217512 Pte. George Barber British Army 1/5th Battalion Sherwood Foresters from:Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire George Barber was my Grandfather. He enlisted as a volunteer on 9th September 1914, with the 1/5th Sherwood Foresters. This later became part of the 139th Brigade, 46th North Midlands Division.
George was a private throughout the war. He lived through the war and survived until he was 83, dying in 1964 when I was 15.
How he managed to survive we do not know - as so often the case - he rarely talked about his experiences. I think he claimed to have had a button shot off his tunic, but that is a childhood memory and may be apocryphal.
This is what we have found out about his regiments 'war':-
1/5th battalion moved on mobilisation to Harpenden, and then to Braintree, Essex in Nov. 1914.
George married on leave in Feb 1915. Immediately afterwards, 46th Midlands Division were sent to France. They had the distinction of being part of the first territorial Battalion to land in France. By the end of the year they had been involved in heavy fighting, and Capt.C. G. Vickers of 1/7th (Robin Hoods) had been awarded the V.C.
The Foresters Brigade served in France for the rest of the war and suffered severe casualties. 1st July 1916, they gained recognition for valour on the first day of the Somme where they suffered 80% casualties.
They also played a magnificent part in breaking the Hindenberg Line during the final phase of the war in 1918. Sgt. W. H. Johnson was awarded the V.C. for conspicuous bravery during this action.
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