6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment

   6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment was a territorial unit based in Wolverhampton serving with the Staffordshire Brigade in North Midland Division, when war broke out in August 1914. They were mobilised for war service on the 5th of August 1914. The Division concentrated in the Luton area by mid August, they moved to Bishops Stortford in November to prepare for service over seas. They proceeded to France, landing at Boulogne in late February being first complete Territorial Division to arrive in a theatre of war when they joined the BEF in the Ypres salient. They first saw action at Wulverghem in the Ypres Sector in April 1915. On the 12th of May the Division was retitled 46th (North Midland) Division. They were in action during The German liquid fire attack at Hooge and The attack at the Hohenzollern Redoubt in October. On the 23rd of December the were ordered to proceed to Egypt via Marseilles leaving the DAC, Divisional Train and the Mobile Veterinary Section behind. All units had arrived by the 13th of January 1916 but they spent just a few days in Egypt, being ordered to return to France where the units left behind rejoined. On the 1st of July 1916 they took part in The diversionary attack at Gommecourt. In 1917 they were in action during the Operations on the Ancre, Occupation of the Gommecourt defences, The attack on Rettemoy Graben, The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The attack on Lievin and The Battle of Hill 70. In 1918 they saw action in The Battle of the St Quentin canal, including the passage of the canal at Bellenglise, The Battle of the Beaurevoir Line, The Battle of Cambrai, The Battle of the Selle and The Battle of Sambre. At the Armistice, the advance units of the Division were at Sains-du-Nord. The Division moved back to Landrecies on the 15th of November then to the Le Cateau area in early January 1919 where demobilisation began.

3rd Feb 1915 Exercise

4th Feb 1915 Exercise

12th Feb 1915 Conference

16th Feb 1915 Horses

19th Feb 1915 Inspection

24th Feb 1915 Instructions

3rd Mar 1915 South Staffords on the Move

Mar 1915 On the March

C Company, 1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, marching along the Ballieul -Armentieres Road, in March 1915 © The rights holder (IWM Q 60545)

6th Mar 1915 6th South Staffs entrain

23rd Mar 1915 In the Trenches

Second Lieutenant Percival Slater of the 1/6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment. Epinette, 20th - 24th March 1915 © The rights holder (IWM Q 60521)
IWM

Mar 1915 Holding the Line

A front line trench held by the 1/6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment near Armentieres in March 1915. Note the old Long Lee Enfield No1 Mk.I Rifles with which the battalion was still equipped. © The rights holder (IWM Q 60523)
IWM

12th Apr 1915 Midnight Sentry

12th Apr 1915 An Exciting Rush

Apr 1915 On the March

Lieutenant Arthur Cyril Finnis and soldiers of the 1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment © The rights holder (IWM Q 60515)
IWM

1915 Improvised Bath

Troops of the 1/6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, having a bath in an old cart, the water having had to be heated in biscuit tins. © The rights holder (IWM Q 60509)
IWM

8th May 1915 Gas alert

9th May 1915 Duel over the Trenches

25th Jun 1915 On the March

5th Aug 1915 Close to the Enemy

12th Aug 1915 Five Yards from the Enemy

10th Sep 1915 Enemy Blow Camouflet

7th Oct 1915 Planning

12th Oct 1915 Staffords on the March

13th Oct 1915 6th South Staffs in action

13th Oct 1915 In the Attack

13th Oct 1915 6th South Staffs in Action

13th Oct 1915 Accounts of the Fight

13th Oct 1915 Support Battalions Advance

13th Oct 1915 Men to be Proud Of

16th Oct 1915 Pride

17th Nov 1915 Reliefs

20th Nov 1915 Reliefs

20th Apr 1916 Billets

21st Apr 1916 Reliefs

22nd Apr 1916 Rain

5th of September 1916 Relieved

1st Jan 1917 In Reserve

3rd Jan 1917 Relief

7th Jan 1917 Reliefs Completed

11th Jan 1917 In Reserve

13th Jan 1917 Reliefs Completed

16th Jan 1917 All Quiet

20th Jan 1917 Reliefs

22nd Jan 1917 Reliefs

24th Jan 1917 Reliefs

30th Jan 1917 In the Trenches

1st Jul 1917 Street Fighting

24th Sep 1918 In Action

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There are:5278 items tagged 6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment available in our Library

These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

Those known to have served with
6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Aston MID Walter. S/Mjr
Boyden Charles Fred. Pte. (d.24th June 1916 )
Dann Tom Vincent. 2nd. Lt. (d.13th October 1915)
Gordon Horace Edwin. L/Cpl. (d.28th Jul 1916)
Morris Harold. Cpl. (d.9th Feb 1917)
Northwood Richard. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
Peters Joseph. Sgt
Pitt John. Pte. (d.13th Oct 1915)

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Records of 6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment from other sources.

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Pte. Richard Northwood 6th Service Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.1st Jul 1916)

I was invited by my boss to visit France (100th anniversary of WW1) to tour the Western front. He knew of a relative who had served during the Great War, and who had lost his life during the conflict. He asked if I had any relatives who had served at the time, I replied that I was unsure, but had seen a photo of a young man in WW1 battle dress at my Mother's home some years ago.
And so my investigation began. My first question was did my Mom know any information on the young man? All she knew for sure was that his name was Richard Northwood, he was the elder brother of my maternal grandmother and he had lied about his age on joining up. He had told the army he was 18 when in fact he was 16! As I looked at the photo, under a magnifying glass, I recognised the cap badge to be a Staffordshire knot. This was my starting point, but what division? On line, those who knew the answers wanted to be paid for their services. Not being tight, but still getting back on my feet after being made redundant some 12 months prior, I was reluctant to pay the fees, although they were reasonable. With some perseverance, and a fair amount of luck, I managed to find out that he served in the 6th Battalion of the South Staffs.
He arrived in France, after being based in Wolverhampton, then Luton, Bishops Stortford, in April 1915. He saw action at Hooge and was involved in the attack on Hohenzollern redoubt in October of that year. On 23rd December he was ordered to Egypt where he spent just a few days before being ordered to return to France. On July 1st 1916 the order came to attack Gommecourt in a diversionary attack. Richard was killed in the assault aged just 18.
Peter Brackenridge

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L/Cpl. Horace Edwin Gordon 6th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.28th Jul 1916)

Horace Gordon died aged 28. I know he died of his wounds on the 28th of July 1916 in the German Hospital in Caudry. He was a PoW and is now buried in Caudry Old Communal Cemetery
Malcolm Gordon

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2nd. Lt. Tom Vincent Dann 1/6th Btn. A Coy. 3 Pltn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.13th October 1915)

Tom Dann was born on 1st October 1886 in Bedford, son of Thomas & Mary E Dann, Sidney Street, Bedford. He was the husband of Ethel Eliza Dann, married on 1st October 1914. In about 1907 he enlisted with the 1st Eastern Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical corps ( Territorial Force) serving with them for about 3 years. The 1911 census shows him boarding in Lower Gornel, Dudley, Staffordshire, employed as a Coal Gas engineer and draughtsman for B.Gibbons Jun. Ltd, Dudley. He attended St. James the Great parish church, was a linesman and served on the local Unionist Club committee.
On 2nd of September 1914 he enlisted at Wolverhampton as a Private with the non manual section of the 6th South Staffordshire Regiment and was immediately appointed Lance Corporal on the same day. On 27th of February 1915 he was appointed Lance Sergeant just before embarking on active service with the 1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. On 15th of March 1915 he was appointed Acting Company Sergeant Major of A Company and then on 25th August 1915 was commissioned in the field and took command of No.3 Platoon of A Company
He was mortally wounded on 13th of October 1915 during the attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt. A bullet entered his thigh and exited through his foot; despite the men from his battalion returning him to the trench he slowly bled to death during the night. He was buried by his soldiers and his service records note the position of his grave as G.5.c.8.5 Trench Map 36c.N.W.3, however continual fighting in the area over the following months made it impossible to positively identify his remains after the battlefield was cleared. He therefore has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. He is also remembered on the War Memorial in Lower Gornal. A pupil of Bedford Modern School 1895-1902, he is commemorated on the School War Memorial, which was unveiled in 1923 and in the Roll of Honour, published in The Eagle, December 1923. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com
Caroline Hunt

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Cpl. Harold Morris 6th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.9th Feb 1917)

Researching Harold Morris on behalf of the family and out of respect and gratitude for my relative. We haven't got any photos as he came from a poor background living in Bilston. If any one finds any photos of the 6th Battalion South Staffs pre 9th Feb 17 I would be very grateful if you could contact me. It would be cracking to put a face to the uncle my grandad never knew but heard alot about.
Paul Morris

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Pte. John Pitt 1/6th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.13th Oct 1915)

John Pitt was my Great Grandfather, he was in the Territorial along with his brother prior to WW1. He lived with his wife and 2 kids before the war at his widower brother-in-law's place, who had a young daughter (Simmons family, I can't find anything on the brother?). They served around Hill 60 I believe for a while before moving to Loos.
John's widow remarried an old cavalry soldier after the war and had one son but she never got over the loss of her first husband and cherished his medals, death plaque and few possessions. His widow eventually lived her last years with her first husband's son (my granddad and nan). She was upset at moving in the 1940s and losing a letter written by one of the few surviving officers from the assault on the Hohenzollern Redoubt. I think he said the usual but something about a trench barricade and Pte Pitt was in a bombing/bayonet party that was holding the Prussians off as long as they could and died bravely. I suppose that's the usual but it was sad both sides had very brave men who ended up killing each other. There were no prisoners or quarter given. I heard later it was one of the bloodiest close quarter battles of WW1 for the Brits on the Western Front, despite the bigger battles of 1916 onwards. Also heard the attack managed to take more of the redoubt than the main phase or any other unit - at least so.
I appreciate the bloody casualties of the earlier Sept fighting, especially for the Guards and Highland Divisions. But where is the big historical and national coverage of what these part time soldiers did? I also heard when the Guards finally relieved them they cheered and wept at how few of the 46th Division survived. I believe it was also the largest battle a territorial unit the size of a division had fought in before - up to that time 1915. Sad both sides had very brave men who ended up killing each other.
I lost a load of family in WW1 but few in WW2. Other G. Granddads survived, one served in Egypt, Gallipoli, Somme and beyond in the N Staffs and the Devon and Dorsets. I had one WW2 Gt Uncle (Leading Signalman Harry Barker)who served on the Hood but transferred before it went down. Alas he went down later in a destroyer with all hands - Signalman Henry Barker C/SSX 33062, H.M.S. Veteran, Royal Navy, Saturday 26 September 1942. Age 24. That's for another entry I guess!
Beverley Dodd

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Those known to have served with
6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
during the Great War 1914-1918.

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The Wartime Memories Project - 6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment during the Great War -

6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment

Want to know more about 6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment?

Those known to have served with6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regimentduring the Great War 1914-1918.

Can you help?

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- 6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment during the Great War -

Those known to have served with
6th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
during the Great War 1914-1918.