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7th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
7th (Service) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment was raised at Lichfield in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First Army and joined 33rd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division. They moved to Belton Park, Grantham for training then to Frensham in April 1915 for final training. They sailed for Gallipoli from Liverpool via Mudros at the end of June 1915. They landed near Lala Baba at Suvla Bay on the 7th of August. On the 19th and 20th of December 1915 the Division was withdrawn from Gallipoli, moving to Imbros then to Egypt at the end of January. They concentrated at Sidi Bishr and took over a section of the Suez canal defences on the 19th of February. On the 17th of June 1916 the Division was ordered to France to reinforce Third Army on The Somme. They departed from Alexandria on with the last units leaving on the 3rd of July. By the 27th July, they were in the front line on the Somme and took part in The capture of the Wundt-Werk, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette and The Battle of Thiepval. In 1917 they were in action in Operations on the Ancre then moved north to Flanders for The Battle of Messines, The Battle of the Langemarck, The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde and The Battle of Poelcapelle. In 1918 they were at Arras for The 1918 Battle of the Scarpe and The Battle of the Drocourt-Quant Line and fought in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and The Battle of the Sambre including the passage of the Grand Honelle. At the Armistice the Division was on high ground east of Havay.
2nd July 1916 Departure from Alexandria
9th July 1916 Move to billets
15th September 1916 Diary 
27th September 1916 Fatigues support front line
24th November 1916 Relief and casualties
24th July 1917 Casualties in reserve gas attack
4th Sep 1917 7th Staffords in action This day saw the 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment participating in the Battle of Broodseinde, reaching Poelcappelle. 42 men of the regiment are killed.
27th Sep 1917 Instructions
29th Sep 1917 Instructions
3rd Oct 1917 Orders
3rd Oct 1917 Instructions
3rd Oct 1917 Instructions
3rd Oct 1917 Instructions
3rd Oct 1917 Instructions
4th Oct 1917 Attack Made
22nd Oct 1917 Reliefs
22nd Oct 1917 Reliefs
3rd of January 1918 Location of Divisional Units
13th of January 1918 More Snow - More Training
21st of January 1918 Reliefs
24th of January 1918 Artillery Very Quiet
25th of January 1918 MG Fire All Night
28th of January 1918 Enemy Aircraft Brought Down
29th of January 1918 Enemy Sniping
3rd of February 1918 Dugout Attacked
6th of February 1918 Old Boots Trench Shelled
10th of February 1918 A Large Explosion
14th of February 1918 Quiet
17th of February 1918 Shelling
18th of February 1918 Enemy Patrol
24th of February 1918 A Daylight Patrol
26th of February 1918 Enemy Heavies Active
2nd of March 1918 Heavy Gas Shelling
4th of March 1918 A Gas Shell Shoot
9th of March 1918 A Raid by 7th Staffs
10th of March 1918 5th Dorsets on Patrol
11th of March 1918 Philosophe Heavily Shelled
12th of March 1918 Enemy Fire "Above Normal"
17th of March 1918 Seventeen Balloons Spotted
23rd of March 1918 Quieter Artillery
24th of March 1918 Germans on Short Rations
26th of March 1918 Seventeen Patrols Out
27th of March 1918 Sniper's Post Demolished
29th of March 1918 Usual Trench Warfare
31st of March 1918 Allied Gas Operations
2nd of April 1918 Raid by 6th Lincolns
7th of April 1918 A Relief Ordered
14th of April 1918 Dumps Destroyed
15th of April 1918 New German Divisions
19th of April 1918 A Bit Quieter
21st of April 1918 Heavy Bombardment
27th of April 1918 Hostile Guns Silenced
28th of April 1918 Demolition Plans
30th of April 1918 Retaliatory Fire
1st of May 1918 Battle Equipment
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with7th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Ashby Walter. Pte. (d.10th Feb 1918)
- Baker Albert. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Baker William John. Pte. (d.9th August 1915)
- Barratt VC. Thomas. Pte. (d.27th July 1917)
- Battisson Joseph. Pte. (d.4th October 1916)
- Beckwith Albert. Pte. (d.19th August 1915)
- Coleman Walter.
- Cresswell Albert Joseph. Pte. (d.22nd Aug 1915)
- Cresswell Albert Joseph. Pte. (d.22nd Aug 1915)
- Crick Albert Henry. Cpl (d.17th July 1917)
- Crick Bertie Henry. Cpl. (d.17th Jul 1917)
- Cunliffe George. Pte. (d.6th Nov 1918)
- Daukes Archibald. Lt Col.
- Davis DSO. Francis. 2nd Lt.
- Dean Frederick. Pte. (d.22nd Aug 1915)
- Dean George. Pte. (d.4th June 1917)
- Elliman Edward Harold. Pte. (d.1st Nov 1917)
- Ford Samuel.
- Hawker Frederick. Pte. (d.9th Aug 1915)
- Horton Arthur. Rfm. (d.3rd Oct 1915)
- Hunt Thomas Edward. Pte. (d.28th Jul 1918)
- Hutchinson Albert Isaac. L/Cpl. (d.17th Aug 1917)
- Lewis Walter. Cpl. (d.20th Oct 1915)
- Meeson Bernard . Pte. (d.9th Dec 1917)
- Morris Arthur. Pte.
- Norgrove Albert. Pte. (d.30th Sept 1916)
- Phipps James. Pte. (d.27th Sep 1916)
- Rochelle George. Pte. (d.30th September 1916)
- Rudge Harold. Pte. (d.29th Sep 1916)
- Shepherd George T.. L/Cpl. (d.23rd November 1916)
- Webster George. L/Cpl. (d.9th August 1915)
- Webster George. L/Cpl. (d.9th Aug 1915)
- Woodhouse John William. Cpl. (d.27th November 1914)
- Woodward Albert. L/Cpl. (d.7th Aug 1915)
- Yarranton Arthur. Pte. (d.21st November 1917)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 7th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment from other sources.
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Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a
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Pte. George Dean 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.4th June 1917) George Dean died on the 4th of June 1917, aged 22. Buried in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension in France, he was the son of William and Amelia Dean, of Back 72 Green Lane, Walsall.
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Pte. William John Baker 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.9th August 1915) William Baker died at Gallipoli, two days after his Battalion landed there.
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Samuel Ford 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment Samuel Ford is my wife's grandfather. All we know is that he served at Suvla Bay in Gallipoli then went on to the Western Front to fight the remainder of the Great War. He survived.
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L/Cpl. Albert Woodward 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.7th Aug 1915) Albert Woodward was the son of Leonard and Agnes Woodward of Church Hanborough, Oxfordshire; and the husband of Elsie Leah Horner (formerly Woodward, nee Worster) of Barby, Rugby. He died at Gallipoli, aged 21, and is remembered on the Helles Memorial.
His older brother George Payne Woodward was a private in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, 1st Battalion. He died on 19 October 1916, aged 23, and is remembered at Haidar Pasha Cemetery, Constantinople.
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Pte. Arthur Morris 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment Arthur Morris is my father born 17th of June 1898.
His age at enlistment was 19 years and 1 month
and he served duration of WW1, and was posted to the 2nd Battalion
In 1920 he served in Ireland as a paid Lance Corporal. He was discharged on the 15th of December 1921 and returned to coal mining
He also served in WW2 as head warden also was a signaller teacher to Air Force cadets and a Scout Rover leader
He died April 1961 aged 62.
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Pte. George Cunliffe 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.6th Nov 1918) George Cunliffe was my grandmother's only brother and my great great uncle.
I new very little about him until recently when I found a number of medals which had been left to me by my late father a number of years ago. George was only 19 when he was killed in action on 6th of November 1918, 5 days before the end of the war. Having carried out some research, I have discovered that he served for the 7th South Staffordshire Regiment and is remembered with honour at the Vis-En-Artois Memorial in France.
I do not know any other details regarding the circumstances or battle in which he was engaged at the time of his passing.
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Pte. Arthur Yarranton 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.21st November 1917) Arthur Yarranton volunteered at the outbreak of war but did not go to Gallipoli. So he would have started his service in another battalion.
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Cpl Albert Henry Crick 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.17th July 1917)  Bertie Crick, my Grandad, was Corporal 9362 in the 7th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment.
Bertie was born in Wolverhampton on Sunday 13th April 1890, to John Henry Crick and Bertha
Elizabeth Crick (nee Harrison), at 58 Russel Street. His father moved to Wolverhampton from
Northampton, as a baker and confectioner. Bertie grew up to become a caster in a local foundry.
He is listed living at 111 Green Lane, Walsall but moved to 66 Orlando Street when he met and
Married Edith Sarah Kettledon-Meek a Laundress, my grandmother, on Friday 26th December
1913, at St. Michael’s Parish Church, Caldmore, Walsall.
He lived at 32 Orlando Street after the marriage to Edith. She was born 3rd June 1893 in
Wednesbury.
Bertie enlisted in Kitchener’s New Army at Walsall at the outbreak of war, 1914 and was drafted to
Gallipoli on Saturday 11th September 1915, he later served in Egypt following the withdrawal of
British Forces from the Gallipoli peninsular in December 1915. How he survived we can only guess
49,642 allied lives were lost here and 66,00 Turks. He was drafted to France where he was appointed Corporal on Saturday 24th February 1917. Aged 27 years.
On Sunday 15th July Bertie’s battalion moved from Camp O near Poperinghe into the trenches
about a mile North of Ypres, relieving the 4/5th Battalion, Black Watch. This action predated the
Third Battle of Passchendaele 31st October. The sector was described in the Regimental History as
‘one of the worst sector’s on the whole Western Front.’
The Battalion suffered losses from snipers and as such, regular patrols were sent out to find them
and kill them. Casualties were also taken to enemy artillery. He was wounded whilst in the trenches
most probably by shellfire or sniper fire. Bertie succumbed to his injuries the same day, aged 27
year’s on the 17th July 1917.
Passchendaele ridge was taken on 10th November by British and Canadian forces and the Third Battle
of Ypres campaign was brought to a close on 20th November 1917.
Lest We Forget.
He is buried at St Jan La Brique No2 Cemetery.
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Cpl. Bertie Henry Crick 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.17th Jul 1917) Bertie Crick was born in Wolverhampton on Sunday 13th April to John Henry Crick and Bertha Crick (nee Harrison, at 58 Russel Street, his father having moved to the town as a baker and confectioner. He moved to Green Lane Walsall then to 66 Orlando Street, Caldmore, Walsall, where he met my grandmother Edith Sarah Meek (Kettledon). They were married at St Michael's Parish Church on Friday 26th December 1913 and they resided at 32 Orlando Street. They had two children, Lillian and Alice Dorothy Maud Crick, my mother.
Bertie enlisted in Kitchener's New Army at the outbreak of WW1 in 1914 and was drafted to Gallipoli on Saturday 11th of September 1915, until he was withdrawn with the British Expeditionary Force from the Gallipoli Peninsula in December 1915. He served in Egypt before being drafted to France where he was made corporal on Saturday 24th February 1917.
On Sunday 15th pf July 1917, the battalion moved from Camp O near Poperinghe, into the trenches about a mile North of Ypres, relieving the 4/5th Battalion of the Black Watch. This action preceded the Third Battle of Ypres also known as Passchendaele on 31st of July. This sector was described in the regimental history as one of the worst on the whole of the Western Front. The Battalion suffered losses from snipers and as such, regular patrols were sent out to find them and kill them. Casualties were also caused by enemy artillery shells. He was wounded in the trenches most probably by shell fire or sniper fire. Bertie succumbed to his injuries the same day, 17th July 1917, aged just 27 years. He is buried, where he fell, in St Jan La Brique Military Cemetery No 2 and is commemorated in the Roll of Honour at the Menin Gate memorial, and Walsall Town Hall and St. Matthew's Church, Walsall.
His widow Edith remarried Sgt. Joseph Booth Gretton from Penkridge, Staffs in 1919 and had two children Jack & June. Unfortunately, I have no photos or medals for Bertie as these have been lost in the mists of time, but maybe they will turn up in the future, who knows.
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Walter Coleman 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment Walter Coleman left for Gallipoli in 1915 but was shot in the neck early after landing. He was sent to Alexandria for treatment then back to the UK to recover. The bullet was never removed and moved around his neck and head for the rest of his life. He died in 1965. His eldest son was called Stafford, after his Regiment.
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L/Cpl. George Webster 7th (Service) Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.9th Aug 1915) George landed at Suvla Bay on 7th August 1915 and as noted on his Soldiers Effects Record as Died of Wounds on or since 9th August 1915 aged 25, possibly during the attack on Hill 70 Chocolate Hill. George is noted on the Gallipoli Memorial as there is no known grave. I have been advised that the 9th August is noted as his date of death as this would have been the last day he would have officially been seen alive by someone in the Regiment.George left behind a young wife Annie, and two small children. He was the younger brother of my Great Grandfather CSM Frederick George Webster DCM of 2 RWF who was one of the Old Contemtables, fought all through the war and survived. If anyone has any further info or photos of George please let me know.
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Pte. Edward Harold Elliman 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.1st Nov 1917) Edward Elliman was my great, great Uncle. Unfortunately, I don't know much about him, only that he served in 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment, died in November 1917 and is buried at Aire Communal Cemetary on the Pas de Calais. As the Highland Casualty Clearing Station and the 39th Stationary Hospital was based at Aire, I can only assume he died from wounds obtained on the battlefield.
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L/Cpl. George Webster 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.9th August 1915) George Webster landed at Beach "B" Suvla Bay on 7th August 1915 with the 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. He died of his wounds on 9th August 1915, leaving behind a wife, son and daughter.
George was the son of Frederick and Clara Webster of Birmingham, younger brother of CSM Frederick Webster DCM 2nd Bn RWF (my great grandfather) who survived the war.
It is not known if George was buried on land or at sea, but he is remembered on the Helles Memorial, Panel 135 to 137, at (what was) Gallipoli.
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Pte. Walter Ashby 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.10th Feb 1918) Pte Walter Ashby 242422 was killed in Action on 10th February 1918, the only regimental casualty in that operational area on that day. The entry in the War Diary for that day provides no other details. It is believed he was on the front line to the east of Mazingarbe. He was laid to rest at the Philosophy British Cemetry, Mazingarbe.
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L/Cpl. Albert Isaac Hutchinson 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.17th Aug 1917) Albert Isaac Hutchinson was my maternal grandfather. My mother was born in February 1916 and, as far as I am aware, Albert only saw his youngest daughter once. My mother often spoke about finding his grave - all she knew was that it was in Belgium. It was not until after she passed away in May 2000 that I managed to find where he is buried, and my own daughter and I are going to visit his grave in August 2016. I have discovered only today that his record contains very little personal information - I do not know his date or place of birth for example, and the cemetery record does not have any detail of his wife, Ettie Alexandra Hutchinson. The home that he shared with Ettie and their two daughters was in the Leicester area.
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Pte. Albert Norgrove 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.30th Sept 1916) My Great Grandfather Bertie Norgrove volunteered for military service in August 1915, he enlisted into his local Infantry Regiment, the South Staffordshire Regiment, carrying out his basic training at Lichfield before joining the 7th (Service) Battalion.
He initially deployed to the Balkans, sailing from Liverpool and landing at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 15 September 1915. He took part in Many Important Engagements before being evacuated with his battalion in December the same year, travelling to Egypt via Imbros.
The Battalion then deployed to the Somme, France in July 1916. He took part in several actions, finally fighting at the Battle of Thiepval Ridge between the 26th and 30th September 1916. The Battalion, as part of the 11th Northern) Division, 33rd Brigade fought decisively around the Stuff, Schwaben, and Zollern Redoubts but should have been relieved by elements of the Cheshire Regiment around this time. Unfortunately, their relief was late to arrive and consequently, Bertie was lost in action on the 30th September and has no known grave.
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Pte. Frederick Hawker 7th Btn South Staffordshire Regiment (d.9th Aug 1915) Frederick Hawker was killed in action on 9 August 1915 and has no known grave. He is remembered on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli.
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Cpl. Walter Lewis 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.20th Oct 1915)  Walter Lewis was my grandfather. He was born in Bilston in the West Midlands in 1883 (his service records says 1880) to Richard and Marie Lewis, one of six children. He married Ada Lilley on 20th December 1903. They had three children - Walter, Reginald and Fredrick.
We believe that Walter joined the army in the August 1914, in Wolverhampton. We are sure that after joining he was in the 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment at Lichfield, which we believe was formed in August 1914 as part of K1 and became part of 33rd Brigade in the 11th (Northern) Division. They moved to Grantham, then Freansham in April 1915 and sailed from Liverpool in July 1915 for Gallipoli. We think they landed at Suvla Bay in August. We have no record of Walter until October and on his medal card it states that he joined Balkan theatre of war on 6th October 1915 and died of wounds on 20th October. In the letter Ada received regarding his death it said that he died of dysentery. We also have a copy of a letter sent to Ada Lewis from a Captain Harry A Frost, a Canadian Meathodist Minister, No 3 Canadian Stat Hospital saying that he and a Captain Whitaker had been with Walter the evening before he died, and had readings and prayers with him and that Walter had been buried with full military honours at Portianos Military Cemetery, West Mudros on the Greek Island of Lemnos/Limnos. My husband and I have just returned from Limnos and have visited both the Military Cemeteries and they are immaculate. They are in beautiful settings, very quiet and peaceful. So anyone reading this who has family members buried on Lemnos should have peace of mind that their loved ones rest in a great place. I am happy that grandad can rest in peace in a wonderful place with very special people looking after him.
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2nd Lt. Francis Davis DSO. 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment Frank Davis enlisted in 1895 in the Coldstream Guards and was discharged as medically unfit in 1896. In August 1898 he enlisted with the South Staffordshire Regiment and was posted to Ireland, Gibraltar and then South Africa (Boer War). He was awarded the Queens South Africa medal, with clasps for South Africa 1901, Wittenbergen, Transvaal. He then moved between South Africa and India until he was discharged in 1911.
He joined the Army reserve South Staffs. Regt. at the start of WWI and was mobilized in August 1914. In September he was promoted to Sgt. Cook .
In July 1915 he was posted to France with the 8th Battalion. In 1916 he was wounded at the Battle of the Somme at Fricourt on the 3rd July. He was posted home then returned to France in September and posted to 7th Battalion. In June 1917 he was posted to Rhyll, 16th Cadet Battalion for Officer Training. In January 1918 he was commissioned 2nd Lt. in 4th Battalion South Staffs. In May 1918 he fought in the Battle of Aisne.
Extract from 25th Division book:
"2nd Lt. F. Davis 4th South Staffordshire Regt. on the 27th May 1918, in the woods south - west of Cormicy this officer showed great ability as a leader and gallant conduct of the very highest order when the flank of the battalion was completely in the air, with the enemy working round in great strength, he kept his men steady and by his coolness enabled an orderly withdrawal to be effected .
Shortly afterwards when the battalion was almost completely surrounded, he formed a rear guard with the remaining men of his company, and through his very skilful leadership, and by engaging his men at close quarters, enabled the rest of the battalion to withdraw through the bottle neck position, and he then succeeded in extricating his own men.
On the following day south of Prouilly he hung on to a very important tactical position with the utmost resolution though he lost the greater number of his men from heavy shell fire, he himself being wounded. Throughout these two days fighting, his personal disregard for danger was an example to everyone, and his skilful handling of his men saved the battalion on two occasions."
He was awarded the D.S.O.
and in July 1918 was promoted to Lieutenant, possibly with 7th battalion.
In November 1918 he was mentioned in dispatches for an action at Mons/ Maubeuge railway.
In 1919 Acting as Ships Adjutant, he was promoted to Temp. Captain.
Whee he was demobilized on the 11th of November 1919 he was granted the rank of Captain.
Frank served a total 21 years 57 days with the colours, plus 3 years in the reserve.
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Lt Col. Archibald Daukes 7th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment Archibald Daukes was a regular soldier who was transferred together with a number of other regular officers and NCOs to the 7th Bn South Staffordshire Regiment when it was formed during the early stages of WWI. He commanded the 7th Bn and was killed on the 7th August 1915, the day the battalion landed at Gallipoli.
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