
• 3348/242631 Pte Robert Hall
• 3158/265847 Pte Arthur Woods
• 1954/328036 Pte George Spencer
• 2554/200584 Pte George Edward Sanders
• 5836/267110 Pte Frederick Longhurst Frampton
• 5221/269815 Pte Joseph Thomas Harris

Note: all the men have 4-digit Territorial Force numbers which means that they arrived in France during 1915-16.

On this day 31st May 1917

31.5.1917 TRENCHES: Lieut JL PERCIVAL rejoined Battalion from 2nd Entrenching Battalion.

John Lakeman Percival, MC

31.5.1917 TRENCHES: CAPT VO ROBINSON, MC proceeded on 1 months leave to England.

NIGHT 31st May/1st June Trenches: Relieved by 5th Sherwood Foresters and went into Brigade Reserve with HQ at RED MILL M.27.d.75.70. (LENS 36c SW1).

Casualties during tour:-

• Killed 5 other ranks
• Gassed 27 other ranks
• Wounded 18 other ranks

1/6th Battalion War Diary [WO/95/2694]

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3194/240941 Alfred Morris Reginald Moore died on this day

Alfred enlisted in October 1914 and arrived in France in June 1915. He served with “B” Company and was wounded on the 25th May at Cite St Pierre.

Alfred died of his wounds at the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester.

He was born at Whaley Common and the son of Harry and Sabina Moore of Elmton Rd., Creswell. He is buried in Creswell (St. Mary Magdalene) Churchyard. See here for more details.

Alfred’s brother Joe Maxwell Moore was also killed in action with the 1/6th Battalion on the 3rd September 1918 during the attack on Hunter Post and Scott Post. See here.

On this day 7th September 1916

7.9.1916 LONDON GAZETTE: NOTTS & DERBY REGT. The Precedence of the undermentioned 2/Lts (Temp Lieuts) to be as notified against their names & not as previously stated:-

• GKK MAUGHAN 4th June 1915
• CA BROWN 5th June 1915
• JL PERCIVAL 6th June 1915
• AB WALLIS 7th June 1915
• HW HIGHAM 14th June 1915

Second Lieutenants to be Temporary Lieutenants:-

• RW CASH withe precedence from 8th June 1915 (March 2)
• G GLOSSOP with precedence from 9th June 1915 (Feb 12)

7.9.1916 BELLACOURT: 2/Lt LN JOHNSON rejoined from Hospital.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

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7th: Our support line was shelled about midday and MARTINETS WOOD during the evening – very little damage being done in either case.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

On this day 29th July 1916

29.7.1916 BELLACOURT: Battalion relieved by 5th Battalion in RIGHT SECTOR, the Battn moving into billets handed over by 5th in BAILLEUVAL.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

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29th: Went back short distance for alleged rest.

[Lieutenant Josiah Taylor]

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29:. Hostile artillery fired a few rounds into BRETENCOURT & the trenches of the left Battalion.

Relief of 6th Sherwoods by 5th Sherwoods, * of 8th Sherwoods by 7th Sherwoods complete by 10-45 pm.

3 Officers arrived for Machine Gun Company

• 2/Lt WH HOFF
• 2/Lt JA HODGE
• 2/Lt PW DEXTER
• Lt JL PERCIVAL 6th Sherwoods attached for duty

Casualties NIL.

139 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters War Diary [WO95/2692]

On this day 15th October 1915

15.10.1915: Major John Eaton Blackwell took over Command of 8th Sherwood Foresters vice Lt.-Col. George Herbert Fowler (killed in action).

15.10.1915: Total casualties:-

• Officers wounded 2 (2/Lts JL Percival & GF Gardner)
• Other Ranks killed 13
• Missing believed killed 1
• Wounded 48

Bn moved to billets at Verquin.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

The names of the dead and wounded can he found here.

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Oct 15th. Slept on dump till about 6 a.m. then drew rations & went back & relieved 4^th Leics in reserve trench. Many dead & wounded in front of their trench, but as morning was misty S.Bs. fetched them in till mist cleared. Shells & whiz bangs at intervals all day. Much bombing about 6 p.m. Relieved about 10 p.m. by Grenadier Guards. Very glad to get out. Only had bread, biscuits, jam, bully beef for 3 days, & only water to drink – no fires. 7^th & 8^th Sherwoods charged & took Hohenzollern Redoubt, but lost many men. (About 6000 cas in div).

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

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The bodies of all of the men of the 1/6th Battalion who were killed in action were not recovered or identified after the War and they are now 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 Bernhard White from Grassmoor, who died in a casualty clearing station in the Chateau at Vermelles, has a known grave.

For more information see the ‘Lost Cemeteries of Hohenzollern’.

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The ‘Official’ Casualties for the 46th North Midland Division 13th – 15th October

On this day 9th September 1915

No record in the War Diary [WO/95/2694]

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Sept 9th. Same as yesterday. Lt Storrs Fox wounded, so Lt Percival took his place as M.G. officer. Our front trenches & also E.Yorks bombarded by Germans. Not many cas in our batt bit more in E.Yorks. Signallers monkey inj.

[3289 Pte George William Beardsley]

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1938 Pte. William Mellors a fetler from Angel Yard in Chesterfield suffered from rheumatism and was admitted to 1^st NMFA, 10 CCS and 23 General Hospital. Transferred to 46 NMD Base Depot on 24.9.15 and re-joined Battalion on 7.10.15.

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The signallers monkey is mentioned for the first time. 

On this day 22nd July 1915

Maple Copse 22.7.1915: CAPTS F. M. DICK, E. B. JOHNSON and LIEUTS J. S. SAMPSON and J. L. PERCIVAL joined from England having joined bivouac day before.

Casualties – wounded Officers nil – O.R. killed 3 wounded 19.

War Diary [WO/95/2694]

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Frank Mackenzie Dick

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Evelyn Brown Johnson – The Bourne, Ashover

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John Stephen Sampson

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John Lakeman Percival

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The men killed in action were:-

• 1563 Pte. Harry Depledge
• 2142 Pte. Frank Hallam
• 1301 Pte. Alfred Gent 

All three men are buried in Maple Copse Cemetery.