A Machine Gunner In The Notts & Derbys.

1914 Star.
12360 Pte. S. J. Ball, 2nd Notts & Derby Regiment.

Sydney James Ball was born in 1895 in the village of Skegby, Nottinghamshire, the son of Henry Ball, a coal miner, and his wife Elizabeth. The 1901 Census records the family as living at 64 Chatsworth Street, Sutton in Ashfield, by which time Henry and his wife had had two more children: John (aged 3 yrs) and a baby girl Ann. In due course, Sydney would follow in his father's footsteps, finding work in the mines.

On 12th August 1914, barely a week after the outbreak of war with Germany, Sydney enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) at Nottingham. He would have undegone a period of basic training and just three months later, on 11th November 1914, he found himself part of a draft sent out to reinforce the 2nd Battalion on the Western Front. The 2nd Notts & Derbys had left for France on 8th September and had taken part in the First Battle of Ypres, suffering heavy casualties at Ennetieres on 20th October, when the Battalion had been practically wiped out in a confused night action against superior numbers, many of the men being killed or taken prisoner.

Sydney served with the 2nd Battalion through to the end of December when he returned to England. The reason for this is not clear; it is possible he may have been slightly wounded. Whatever the cause, in March 1915 he was again with the Battalion and would serve a further six months in France and Flanders. On 5th October at Ypres, Sydney Ball was in action as a machine gunner when an aerial torpedo fell near to him, smashing up both the gun and the gun-pit. He was struck by several shell splinters and buried up to his neck in earth, which resulted in serious injury to his right knee joint. Evacuated to England four days later, Sydney would spend two months being treated at Southport Hospital before being returned to light duty at Derby.

Over the next couple of years, Sydney would attend various medical boards in order to be assessed for his disability pension. He was unable to walk properly and also needed an operation to remove shell fragments from his thigh. He had been discharged from the army on 5th September 1917 as "no longer physically fit for war service." His intended place of residence was 1a Primrose Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. His Discharge Papers stated that his military character was good and that he was sober and trustworthy. He had served in the army for just over three years and was entitled to a 1914 Star Trio and a Silver War Badge.

Pte. Thomas Haynes, 2nd Dragoons.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Relief of Kimberley", "Paardeberg", "Driefontein", "Johannesburg", "Diamond Hill" & "Belfast". 3859 Pte. J. Haynes, 2nd Dragoons. 

Thomas William Haynes was born in Bermondsey around the year 1873. He attested for the army at Aldershot on 19th September 1893, expressing a desire to serve with the dragoons and agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. His Attestation Papers describe him as over 5' 11" tall with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair, and a scar on his chin. He was 20 years and 5 months old and he was working as a clerk. He had some military experience as he was serving as a volunteer in the Medical Staff Corps Militia. Given the service number 3859, Thomas spent the first years of his army service in the UK in the ranks of the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) and appears to have got on well. He was awarded his first Good Conduct Pay in September 1895, appointed Lance Corporal in 1897 and received a second Good Conduct Pay in September 1899. In the following month, he reverted to Private and in November, following the outbreak of the war with the Boers, sailed for South Africa with the Regiment. Thomas would serve for almost three years here, earning entitlement to the Queen's South Africa Medal with six clasps and a King's South Africa Medal with the usual two clasps. His QSA was impressed with the wrong initial and no attempt was made to correct it.

 

The Greys saw plenty of action during the Boer War, firstly as part of General French's forces, which advanced to the relief of the besieged town of Kimberley, and in various later engagements. The full details can be read here. On 25th June 1901, Thomas Haynes was tried by Court Martial and found guilty of "When on active service, using insubordinate language to his superior officer." He was sentenced to 28 days Field Punishment No:1, which would have involved spending part of each day tied to a wagon wheel. In addition, he forfeited his Good Conduct Pay.

In November 1902, Thomas was transferred to the 1st Class Army Reserve, being finally discharged on 18th September 1905, on the completion of his 12 years of service.

Wounded At The Hohenzollern Redoubt.

1914 - 15 Trio. Silver War Badge. 3310 Pte. I. Ross, 1/5th Lincolnshire Regiment.

Irvine Ross was born in Scotton, Lincolnshire, the son of Arthur Ross, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Mary. The 1901 Census lists the couple and their six children (Albert 12yrs, Charles 10yrs, Olive 8yrs, Irvine 6yrs, Myra 4yrs and Rose 2yrs) as resident in Church Road, Bolinbroke. By 1914, the family were living at Laughton Wood Cottage, Gainsborough.

On 9th November 1914, Irvine joined the 2/5th Lincolns, a Territorial Battalion based at Grimsby, his Attestation Papers describing him as 20 years old, 5' 6" in height and with good vision and good physical development. On 17th January 1914, he signed Army Form E.624 agreeing to serve outside the United Kingdom in the event of national emergency. After a period of basic training, he was transferred to the 1/5th Lincolns on 17th March 1915. This Battalion had actually gone to France on 1st March and Irvine would join them on the Western Front on 25th June, a member of the first draft of reinforcements under Lieutenant Walcott. The draft travelled by train to Poperinghe and was met on the road by the Regimental Band, who played them to their bivouac in an open field near the village of Ouderdom, where they were received with great enthusiasm.

On June 29th, the Battalion paraded at 7.00pm and marched seven miles to the trenches south of Hooge, where Irvine would have his first experience of life in the front line. Routine trench warfare interspersed with periods in reserve and at rest continued throughout the following months. On the 13th October 1915, the 1/5th Lincolns took part in the 46th (North Midland) Division's attack on the German positions around the Hohenzollern Redoubt. The Lincolns went over the top in the first wave and were cut down by heavy rifle and machine gun fire, suffering appalling casualties. 23 officers went into action, of whom 11 were killed and 11 were wounded, one of the latter subsequently dying of his wounds. 285 other ranks were reported killed or missing and 175 were wounded. A full description of the action can be read in the Battalion history. According to this "The attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt was a feat of arms of which the Battalion will be ever proud, but the enormous number of casualties practically destroyed it for the time being as a fighting unit. The survivors for a short period were shaken and depressed and all organization was destroyed, but the task of rebuilding the Battalion on its old lines and traditions was begun at once, and carried through ultimately with entire success. "

Private Irvine Ross suffered a gunshot wound to the neck in the attack and was evacuated to England on 18th October. After five months, he was sufficiently recovered to be sent back to the 1/5th Lincolns and would serve with them from 19th March 1916 through to 26th January 1917. On 1st July 1916, the Battle of the Somme commenced and the Lincolns were in reserve for the Division's attack on the Gommecourt Salient. A full account of this action, again from the Battalion history, can be read here. On 26th January 1917, Irvine Ross was again evacuated back to England but the surviving pages from his Service Record do not reveal the reason for this. In August 1917, he was discharged from the army and awarded a Silver War Badge for "Services Rendered". He had served a total of 2 years and 283 days.

Irvine is remembered on the Scotton Roll of Honour, which was "erected by this grateful village to commemorate its faithful sons who fought for England and liberty" and is located in the church of St Genewys. He is also listed on the Roll of Honour in Scotton Chapel. He died in 1964 at the age of 69. In 2006 a new memorial was unveiled on the site of the Hohenzollern Redoubt to commemorate the men of the 46th (North Midland) Division who died there in October 1915. You can read more about the battle and the memorial here and here.