PERSONAL DETAILS. Private 42774 17th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby). Born at Tumby Lincolnshire. Enlisted at Horncastle Lincolnshire. Lived at Woodhall Spa. Killed in Action when in the attack near Beaumont Hamel, France on 3rd September 1916, aged 26. Son of Elizabeth Brooks, Tumby, Mareham-le-Fen, Boston, Lincolnshire and the late George Brooks. Husband of Fanny Brooks. SERVICE DETAILS. An extract from the battalion War Diary for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th September 1916 reads as follows: “2nd - Battalion now ready to take part in the 2nd offensive on the Somme. Operation Order 19 attached and marked as Appendices F1. Battalion moves into trenches as mentioned in the aforementioned Operation Order which is situated 1500 yards due South of the village of Beaumont Hamel and about 3,000 yards North-West of Thiepval. The assembly was complete about 10.10pm. Before going into action messages from the following Generals were read to the Battalion. Copies are attached as appendices and marked F2, F3. Lt.Gen. E.A. Fanshaw CB commanding V Army Corps and Brig. Gen. R. Oldman commanding 117th Infantry Brigade. Battalion strength going into action 19 Officers, 1 Medical Officer and 650 other ranks. All details were left at Bertrancourt with Transport. The Division were situated as follows in the attack: 17 Sherwood Foresters on the left; 16 Rifle Brigade on the right; 17 K.R.R.C. in support; 16 Sherwood Foresters in reserve. For further particulars as to formations see appendices F1. Draft of 1 Officer and 16 men arrive from 10 Sherwood Foresters. 3rd - 5.10am. Battalion moves to attack under Artillery Barrage at 6.00am. Message received from Major G. Stollard Commanding A Coy that we have occupied first line of German trenches. At 6.10am message received from Capt. H.V. Walters that the enemy’s second line is strongly held with machine guns and that our casualties are very heavy and reinforcements are urgently needed. At 7.15am 2 Companies of K.R.R.C. move up to reinforce. The action is against us the enemy being very strong in Artillery and Machine Guns and, at 2.00pm orders are despatched for all to withdraw to our trenches. At 7.30pm the Battalion remaining withdrew to a Hillside at Mailley-Maillet Wood for the night. Our casualties are very heavy. 4th - At 5.00pm the battalion moves into Hutments at Bertrancourt. Casualties in yesterday’s action were as follows: Killed - Maj. G. Stollard, Capts. R.G. Hopewell, S.F. Brookfield, F.C.Singleton, G.P. Littlewood. Wounded - Capts. F.R. Turner, R.S. Wright, Lt. B.J. Ross, 2/Lt. W.N. Birkin, E.P. Acrill-Jones, T.C. Nugent, J.W. Salsbury. Missing - Lt. B.F. Buck. Wounded & Missing - Capt. H.V. Walters, 2/Lt. M. A. Ellis - Total 15 Other Ranks - Killed 59. Wounded 155. Missing 222. Total 436”. Frederick was one of those who fell. |
