Derbyshire Lads: The Sherwood Foresters: 9th Battalion Notes

9th Battalion Notes

From the Notts. & Derby's Annual 1922.*

(What follows has been compiled from notes contributed by Lt. Col. Murray & Capt. Loyd, but as both these correspondents were wounded much about the same time and comparatively early in the life of the Battalion, it is very much to be hoped that someone will, in another issue of the Annual, take up and continue the story where they left off. )

August 1914
The Battalion was formed at Derby during the latter part of August, 1914, each company as it was organised and, as far as possible, equipped, being sent to join the headquarters which had been established at Grantham, just outside Belton Park, the seat of Earl Brownlow. Major, temporary Lt.-Col., Sadler was in command, with Lieut. Loyd as Adjutant, Lieut. Boooker was Quartermaster and Sergt.-Major Randall was Regimental Sergeant-Major.
The first thing to be done with such a large crowd of untrained and undisciplined men was to create an establishment of non-commissioned officers, and at the beginning reliance was placed on the few old soldiers available. But the men who joined the Battalion were the pick of the county, and the work of knocking them into shape was made a real pleasure to those responsible by the extraordinary keenness of all ranks. The better-educated men were picked out and sent by their company commanders to form a class under Sergt.-Major Randall, who soon turned out as fine a body of N.C.O.'s as on could wish to see, and the Battalion was very soon completed in this respect. As far as the new Officers were concerned they gradually made their appearance after a short course in some O.T.C. or Cadet establishment formed for the occasion, and their further education in their military duties was then undertaken by their company commanders.
The Officers commanding companies were :
A Company Lieut. J.G. Blackburne.
B Company Lieut. Squires.
C Company Capt. Fielding.
D Company Capt. A.S. Murray.
The Battalion formed part of the 33rd Infantry Brigade, the other Battalions being the Lincolnshire Regiment (6th Battalion), the first new Battalion of the Border Regiment, and 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, under the command of Brigadier-Gen. R. P. Maxwell. This Brigade was in the 11th Division, which was commanded by Maj. Gen. Hammersley, and the whole Division was camped in Belton Park.
Lt.-Col. Bosanquet had meanwhile taken over the command of the Battalion from Lt.-Col. Sadler, who was unable to carry on owing to the effects of a wound received in the South African War. It was a sad blow to Sadler when he had to part with the Battalion he had created. He gave it a splendid start off on its career.
3rd April, 1915
The first notable event in the life of the Battalion after its formation was a march to Nottingham on the 3rd April, 1915, to let the citizens of that city see their new Battalion which was then already a very smart one. The Battalion was most lavishly entertained while there, the main feature of the hospitality shown the Officers being a dinner at the Exchange in the evening, the hosts being the Mayor, Alderman J. H. Gregg, and the Sheriff, Councillor J. Godfree Small. The Battalion was billeted all over the city, and the greatest freedom was allowed to all rank; their discipline, however, stood the test well, and not a man was absent when the Battalion paraded next morning to return to Grantham.
5th April, 1915
On the 5th April the Division marched from Grantham en route to Whitley and Frensham to enjoy a more advanced training before proceeding overseas; camp that night was near Melton Mowbray, next night at Birstall and the night after at Lutterworth, where the Division entrained for Farnham. The 33rd Infantry Brigade was camped at Frensham, while the rest of the Division was at Whitley. The training here was pretty strenuous with long marches and generally bivouacking out during the week and returning to camp on Fridays.
29th June, 1915
On Tuesday the 29th June orders were received to embark for foreign service, and as we were told to get khaki drill, if possible, and foreign service helmets, we rightly guessed that we were going somewhere East, probably to the Dardanelles or the Balkans.
30th June, 1915
On the 30th we entrained at Farnham and arrived at Liverpool at 7.30 the following morning, where we immediately embarked on the Empress of Britain. At 11p.m. we sailed, escorted by four T.B.D.'s. The remainder of the Division embarked on the Mauretania, except the Artillery.
18th July, 1915
On the 18th July, we arrived at Mudros, the base of the troops in Gallipoli, and the following day our Brigade Headquarters and the 6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, under command of Lt.-Col. Phelps, embarked on the s.s. Osmanieh and the s.s. El Kahira for the Gallipoli Peninsula.
20th July, 1915
On the 20th July, the 7th Battalion South Stafford's and the 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters with one company of the Border Regiment embarked on the same two vessels for the Peninsula, the Sherwood Foresters being on the El Kahira. We arrived off the Peninsula at about 8 p.m., and then transhipped on to trawlers for V. Beach at Cape Helles, where the famous landing was first made with the aid of s.s. River Clyde, which now formed the landing-stage for the trawlers carrying troops to moor to. Meanwhile the Turks had opened a heavy artillery fire on the landing-place, and the trawlers had to stand out until this abated. A large store of different coloured Verey lights, etc., was hit during this bombardment and the effect was most picturesque, the whole beach being every now and then lit up by various coloured lights.
21st July, 1915
Eventually we landed about 2.30 a.m. on the 21st and marched to what was called the Rest Camp of Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division, though every rest camp on the Peninsula was continually under fire. However, it was quieter than the front line, and we managed to get a little sleep before going further. At 3 p.m. on the 21st we went up into the reserve trenches, taking the place of the Lincoln's who went up into the first line. Heavy sniping, and every now and then continuous rifle fire, was the order of the night here, the reserve trenches getting all the bullets which came over the top of the front line trenches. This was followed in the early morning by an artillery bombardment on both sides. This appeared to be the customary routine, the remainder of the day being fairly quiet until the evening, when more bombardments commenced and the snipers awoke again after the heat of the day was over.
23rd July, 1915
At 2.30 p.m. on the 23rd July we went into the first line, relieving the Drake and Hawke Battalions of the Royal Naval Division, B Company (Capt. Squires) and D Company (Major Murray) going into the firing line with C (Major Fielding) and A (Capt. Chambers) in support. Our first casualty took place here, when poor Fielding was hit by a sniper while walking down one of the communication trenches early on the morning of Saturday, 24th July.
We spent the rest of our time in the front line trenches improving them and opening up new communication trenches also burying (as far as was possible) the masses of dead bodies lying about. As far as the attack on Achi Baba was concerned, the situation was practically at a deadlock and neither side could make any advance. The village of Krithia on our left front enfiladed the lines occupied by us, which were in the centre and the most advanced of any portion of the line. The Turkish snipers were always on the alert for anyone showing themselves, and were very accurate in their shooting. Nevertheless some good work was done in reorganising the line of trenches during our short stay there, with very few casualties, for which the Battalion was highly commended in Sir Ian Hamilton's Orders.
1st August, 1915
On Sunday the 1st August we were relieved by the French troops at 3.15 a.m., and marched back to the rest camp. At 10.30 that night we re-embarked on the s.s. Osmanieh and sailed for the island of Imbros, arriving there the following morning. Here we had quite a pleasant rest, and enjoyed the most delightful bathing well out of reach of Turkish shells and stray bullets, and at night we rehearsed disembarkation, evidently with the idea of making a new landing at some other spot on the coast.
6th August, 1915
At 5 p.m. on August 6th the 11th Division paraded and embarked on lighters, specially constructed for landing parties, and destroyers. Each destroyer towed two lighters, and each "tow" was detailed to a certain beach at Suvla Bay. As soon as it was dark we were towed in to our allotted landing-places and the landing successfully carried out with very little opposition. Everything worked splendidly, and the discipline and training exhibited by all ranks reflected the greatest credit on themselves and those who had trained them. I have never seen better work carried out by any troops, but an even greater exhibition of their splendid spirit was to follow shortly.
The orders received by this Battalion at Imbros on August 6th were (in conjunction with the 7th (S) Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment and both under direct command of G.O.C. 11th Division) to take up a position from a point on the S.W. bank of Salt Lake to the sea immediately after a landing at Suvla Bay had been effected.
7th August, 1915
On the 7th the 10th Division landed at Suvla Bay, and the attack was continued on Biyuk Anafarta. Yilghin Burnu, and by the 13th Division on Damakjelik Bair. But it seemed to be a very half-hearted sort of affair as far as the 10th and 11th Divisions were concerned. There was no really serious attack being made as far as we, on the right of the 11th Division, could see, and we received orders to remain where we were and entrench. This was disheartening, as we all expected to move rapidly at daybreak, and all ranks were feeling so "bucked" that I feel sure if the order for a general advance ahd been given we would have gone across to Maidos with little difficulty. In addition there was at that time no considerable force of Turks in front of us, and our landing had been a complete surprise. This is evident, or we should not have been allowed to carry it out so easily. Our 9th Battalion actually had no casualties when landing, and there were very few throughout the Division.
8th August, 1915
However, the attack was carried on in a desultory sort of manner and Yilghin Burnu was captured. Nothing much was done on the 8th except that the attack was carried on in the same half-hearted manner. Meanwhile the 13th Division on our right, and the Anzac Division on their right again, were heavily engaged, and had actually reached the summit of Chunuk Bair, the Turks holding one side of the summit while New Zealanders held the opposite side. These New Zealanders were eventually shelled off by our own guns, and of this New Zealand Battalion only three survivors returned.
9th August, 1915
On the morning of August 9th at 4.45 a.m. the order for a general advance received and we all advanced to the attack. Our Battalion advanced in the gap between Damakjelik Bair and Yilghin Burnu towards Chocolate Hill, or, to give its correct name, Ismail Oglu Tepe. The country over which the line allotted to the Battalion stretched was covered with scrubby undergrowth, with here and there patches of former cultivation and two orchards. Rough narrow paths ran in many directions. B Company under Capt. R. D. Squires and C Company under Capt. C. D. Randall moved forward in the first line. Lieut. Piper on the right of B Company and 2nd Lieut. Allpass on the left of C knew the points upon which the flanks of the line of defence of the Battalion were to rest. As had been anticipated, once the position was reached a third company was required to occupy it completely, and A Company, under Capt. G. F. Chambers was sent forward for this purpose. D Company under Major A. S. Murray, was kept in reserve. By 8 a.m. a satisfactory line of defence had been taken up at the cost of 8 Officers and 150 rank and file, the Battalion having met a withering fire from enemy concealed in the scrubby undergrowth. At about 3 p.m. the Turks attacked and got in between A and B Companies on the right. By this time the sum total of Officers in these two companies was two 2nd Lieutenants. Lt.-Col. L. A. Bosanquet, mobilising all possible signallers, runners, servants, etc., went forward, and counter attacking, succeeded in beating off the Turks and bringing off an orderly retirement of the Battalion to a much more secure and better placed positions in the dry bed of a river 400 yards in rear of the Battalions original position.
By this time 7 Officers had been killed, 11 wounded, including the Colonel, and 1 missing, and the strength of the Battalion in rank of file reduced to about 300. At 5 p.m. the 1/1st Herefords came up to reinforce the Battalion. They arrived half Battalion strong as they had been badly shelled, they said, on the way up, the other half Battalion therefore remaining in the Salt Lake trenches which the Sherwood Foresters had vacated that morning. When dark the Herefords took over the right of the line, and the remnants of the two companies thus released were formed into a reserve. At midnight the Herefords were withdrawn, being required for an attack the following morning. The right of the line was therefore taken over by the "reserve" under command of the Adjutant, Capt. F. F. Loyd. Between the right flank of the Battalion and the left flank of the South Wales Borderers (13th Div.) there was an absolutely unavoidable gap of a mile. Altogether a pleasant position on a three days empty stomach. There was some desultory fighting during the night, luckily no concentrated attack.

NOTE I
On March 27th, 1916, Sir Ian Hamilton published a despatch supplementary to that of December 11th, 1195, in which he said:-
"The 9th (Service) Battalion The Sherwood Foresters had constantly maintained stout hearts and a soldierly spirit in despite of the heavy losses they had suffered when carrying out their costly duty of closing the big gap between the left of the Anzac troops and Chocolate Hill from the 8th to 14th August. On August 21st this same Battalion, together with 6th (Service) Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment, displayed a vigorous initiative, combined with very steady discipline, during the attack on Ismail Oglu Tepe."

NOTE II
The present Duke of Atholl, then Lord Tullibardine, found the body of Col. Bosanquet some time after the attack of August 21st, and in letter on the same subject wrote thus:-
"He was lying a few yards in front of his men, who were in perfect alignment with never a back turned, a few yards from the Turkish trenches."

The following Officers landed at Suvla Bay August 6th with 9th (Service) Battalion The Sherwood Foresters:-
Lt.-Col. L. A. Bosanquet Wounded August 9th; killed 21st.
Major J. G. Blackburne Killed August 21st.
Major A. S. Murray Wounded August 9th.
Capt. R. D. Squires Killed August 9th.
Capt. H. L. B. Mills Wounded August 9th.
Capt. C. D. Randall Killed August 9th.
Capt. T. B. Black Killed August 9th.
Lieut. E. B. Basden Wounded August 9th.
Lieut. S. H. Piper Wounded August 9th.
Lieut. W. C. Mayo Killed August 9th.
Lieut. A. G. Wills Killed August 9th.
Lieut. J. F. M. Hind Wounded August 9th.
Lieut. A. E. Scothern Wounded August 9th.
Lieut. H. P. Carey Killed August 9th.
2nd Lieut. R. J. Nicholls Wounded August 9th.
2nd Lieut. W. West Killed August 9th. (This Officer had been wounded previously while with the Battalion at Cape Helles.)
2nd Lieut. E.T. Allpass Killed August 21st.
2nd Lieut. C.E. Scott Wounded August 9th.
2nd Lieut. F.C. Brown Killed August 9th.
2nd Lieut. E. H. Marsh Wounded.
2nd Lieut. J. C. Harrison Wounded August 10th.
Capt. & Adjt. F. F. Loyd Wounded August 10th.
Lieut. & Qmr. A. Ewin Killed August 11th.
Med. Officer Lieut. Carr.

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My thanks to Jim Grundy for supplying this information to me.

* I assume that this work is no longer copyright. If it is, would the copyright holder please contact me to arrange for correct accreditation or the removal of this page.


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9th Battalion Notes From the Notts. & Derby's Annual 1922.* (What follows has been compiled from notes contributed by Lt. Col. Murray & Capt. Loyd, but as both these correspondents were wounded much about the same time and comparatively early in the life of the Battalion, it is very much to be hoped that someone will, in another issue of the Annual, take up and continue the story where they left off. ) August 1914 The Battalion was formed at Derby during the latter part of August, 1914, each company as it was organised and, as far as possible, equipped, being sent to join the headquarters which had been established at Grantham, just outside Belton Park, the seat of Earl Brownlow. Major, temporary Lt.-Col., Sadler was in command, with Lieut. Loyd as Adjutant, Lieut. Boooker was Quartermaster and Sergt.-Major Randall was Regimental Sergeant-Major. The first thing to be done with such a large crowd of untrained and undisciplined men was to create an establishment of non-commissioned officers, and at the beginning reliance was placed on the few old soldiers available. But the men who joined the Battalion were the pick of the county, and the work of knocking them into shape was made a real pleasure to those responsible by the extraordinary keenness of all ranks. The better-educated men were picked out and sent by their company commanders to form a class under Sergt.-Major Randall, who soon turned out as fine a body of N.C.O.'s as on could wish to see, and the Battalion was very soon completed in this respect. As far as the new Officers were concerned they gradually made their appearance after a short course in some O.T.C. or Cadet establishment formed for the occasion, and their further education in their military duties was then undertaken by their company commanders. The Officers commanding companies were : A Company Lieut. J.G. Blackburne. B Company Lieut. Squires. C Company Capt. Fielding. D Company Capt. A.S. Murray. The Battalion formed part of the 33rd Infantry Brigade, the other Battalions being the Lincolnshire Regiment (6th Battalion), the first new Battalion of the Border Regiment, and 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, under the command of Brigadier-Gen. R. P. Maxwell. This Brigade was in the 11th Division, which was commanded by Maj. Gen. Hammersley, and the whole Division was camped in Belton Park. Lt.-Col. Bosanquet had meanwhile taken over the command of the Battalion from Lt.-Col. Sadler, who was unable to carry on owing to the effects of a wound received in the South African War. It was a sad blow to Sadler when he had to part with the Battalion he had created. He gave it a splendid start off on its career. 3rd April, 1915 The first notable event in the life of the Battalion after its formation was a march to Nottingham on the 3rd April, 1915, to let the citizens of that city see their new Battalion which was then already a very smart one. The Battalion was most lavishly entertained while there, the main feature of the hospitality shown the Officers being a dinner at the Exchange in the evening, the hosts being the Mayor, Alderman J. H. Gregg, and the Sheriff, Councillor J. Godfree Small. The Battalion was billeted all over the city, and the greatest freedom was allowed to all rank; their discipline, however, stood the test well, and not a man was absent when the Battalion paraded next morning to return to Grantham. 5th April, 1915 On the 5th April the Division marched from Grantham en route to Whitley and Frensham to enjoy a more advanced training before proceeding overseas; camp that night was near Melton Mowbray, next night at Birstall and the night after at Lutterworth, where the Division entrained for Farnham. The 33rd Infantry Brigade was camped at Frensham, while the rest of the Division was at Whitley. The training here was pretty strenuous with long marches and generally bivouacking out during the week and returning to camp on Fridays. 29th June, 1915 On Tuesday the 29th June orders were received to embark for foreign service, and as we were told to get khaki drill, if possible, and foreign service helmets, we rightly guessed that we were going somewhere East, probably to the Dardanelles or the Balkans. 30th June, 1915 On the 30th we entrained at Farnham and arrived at Liverpool at 7.30 the following morning, where we immediately embarked on the Empress of Britain. At 11p.m. we sailed, escorted by four T.B.D.'s. The remainder of the Division embarked on the Mauretania, except the Artillery. 18th July, 1915 On the 18th July, we arrived at Mudros, the base of the troops in Gallipoli, and the following day our Brigade Headquarters and the 6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, under command of Lt.-Col. Phelps, embarked on the s.s. Osmanieh and the s.s. El Kahira for the Gallipoli Peninsula. 20th July, 1915 On the 20th July, the 7th Battalion South Stafford's and the 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters with one company of the Border Regiment embarked on the same two vessels for the Peninsula, the Sherwood Foresters being on the El Kahira. We arrived off the Peninsula at about 8 p.m., and then transhipped on to trawlers for V. Beach at Cape Helles, where the famous landing was first made with the aid of s.s. River Clyde, which now formed the landing-stage for the trawlers carrying troops to moor to. Meanwhile the Turks had opened a heavy artillery fire on the landing-place, and the trawlers had to stand out until this abated. A large store of different coloured Verey lights, etc., was hit during this bombardment and the effect was most picturesque, the whole beach being every now and then lit up by various coloured lights. 21st July, 1915 Eventually we landed about 2.30 a.m. on the 21st and marched to what was called the Rest Camp of Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division, though every rest camp on the Peninsula was continually under fire. However, it was quieter than the front line, and we managed to get a little sleep before going further. At 3 p.m. on the 21st we went up into the reserve trenches, taking the place of the Lincoln's who went up into the first line. Heavy sniping, and every now and then continuous rifle fire, was the order of the night here, the reserve trenches getting all the bullets which came over the top of the front line trenches. This was followed in the early morning by an artillery bombardment on both sides. This appeared to be the customary routine, the remainder of the day being fairly quiet until the evening, when more bombardments commenced and the snipers awoke again after the heat of the day was over. 23rd July, 1915 At 2.30 p.m. on the 23rd July we went into the first line, relieving the Drake and Hawke Battalions of the Royal Naval Division, B Company (Capt. Squires) and D Company (Major Murray) going into the firing line with C (Major Fielding) and A (Capt. Chambers) in support. Our first casualty took place here, when poor Fielding was hit by a sniper while walking down one of the communication trenches early on the morning of Saturday, 24th July. We spent the rest of our time in the front line trenches improving them and opening up new communication trenches also burying (as far as was possible) the masses of dead bodies lying about. As far as the attack on Achi Baba was concerned, the situation was practically at a deadlock and neither side could make any advance. The village of Krithia on our left front enfiladed the lines occupied by us, which were in the centre and the most advanced of any portion of the line. The Turkish snipers were always on the alert for anyone showing themselves, and were very accurate in their shooting. Nevertheless some good work was done in reorganising the line of trenches during our short stay there, with very few casualties, for which the Battalion was highly commended in Sir Ian Hamilton's Orders. 1st August, 1915 On Sunday the 1st August we were relieved by the French troops at 3.15 a.m., and marched back to the rest camp. At 10.30 that night we re-embarked on the s.s. Osmanieh and sailed for the island of Imbros, arriving there the following morning. Here we had quite a pleasant rest, and enjoyed the most delightful bathing well out of reach of Turkish shells and stray bullets, and at night we rehearsed disembarkation, evidently with the idea of making a new landing at some other spot on the coast. 6th August, 1915 At 5 p.m. on August 6th the 11th Division paraded and embarked on lighters, specially constructed for landing parties, and destroyers. Each destroyer towed two lighters, and each "tow" was detailed to a certain beach at Suvla Bay. As soon as it was dark we were towed in to our allotted landing-places and the landing successfully carried out with very little opposition. Everything worked splendidly, and the discipline and training exhibited by all ranks reflected the greatest credit on themselves and those who had trained them. I have never seen better work carried out by any troops, but an even greater exhibition of their splendid spirit was to follow shortly. The orders received by this Battalion at Imbros on August 6th were (in conjunction with the 7th (S) Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment and both under direct command of G.O.C. 11th Division) to take up a position from a point on the S.W. bank of Salt Lake to the sea immediately after a landing at Suvla Bay had been effected. 7th August, 1915 On the 7th the 10th Division landed at Suvla Bay, and the attack was continued on Biyuk Anafarta. Yilghin Burnu, and by the 13th Division on Damakjelik Bair. But it seemed to be a very half-hearted sort of affair as far as the 10th and 11th Divisions were concerned. There was no really serious attack being made as far as we, on the right of the 11th Division, could see, and we received orders to remain where we were and entrench. This was disheartening, as we all expected to move rapidly at daybreak, and all ranks were feeling so "bucked" that I feel sure if the order for a general advance ahd been given we would have gone across to Maidos with little difficulty. In addition there was at that time no considerable force of Turks in front of us, and our landing had been a complete surprise. This is evident, or we should not have been allowed to carry it out so easily. Our 9th Battalion actually had no casualties when landing, and there were very few throughout the Division. 8th August, 1915 However, the attack was carried on in a desultory sort of manner and Yilghin Burnu was captured. Nothing much was done on the 8th except that the attack was carried on in the same half-hearted manner. Meanwhile the 13th Division on our right, and the Anzac Division on their right again, were heavily engaged, and had actually reached the summit of Chunuk Bair, the Turks holding one side of the summit while New Zealanders held the opposite side. These New Zealanders were eventually shelled off by our own guns, and of this New Zealand Battalion only three survivors returned. 9th August, 1915 On the morning of August 9th at 4.45 a.m. the order for a general advance received and we all advanced to the attack. Our Battalion advanced in the gap between Damakjelik Bair and Yilghin Burnu towards Chocolate Hill, or, to give its correct name, Ismail Oglu Tepe. The country over which the line allotted to the Battalion stretched was covered with scrubby undergrowth, with here and there patches of former cultivation and two orchards. Rough narrow paths ran in many directions. B Company under Capt. R. D. Squires and C Company under Capt. C. D. Randall moved forward in the first line. Lieut. Piper on the right of B Company and 2nd Lieut. Allpass on the left of C knew the points upon which the flanks of the line of defence of the Battalion were to rest. As had been anticipated, once the position was reached a third company was required to occupy it completely, and A Company, under Capt. G. F. Chambers was sent forward for this purpose. D Company under Major A. S. Murray, was kept in reserve. By 8 a.m. a satisfactory line of defence had been taken up at the cost of 8 Officers and 150 rank and file, the Battalion having met a withering fire from enemy concealed in the scrubby undergrowth. At about 3 p.m. the Turks attacked and got in between A and B Companies on the right. By this time the sum total of Officers in these two companies was two 2nd Lieutenants. Lt.-Col. L. A. Bosanquet, mobilising all possible signallers, runners, servants, etc., went forward, and counter attacking, succeeded in beating off the Turks and bringing off an orderly retirement of the Battalion to a much more secure and better placed positions in the dry bed of a river 400 yards in rear of the Battalions original position. By this time 7 Officers had been killed, 11 wounded, including the Colonel, and 1 missing, and the strength of the Battalion in rank of file reduced to about 300. At 5 p.m. the 1/1st Herefords came up to reinforce the Battalion. They arrived half Battalion strong as they had been badly shelled, they said, on the way up, the other half Battalion therefore remaining in the Salt Lake trenches which the Sherwood Foresters had vacated that morning. When dark the Herefords took over the right of the line, and the remnants of the two companies thus released were formed into a reserve. At midnight the Herefords were withdrawn, being required for an attack the following morning. The right of the line was therefore taken over by the "reserve" under command of the Adjutant, Capt. F. F. Loyd. Between the right flank of the Battalion and the left flank of the South Wales Borderers (13th Div.) there was an absolutely unavoidable gap of a mile. Altogether a pleasant position on a three days empty stomach. There was some desultory fighting during the night, luckily no concentrated attack. NOTE I On March 27th, 1916, Sir Ian Hamilton published a despatch supplementary to that of December 11th, 1195, in which he said:- "The 9th (Service) Battalion The Sherwood Foresters had constantly maintained stout hearts and a soldierly spirit in despite of the heavy losses they had suffered when carrying out their costly duty of closing the big gap between the left of the Anzac troops and Chocolate Hill from the 8th to 14th August. On August 21st this same Battalion, together with 6th (Service) Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment, displayed a vigorous initiative, combined with very steady discipline, during the attack on Ismail Oglu Tepe." NOTE II The present Duke of Atholl, then Lord Tullibardine, found the body of Col. Bosanquet some time after the attack of August 21st, and in letter on the same subject wrote thus:- "He was lying a few yards in front of his men, who were in perfect alignment with never a back turned, a few yards from the Turkish trenches." The following Officers landed at Suvla Bay August 6th with 9th (Service) Battalion The Sherwood Foresters:- Lt.-Col. L. A. Bosanquet Wounded August 9th; killed 21st. Major J. G. Blackburne Killed August 21st. Major A. S. Murray Wounded August 9th. Capt. R. D. Squires Killed August 9th. Capt. H. L. B. Mills Wounded August 9th. Capt. C. D. Randall Killed August 9th. Capt. T. B. Black Killed August 9th. Lieut. E. B. Basden Wounded August 9th. Lieut. S. H. Piper Wounded August 9th. Lieut. W. C. Mayo Killed August 9th. Lieut. A. G. Wills Killed August 9th. Lieut. J. F. M. Hind Wounded August 9th. Lieut. A. E. Scothern Wounded August 9th. Lieut. H. P. Carey Killed August 9th. 2nd Lieut. R. J. Nicholls Wounded August 9th. 2nd Lieut. W. West Killed August 9th. (This Officer had been wounded previously while with the Battalion at Cape Helles.) 2nd Lieut. E.T. Allpass Killed August 21st. 2nd Lieut. C.E. Scott Wounded August 9th. 2nd Lieut. F.C. Brown Killed August 9th. 2nd Lieut. E. H. Marsh Wounded. 2nd Lieut. J. C. Harrison Wounded August 10th. Capt. & Adjt. F. F. Loyd Wounded August 10th. Lieut. & Qmr. A. Ewin Killed August 11th. Med. Officer Lieut. Carr. ** My thanks to Jim Grundy for supplying this information to me.** * I assume that this work is no longer copyright. If it is, would the copyright holder please contact me to arrange for correct accreditation or the removal of this page.