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8th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
8th (Service) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment was raised at Lichfield in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 51st Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division. After initial training close to home, they moved to Wareham, Dorset to continue training, moving to West Lulworth and then to Wool in January 1915. In June 1915 they moved to the Winchester area. The division had been selected for Home Defence duties, but this was reversed and they proceeded to France in July 1915 concentrating near St Omer. They moved into the Southern Ypres salient for trench familiarisation and then took over the the front lines in that area. In the spring of 1916 they were in action at the Bluff, south east of Ypres on the Comines canal then moved south to The Somme seeing action during The Battle of Albert in which the Division captured Fricourt and The Battle of Delville Wood. In 1917 they moved to Arras and saw action in The First and Second Battles of the Scarpe and The Capture of Roeux. In late summer they moved to Flanders and fought in The First and Second Battles of Passchendaele. on the 23rd of February 1918 the battalion was disbanded in France with men transferring to the 2/6th and 7th Battalions of the South Staffordshire Regiment and the 7th Entrenching Battalion.
4th Dec 1915 Clothing for the Trenches
15th Feb 1916 Under Heavy Bombardment
7th Oct 1917 Training
8th Oct 1917 On the March
9th Oct 1917 On the March
10th Oct 1917 In the Trenches
11th Oct 1917 Heavy Shelling
12th Oct 1917 Attack Made
1st Oct 1917 Training
2nd Oct 1917 Training
3rd Oct 1917 Inspection
4th Oct 1917 On the March
5th Oct 1917 On the March
6th Oct 1917 Training
13th Oct 1917 Heavy Shelling
14th Oct 1917 Reliefs
15th Oct 1917 Into Camp
16th Oct 1917 On the March
17th Oct 1917 Reorganisation
18th Oct 1917 Training & Football
19th Oct 1917 Training & Football
20th Oct 1917 Enemy Aircraft
21st Oct 1917 On the Move
22nd Oct 1917 Very Wet
23rd Oct 1917 Conference
24th Oct 1917 Training
25th Oct 1917 Training
26th Oct 1917 Kit Inspection
27th Oct 1917 On the Move
28th Oct 1917 Stand To
29th Oct 1917 Stand To
30th Oct 1917 On the Move
31st Oct 1917 In Camp
2nd Jan 1918 Planning
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 with8th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Adey William. Pte
- Bithell Lewis. Pte. (d.18th Oct 1917)
- Braycotton Samuel. Pte. (d.5th Jun 1918)
- Bricknell MM. George. CSM. (d.12th Oct 1917)
- Broomfield Fred. Pte. (d.12th Oct 1917)
- Clews Augustine. Pte. (d.30th Oct 1916)
- Cowlishaw John Varley. Pte. (d.3rd July 1916)
- Davis DSO. Francis. 2nd Lt.
- Downing George Bernard. (d.23rd April 1917)
- Evans Albert. CSM (d.5th November 1916)
- Farnell Arthur Charles. Cpl. (d.9th November 1916)
- Frearson Clyde. Pte.
- Fulwell VC Albert. Pte. (d.2nd July 1916 )
- Hammond Sidney. Pte. (d.23rd April 1917)
- Hartshorne Richard. Pte. (d.3rd June 1917)
- Holland Charles. Pte. (d.26th Nov 1915)
- Hollister Elijah. Pte. (d.12th Oct 1917)
- Jinks Thomas Edward. Pte. (d.5th July 1916)
- Langston Samuel William. Pte. (d.9th Aug 1916)
- Mason James. Pte. (d.19th December 1915)
- Platt George Henry. Sgt. (d.13th Feb 1916)
- Platt George Henry. Sgt. (d.13th Feb 1916)
- Platt James. Pte. (d.12th October 1917)
- Potterton Edward. Pte. (d.12th October 1917)
- Preece Joseph Edward. Cpl. (d.12th October 1917)
- Radford Charles Edward. Pte. (d.19th Nov 1917)
- Shaw George Edward. Pte.
- Shepherd MM. Enoch. Cpl. (d.12th Oct 1917)
- Shotton Walter Albert. (d.1st July 1916)
- Walker Ernest Edward. (d.23rd Apr 1917)
- Walters James. Pte. (d.9th Aug 1916)
- Ward John. Pte. (d.23rd Apr 1917)
- Wilkes Joe. Pte. (d.23rd April 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 8th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment from other sources.
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Pte. John Varley Cowlishaw 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.3rd July 1916) John Cowlishaw died on the 3rd July 1916, aged 26. Buried in Plot I. B. 85 in the Norfolk Cemetery in France. Previously he had been wounded at the Dardanelles.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Cowlishaw of Bradford, Yorks; husband of Annie Cowlishaw, of 207, Somerville Rd., Small Heath, Birmingham
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Cpl. Enoch Shepherd MM. 8th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.12th Oct 1917) Enoch Shepherd was a miner in Willenhall before volunteering in 1915. Like so many, July 1915 would be the last time he would live with his family.
He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery, but I have no idea why.
He died during the first battle of Passchendaele, 12th October 1917. The war diary states that hundreds were cut down by machine gun.
He left a widow, Annie, and two children. He never saw the birth of his son, Enoch jr, born a month after his death.
Such a life influencing legacy.
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Sgt. George Henry Platt 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.13th Feb 1916) George Platt died on the 13th of February 1916, aged 29 and is buried in Etaples Military cemetery in France.
He eft behind his beloved wife Mrs Mary Louisa Platt & 3yr old son Leslie Joseph Platt of 40 Dale Street, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire.
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Pte. Charles Holland 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.26th Nov 1915) Charles Holland served with the 8th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment. He was born in 1865, so died about age 50.
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Pte. Joe Wilkes 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.23rd April 1917) Joe Wilkes served with the 8th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment in WW1. He died 23rd of April 1917 aged 21 years and is buried Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun in France. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Wilkes, of 3 The Fold, Hall St., Woodside, Dudley, Worcs.
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Ernest Edward Walker 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.23rd Apr 1917) Ernest Edward Walker of the 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment died while on active duty on the 23rd Apr 1917.
He is remembered on the Arras Memorial in France.
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Pte. Samuel Braycotton 8th Btn. B Coy. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.5th Jun 1918) Samuel Braycotton was the 4th child of 7 born to Samuel Bray Cotton and Harriet Parker.
He married Gertrude Sadler on 2nd of May 1905 at the Register Office in Walsall. They had 6 children, 4 boys and 2 girls.
Samuel enlisted on 2nd of September 1914 when he was 28 years old. He was only in France for 68 days, believed to be in the Ypres area when he was admitted to hospital on 2nd of March 1916 from the No. 15 Casualty Clearing Station with bronchitis and discharged from the 9th Training Reserve on 7th of January 1918 because of class P sickness (chronic bronchitis).
The family believed he was gassed while serving in France and he was later a patient in one of the 8 Exeter hospitals used during the war. He died from cancer or TB of the lungs.
His wife received a pension of 27/6 per week and the children received a total of 17/6. Gertrude married again in 1919. (Needs must).
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Pte. John Ward 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.23rd Apr 1917) John Ward was married to Jane Sherwin.
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Pte. Lewis Bithell 8th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.18th Oct 1917) Lewis Bithell had joined up around May 1916 with the Leicestershire Regiment before being drafted to the 8th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment in July 1916.
At 3pm on Wednesday 10th of October 1917 his battalion left Whitemill Camp, Elverdinghe and dug in at Namur Crossing in readiness for the attack.
The attack commenced at 5.25am on the day of his death, 18th October, with many junior officers being immediately killed by machine gun fire. Almost leaderless the battalion took their objectives by 11am and consolidated their gains. The attack cost the battalion 18 officers and 340 other ranks killed, wounded or missing.
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George Bernard Downing 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.23rd April 1917) My Great Uncle, George Bernard Downing, was born in Walsall, Staffordshire in 1895. He joined the 8th South Staffs Territorials, and on the outbreak of war was mobilised. He died at the Battle of Arras on 23rd of April 1917 with no known grave. He left a wife and a baby son named Bernard.
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Pte. Augustine Clews 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.30th Oct 1916) We only discovered our great uncle Augustine Clews existing a few days ago. My father was looking through some documents which his mother had left him at the time of her death and came across a death notice for Augustine Clews, South Staffordshire Regiment, 8th Battalion, died on the 30th of October 1916, aged 20, as a result of gassing.
After some research we discovered Augustine is buried in Bilston Cemetery, although some websites claim he is buried at Hemley Cemetery in Stoke on Trent.
We have found his grave, which is in surprisingly good condition.
It seems Uncle Gus was a taboo subject in the family, maybe due to his untimely death. It is sad to think he has been there all along, only a few miles from where we live. Now we know where he is laid he will never have a forgot Remembrance Day again.
As a family we are carrying out further research to see if his name is on any war memorials and the location of his death.
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Pte. Thomas Edward Jinks 8th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.5th July 1916) Thomas Jinks was my maternal grandmother's older brother whom she loved dearly and grieved for all her life. He is remembered on the Theipval Memorial. He was 32 when he died leaving a widow and five children.
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Pte. Charles Edward Radford 8th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.19th Nov 1917) Charles Radford was the son of Frederick and Sarah Radford living at 52, Graham Street, Ilkeston, Derbyshire. He was killed in Action 19th November 1917 in Belgium and is buried in Solferino Farm Cemetery, near Ypres.
He worked as a miner for the Mapperley Colliery Company, Park Hall Lane, Mapperley, Derbyshire. One of 66 men who died in the First World War from the company. Charles is named on the Mapperley Colliery War Memorial located in the village of West Hallam, Derbyshire, placed near the church gates of St. Wilfrid's church next to the village main war memorial. He is also named on the Ilkeston Cenotaph in Derbyshire.
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Pte. Albert Fulwell VC 8th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (d.2nd July 1916 ) This is my Great Great Uncle Albert Fulwell, our family war hero, from Aston, Birmingham. He was called to serve with the South Staffordshire Regiment, 8th Battalion and was sadly killed in action on the second day of the Battle of the Somme, July 2 1916
He was posthumously awarded the Victoria cross a few years later
RIP
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Pte. George Edward Shaw 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment George Shaw was born on 23rd of May 1897. He served in the British Army during WW1 and survived several major battles. He was wounded late on in the war and sent to Coventry Hospital to recover. A German bullet hit the back of his Benson silver pocket watch and undoubtedly saved his life. I still have the watch and his 3 medals. He was also gassed and lost his sense of smell as a result. This is as much as I know.
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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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CSM. George Bricknell MM. 8th Battalion, D Company South Staffordshire Regiment (d.12th Oct 1917) George Bricknell was the son of Charles and Mary Ann Bricknell, of Lower Ladies Hills, Kenilworth and husband of Emma Bricknell, of 29 Warwick Rd., Kenilworth, Warwickshire. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
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Pte. James Walters 9th Battalion Notts & Derby Regt (Sherwood Forresters) (d.9th Aug 1916) Pte. James Walters, born 1900 in Nottingham. Son of James and Hannah Gertrude Walters, of 62, Vernon Avenue, Old Basford, Nottingham
Enlisted aged 15 and was posted to the Machine Gun Company of the 9th Service Battalion, Notts & Derby Regt.
He sailed with the Battalion from Liverpool in early July 1915 for Gallipoli, landing at Suvla Bay 7 August 1915. He was then evacuated from Gallipoli in December 1915 and moved to Egypt via Imbros.
The Machine Gun Company was detached from the Battalion and attached to the 8th Battalion the South Staffs Regiment who went into action in August 1916 in the bitterly contested battle for Devils Wood (Delville Wood) He was killed along with 2 comrades by a trench mortar shell and buried on the battlefield by comrades
He was exhumed post war and re-buried in the Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval. James was 16 years 11 Months when he was killed
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Pte. Fred Broomfield 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (d.12th Oct 1917) Fred Broomfield was killed in action on Friday, 12th October 1917, aged 22, in the first Battle of Passchendaele and lies in an unknown grave, he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Passchendaele, West Flanders, Belgium.
Born in Burgh-le-Marsh, he enlisted at Louth, giving his place of residence as Burgh-le Marsh. He was the son of Henry John and Ellen Broomfield of Burgh le Marsh. Fred is remembered with honour on the Burgh-le-Marsh War Memorial in the grounds of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church .
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Pte William Adey 8th Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment Pte William Adey, my great grandfather, had already served in the 4th Militia S.Staffords, in the Boer war. Born in 1875 he joined as part of K2 in 1914 or 15 at the tender age of 39. Home life can`t have been good! He was posted to the 8th South Staffords; a service battalion. He was wounded a couple of times. On one occasion he was granted leave and upon arriving home had all his uniform stripped off by his wife Gertrude and the lice removed from it. He went upstairs and collapsed asleep. Upon waking he came downstairs and looked as white as a sheet. He had had a nightmare concerning an event which happened on the front line. Some of the younger soldiers were kicking a German head around like a football. He remonstrated with them when one of them picked the head up and threw it at him. He automatically caught it, only to drop it again pretty quickly. He had dreamt that he was in his bed (which he was) and the dead headless German was standing at the foot of the bed demanding to know where his head was. He survived the war. My father reckons he was probably shell-shocked because the immediate family used to put him on the veranda at the back of the house in Willenhall and leave him. He was considered to be "embarassing". He died in the mid 1950s. I never knew him, but wish I had.
My grandfather told me a little, and one story was that at one point casualties were so high that the colonel was 23. He also mentioned that he thought William was a sniper, and considered one of the steadier men in the battalion. I`ll never know. Sadly I have no photos of him in WW1.
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