• The War Years Home
• World War 1
• WW1 Soldiers
• WW1 Featured Articles
• World War 2
• WW2 Soldiers
• WW2 Featured Articles
• The War Memorial
• Featured Articles

On the 1 July 1916, eleven soldiers from Somercotes who were serving with the Sherwood Foresters were listed as killed in action or missing [presumably killed].  Their names appear on the Somercotes War Memorial. Of the eleven, 7 were serving with the 1/5th Battalion. Many more were wounded.

Below is an extract of the 1/5th Battalion War Diary for 1 July 1916:

THE WAR DIARY

FONQUEVILLERS, 46th DIVISION

46th Division’s attack of GOMMERCOURT. Two Brigades assaulting (137th & 139th) & one in reserve. Two Battalions (5th & 7th) formed first four waves of the assault of the 139th Brigade – 6th Battalion was in support and the 8th in reserve. The objective of this Battalion was the German 3rd line from the Northern edge of GOMMECOURT WOOD on the right, to a point 250 yards north where ORINOCO C.T. crossed the 3rd line.

Companies were organised in four waves, the rear platoon or wave carrying bombs and material for consolidation. D Company was on the right, A company in the centre, C Company on the left. B Company was detailed to do the carrying.

The final bombardment began at 6.25am, smoke bombs were thrown at 7.25 and the first three waves moved to the assault five minutes later.

The enemy set up a triple barrage of artillery and trench mortar fire and concentrated upon the Battalion front – very heavy machine gun fire. The first three waves attacked with great dash and many are known to have reached the enemy’s first trench, but casualties during the advance were very heavy and the enemy opposition strong and well organised. The fourth waves were delayed by their heavy loads and by the muddy state of the trenches due to heavy rains. They moved over the parapet fifteen minutes late. The carrying company was delayed still more for similar reasons and advanced by 8.10am. By this time the smoke had to a great extent cleared and the enemy seeing them poured in accurate withering fire – completely checking further advance. From aeroplane observation it is thought some men reached and for a time held part of the enemy’s second system, but it was not possible to send up support and owing to the failure on the part of the Brigade on the right to reach their objective the right flank of the Battalion was exposed. Efforts were made late in the day to send fresh troops to the assault, but these were without success.

The attack succeeded in its object to the extent that enough troops were held in front of the Division to have altered the whole course of the operations further south.

The battalion was relieved at 7pm and moved into billets at BIENVILLES.

 

THE AFTERMATH

After the attack Lt. Col. D D Wilson was reported missing and Major B H Checkland assumed command of the Battalion.

The following casualty list was recorded in the War Diary:

	OFFICERS	OTHER RANKS
MISSING	16	197
KILLED IN ACTION	3	50
WOUNDED	7	222

 

The total number of casualties numbers 493 officers and other ranks, which was approximately two thirds of the Battalions strength. Of the missing, by the end of August 1916 the vast majority were struck off the strength of the Battalion and their Army Service Records annotated “presumed killed in action, 1st July”

Many soldiers from the Alfreton area served in the 1/5th Battalion and took part in the attack on Gommecourt Wood on 1st July 1916. On the same day, other Infantry Battalions of the Sherwood Foresters also took part in the British advance.

Those who had a connection to the parish of Somercotes and who lost their lives that day are listed below:

• CLARKE, James -1/5th Battalion - Killed in Action
• EATON, Joseph - 1/5th Battalion - Missing [presumed Killed in Action]
• FISHER, Percy - 1/5th Battalion - Killed in Action
• HERBERT, Joseph - 11th (Service) Battalion - Killed in Action
• NICHOLSON, Frank - 1/5th Battalion - Killed in Action
• PRIESTLY, John Walker - 2nd Battalion - Missing [presumed Killed in Action]
• ROBINSON, Lewis - 1/5th Battalion - Killed in Action
• RODGERS, John Wilson - 11th (Service) Battalion - Killed in Action
• TURNER, Frederick - 11th (Service) Battalion - Killed in Action
• WADDOUPS. Arthur - 1/5th Battalion - Missing [presumed Killed in Action]
• WOOD, Alfred - 1/5th Battalion - Missing [presumed Killed in Action]

From the 2nd July the Battalion spent a few days in Billets and was reinforced. Between the 11th and 15th July the Battalion relieved the 6th Battalion Sherwood Foresters in the trenches at BELLANCOURT. The War Diary states: “…B, A & D Companies in the line – C Company in support. Enemy in the early morning heavily bombarded the front line trenches in sector occupied by A Company…”