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British soldiers history,records etc?

Article about: I have two photo's of my great, great uncles who both served and were killed during the 'Great War', they served in the Sherwood Foresters 6th Bn, they were killed within a fortnight of each

  1. #1

    Default British soldiers history,records etc?

    I have two photo's of my great, great uncles who both served and were killed during the 'Great War', they served in the Sherwood Foresters 6th Bn, they were killed within a fortnight of each other.
    My Grandfather who is himself now dead often spoke of them and how he would have liked to have visited their graves but alas he never did nor has anyone else from the family, I have decided that I will visit to lay flowers etc at the grave and memorial possibly 100 years to the day of each.

    They were ;

    Private Walter. Adkin,3366 6th Bn Sherwood Foresters died 1st October 1915, buried in plot I. Row C. Grave 28 Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery,Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen.
    ..and;

    Private Joseph Adkin,2040 1st/6th Bn Sherwood Foresters died 14th October 1915, commemorated on the Loos Memorial Pas De Calais.

    Sadly other than the photos I have nothing and know very little about them their medals and death plaques have long since been sold or thrown away...I would like to put their photos with some appropriate memorabilia and history in an display boxframe to be handed down so future generations will know them also.

    How can I find out more about them their sevice history and exact details of their deaths?



  2. #2
    kc1
    kc1 is offline
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    Default Re: British soldiers history,records etc?

    A subscription to the Ancestry site would be the quickest way forward. They do 2 weeks free although you have to give your card details to start, just remember to cancel before the time limit.
    A search on there may show that their enlistment papers may be available, there is a one in 3 chance of finding these. Ironically this is because the luftwaffe bombed the records centre in ww2, the remaining records are known as the burn't records, that and water damage.
    You can also look for their medal index cards,MIC's, which will show what medals were awarded, possibly date of 1st entry to a war zone, which is when the entitlement started, there may even be a date of death. I can't remember if Ancestry shows the rear of the mic, information can often be found about addresses and possibly to whom the medals were sent especially in the case of casualties.
    Sad to relate you will probably never know the circumstances in which these men lost their lives, information not forthcoming, everyone else who could give info also killed or just sheer numbers. My great uncle is in the same cemetery, another casualty of Loos.
    Another avenue might be the local press of the time, records on microfiche at the local library, they sometimes give details of when and where, relatives nok etc.
    There may even be a local history research/public records office near you.
    Census records, 1901 on Ancestry, i'm not sure about the 1911 one which obviously has the 'newest' information prior to ww1.
    Regimental museums are another place to try, i'm not sure which unit will have inherited the records for the unit mentioned, but again for privates, unless they won the V.C., information will be sparse to non exsistant.

  3. #3

    Default Re: British soldiers history,records etc?

    Pte Walter Adkin: b.1890; Profession = Miner; Entered French theatre on 28/2/1915; entitled 14/15 Star; British War medal; Victory Medal. Died of Wounds 1/10/1915. Enlisted in Staveley on 23/10/1914 to A Coy, 6th Btn Notts & Derby Regt (Sherwood Foresters); He was 5'9" tall, with a 38" chest when he enlisted.

    Pte Jospeh Adkin: b. 1894; Profession = Miner; Entered French theatre on 25/2/1915 from Southampton; entitled 14/15 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal. Killed in Action 14/10/1915; Enlisted 7/9/1913 in Chesterfield, 6th Btn Notts & Derby Regt (Sherwood Foresters), signing on for 4 years. He was 5'5" tall, with a 34" chest. He received a gunshot wound to the back on 9/8/1915 but returned to the field on 9/10/1915. He was killed 5 days later, mere days after his elder brother.

    Both were sons of William & Mary (4 sons & 3 daughters) and were born in Staveley, Derbyshire.

    I cannot add anything about the exact circumstances of their deaths - the best way ahead would be to consult the battalion war diaries at the National Archives to find out what the 6th Btn were doing in October 1915.

    Hopefully this will help provide a little more information to those gallant brothers pictured.

  4. #4

    Default Re: British soldiers history,records etc?

    I cannot thank you enough Skypilot, I shall add this to what we as a family already know.
    I am going to France on September 3rd with friends so may just get a chance to visit on the way back to Calais failing that it is our intention to visit and lay flowers in 2015 on their anniverseries.
    My grandad said his dad never got over their loss and died early as a result, it's a pity the medals etc were sold/lost? as I dearly like to put a display memorial together with photo's information death plaques etc as a permanent family 'heirloom'.
    Again many thanks and may Mark Cavendish reign supreme.

  5. #5

    Default Re: British soldiers history,records etc?

    Stefano, it is a pleasure to be able to assist. I have often been the recipient of assistance in my research myself so it is always nice to turn the tables! I would have replied when you first posted but I was away from home (in Afghanistan earning my own campaign medal(s)) so internet access was somewhat limited.

    Regarding the medals, it may be worth putting an advert in Medal News. They run a "Medal Tracker" service, which is exactly as the name suggests and enables you to let the medal collecting community know what medals you are specifically searching for. I assume you have asked around in the family just in case? You'd be surprised what people have tucked away that is "of no interest" to some.

    Good luck in your hunt and if I can assist further, please let me know.......and indeed viva the Manx Missile!

  6. #6

    Default Re: British soldiers history,records etc?

    thanks, I'll see if they are still out there...my grandfather said he's pretty sure the death plaques went in the early 40's possibly to help the war effort? as for the medals no one has any idea what happened to them.

    Good luck out there, without blowing sunshine all I can say that in my experience and from many chats during the last few years I haven't heard a bad word said against our troops 'out there' ...quiet appreciation I think is the term!

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