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6th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment
6th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment, was a unit of the Territorial Force with its HQ in Burton-on-Trent, they were part of the Staffordshire Infantry Brigade, North Midland Division. 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
20th Mar 1915 Almost One Sided
7th Oct 1915 Planning 
12th Oct 1915 Staffords on the March
13th Oct 1915 In the Attack
13th Oct 1915 Accounts of the Fight
13th Oct 1915 Support Battalions Advance
16th Oct 1915 Pride
22nd Oct 1915 Cut up Badly
13th Jan 1917 Reliefs Completed
22nd Jan 1917 Reliefs
30th Jan 1917 In the Trenches
14th February 1917 Trench Instruction
5th May 1917 Reliefs
8th May 1917 Attack Made
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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 with 6th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Ashby Sampson. Pte. (d.5th Aug 1917)
- Beaver Thomas Edward. Pte. (d.15th April 1918)
- Bentley Charles. Cpl. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Bladon Harry. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Brealey Charles. Pte. (d.13th Oct 1915)
- Christelow GSM, DSO. John Thomas. Pte. (d.3rd Oct 1915)
- Dutton William France. Pte. (d.6th June 1917)
- Greensmith Fred. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Harper Thomas. Sjt. (d.27th April 1915)
- Harvey William Henry. Pte. (d.8th May 1917)
- Hiley William. Pte. (d.9th Sep 1917)
- Leadbeater DCM Frederick John. Pte
- Lee Arthur. Pte. (d.7th Jul 1916)
- Moore Bertrand. Pte.
- Moul George Herbert. Pte. (d.29th Sep 1917)
- Newton William Trafford. Lt. (d.1st July 1916)
- Nicoll David. Pte. (d.15th Apr 1918)
- Norton John William. Pte. (d.18th July 1916)
- Norton Sydney. Sjt.
- Pitch James. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1920)
- Pitch James. Pte.
- Port John. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Russell Alfred Horace. Pte. (d.5th Mar 1918)
- Savage William. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Shaw Thomas. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Thompson MM. William. CSM.
- Watson Edward. Pte. (d.3rd Oct 1918)
- Young Robert Willian Niven. Cpt.
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 6th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment from other sources.
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Pte. William France Dutton 1st/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.6th June 1917) William Dutton died on the 6th of June 1917 aged 27 and is buried in the Noeux-les-Mines Communal Cemetery in France.
He was the son of James and Mary Elizabeth Dutton, of Newcastle-under-Lyme; husband of Annie Maude Dutton, of 3 Foden St., Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs.
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Pte. John Port 6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916) John Port joined the army aged 16 and 4 months in 1912, prior to which he was a brewers labourer, as was his father. He was 5'5'' tall, dark brown hair, brown eyes.
His army papers have very little detail of unit locations but record the following:
He went out to France in March 1915 with the 6th North Staffs and made a 2 week visit to a field hospital with dypyheria in July 1915 before returning to his unit. He received a gun shot wound to his left foot in September and returned to the UK for treatment, returning to his unit in Jan 1916. Next entry is dates 1st July 1916, at first listed as missing and then 'Died on or since 1/7/1916'.
John's CWGC entry shows killed in action and he is remembered at Theipval.
In 1919 John's father William is written to in preparation of issues of the death penny and he is required to list all living blood relatives on army form W 5080, not something I've seen before. In this it shows his older brother William as serving in the Royal Navy since 1907 and younger brother Harry in the Kings Own Royal Lancs. Both survived the war. RIP John.
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Pte. George Herbert Moul 1/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.29th Sep 1917) George Moul was wounded in Flanders and was taken to the 1st Western General Hospital, Fazakerley, Liverpool where he died of his wounds on 29th of September 1917.
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Pte. Arthur Lee 1st/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.7th Jul 1916) Arthur Arthur died of wounds received.
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Pte. David Nicoll 6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.15th Apr 1918) For the last 100 years not much has been known about my great great Grandfather during his service, as very little details were given to his wife. It is only recently that we've been able to find out his battalion and where he is commemorated.
David Nicoll enlisted the 31st of May 1915 at the age of 41 and first served with the Army Service Corps in horse transport.
He was killed, listed as missing and is commemorated at Ploegsteert Memorial. David had 6 children (3 girls, 3 boys) his youngest was born the day after Armistice day, the daughter he never got to meet.
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CSM. William Thompson MM. 6th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment William Thompson served with the 6th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment. He was demobbed on 14th of December 1918.
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Pte. John William Norton 1/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.18th July 1916) John Norton is a great uncle on my father's side of the family. Born in Burton on Trent he signed up as a Private in the 1/6th Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment based in Burton on Trent, Staffordshire. He fought at the Battle of Gommecourt in July 1916 and was wounded. He was repatriated to the UK but died of his wounds at Stockport, Manchester on the 18th July 1916. I was able to visit his grave on the anniversary of his death in July 2016. The photos accompanying this text show his grave in Burton on Trent Cemetary and an obituary published on the 100th anniversary of his death. A mention of my uncle can be found in the following book A Lack of Offensive Spirit?: The 46th (North Midland) Division at Gommecourt 1st July 1916. by Alan MacDonald, which describes how he was wounded and his repatriation to the UK.
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Pte. James Pitch 6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment James Pitch was severely wounded and had to have his leg amputated. After he returned home, he slipped and fell on the stump, gangrene set in and he died. He was 23.
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Pte. Thomas Edward Beaver 2/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.15th April 1918)  Thomas Beaver was my great uncle. He was born at Langley Mill, near Heanor, Derbyshire on 5th May 1899, the eighth child (of eleven) of Charles Beaver (a coal miner) and his wife, Mary (nee Williamson). A coal miner himself after leaving school, he enlisted in the 3rd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters on 18th September 1915 and received the number 30924. However, he was discharged at Sunderland on 16th of November 1915 "having made a mis-statement as to age on enlistment". However, two years later at the age of eighteen he enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters again and received the number 42886.
Arriving in France at the beginning of April 1918, he and his unit were immediately transferred to the 2/6th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment. Unfortunately, however, he was reported missing presumed killed during the Battle of Bailleul on 15th April 1918. His distraught mother always believed that he would come home and was suffering from shellshock. She even sought to make her way to France to find him herself. However, the Germans had overrun the British positions at Bailleul in their last major offensive in the West, and his body was not recovered until after the war. He is buried at the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension. He was unmarried.
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Pte. Harry Bladon 1/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916) In 1901 Harry was living at his sister Ann's home in Burton on Trent, together with his widowed father Leonard, and siblings Ernest, Mary and Albert. Only Harry had been born in Blackwell, Derbyshire in 1887. It seems that the family were in Blackwell for only a short time between 1881 census and 1889 when Harry's younger brother Ernest was born in Burton. Private 4425 Harry Bladon of the North Staffs. (Prince of Wales ) Regiment 1st/6th Btn, was killed in action on July 1st 1916; he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
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Pte. James Pitch 1/6th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment (d.20th Aug 1920) James Pitch entered the war on 5th March 1915 when he was about 18 years old. He was badly wounded in the leg which was amputated but later got gangrene anyway. James was so angry when he arrived home, he pulled the grandmother clock off the wall, took it out and sawed the eagle off the top. He eventually died of it on 25th August 1920, age 23. He at least got to die at home with his devoted mother and brothers around him and not alone in the mud of the battlefield.
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Pte. Thomas Shaw 1/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916) Thomas Shaw married my great aunt Ethel Savage on 24th of August 1914. I thought originally that he went to France in May/June 1916 for the Somme offensive, but I came across a reference to the award of the 1915 Star. It is possible he came across to France in 1915 and he could have taken part in the Battle of Loos.
He was killed in action on 1st of July 1916 along with so many others in the attack, in the attack on Gommecourt Wood. His body was never identified, but he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
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Pte. William Savage 1/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916) I came across William Savage while researching a relative(Thomas Shaw). He has the same name as me, but I don't think we are related.
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Pte. John Thomas Christelow GSM, DSO. 6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.3rd Oct 1915) John Christelow was my Great Grandfather, my family are all dead and I have his medals but have little information about his war record. I know his name is on the Loos Memorial because my Grandfather visited it in the 1950's but as my Grandparents are dead I have little information to add.
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Pte. Charles Brealey 6th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment
North Staffo (d.13th Oct 1915) Charles Brealey served with the 6th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment
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Pte. Bertrand Moore 6th Btn. 13 Platoon North Staffordshire Regiment I went apple picking at my grandfather's home in Eccleshall Road in Stafford in 1965. While he and I were storing the fruit in his garage he reached up to a shelf and handed me something saying: "This is for you". He died not long afterwards and I treasured that gift without ever looking at it until a few years ago. For me it was a momento to a beloved grandfather, Bertrand Moore.
It was only a few years ago I decided to look at it again. It was a four inch by two and a half inch Boots pocket diary, for 1915. He was a private with the North Staffs Regiment.
Each day from when he signed up in 1914 throughout his training to travelling to France, he filled out each day, without drama, what he did and where he was stationed. Since January 1 this year I have been tweeting each day as a tribute to a modest, kind and adorable grandfather.
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Pte. Edward Watson 1/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.3rd Oct 1918) Edward Watson enlisted at Jarrow and served in the 1st/6th Battalion the North Staffordshire Regiment. He was killed in action on the 3rd October 1918 and is remembered at Palmer Cenotaph and on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial. His Medal Card shows that he also served in the York and Lancaster Regiment - Number 22738, was awarded the 1915 Star, war and Victory Medals and was killed in action. Also noted as formerly 9824 Durham Light Infantry.
Edward was born in Hebburn 1896, son of George and Alice Watson. In the 1911 census the family is living at 34 Usway Street, Hebburn with George(42) a joiner in shipbuilding and Alice his wife of 17 years having 6 children of whom 5 survived and are at home. Edward(15) is an apprentice Blacksmith - shipbuilding, Marion(12), Joseph(8) and Robert(6) are attending school and George is 2 years old.
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Lt. William Trafford Newton 1/6th Btn. B Company North Staffordshire (d.1st July 1916) My great great uncle, Lt William Newton, served with 1/6th North Staffs in World War 1. He got trench fever, and stayed with his regiment, going to Egypt at christmas 1915-Jan 1916.
He went on leave at end of May/start June and returned to England. and returned to France at the end of June 1916, a week before the Somme offensive.
He died on the first day of the Somme, at Gommecourt Wood. He made it to the German trenches but was killed as soon as he entered the trench.
As the British didn't take the German trenches until Feb 1917, WT Newtons body wasn't recovered until then.
My great grandfather, Major Leigh Newton, (brother of WT Newton) was awarded the DSO for bravery. He was in the Battle of Loos, stuck in a water-logged German trench all day from early morning until that night when he was able to crawl back under cover of darkness. He was injured at Gommecourt (part of Somme Offensive) but his war carried on until July 1917 on the eve of Paschandaelle when he was hit by multiple gun shots in both legs and thighs, breaking his right femur. Their cousin Lt Ben Newton lost an arm lost his arm at Loos in Oct 1915, but he stayed on working as an adjutant at General Office.
All 3 had worked together at the family Gypsum mine and Plaster Mill at Tutbury near Burton, and many of their workers joined up aswell. Two colleagues Capt J M Stack and Lt A Evershed also died at Gommecourt, had played Rugby for Burton Football Club in 1914, alongside the Newtons.
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Cpt. Robert Willian Niven Young 6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment Captain Robert Young, a stockbroker, had served as Tpr. 14175 in the South Africa War in the 47th Co.Imperial Yeomanry, a select company whose members paid a joining fee of £130, took their own horses to the war and donated their army pay to the Army Widows Fund. As part of the 13th.Bn., he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Lindley 31 May 1900. After his release, he took his discharge on 15.10.1900. He received the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal.
He was commisioned Temp.Captain in 6th.Bn. N.Staffs on 14 Dec 1914. There was no Medal Index Card for this officer and I assumed, due to his age, 45, that he had only served in UK as a training office. However, his Officers, Documents confirm that he did serve in France and Flanders and was invalided twice, once with gout and the second time after being accidentally gassed with 2 other officers after a brazier was left in his dugout.
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Pte. Sampson Ashby 1/6th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment (d.5th Aug 1917) Before the war Sampson Ashby worked as a pottery labourer in Stoke-on-Trent.
Sampson served in France & Flanders and Egypt. He died at the 3rd Battle of Ypres aged just 21.
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