My starter for 10: does anyone out there know anything about Pte 12519 Will Hart, 1 S Staffs, MiA/KiA 9 Oct 17, just E of Polygon Wood? I have his MIC and know he landed in France on 26 Jan 15. I also have all the 1st S Staffs war diaries (and 91st Bde and 7th Div too, plus Atkinson’s div history). I’ve worked out he probably died when acting as a stretcher bearer for 22 Bde’s 9 Oct attack around JUDGE COPSE and JUDGE COTT (1 S Staffs safely near Ypres on 9 Oct , but 50 OR fm each batt to act as SB for 22 Bde). I’d like to know why a 23 year-old Black Country lad with no obvious prior Terrier service would arrive in France as early as 26 Jan 15.
TVM, really sorry not to have replied sooner. Your post was lurking and I have moved it into the “Individuals” section to make it more visible.
Will’s number relates to enlistment on “short service” terms on 1 September 1914. He is likely to have trained with the 4th (Reserve) Battalion. Men numbered around him were going to France with drafts for the 1st Battalion as early as 17 December 1914. They had been through the standard basic and infantry training by then.
That’s brilliant. Thanks for letting me know; that fills in a large hole in my research. I suppose the 4th (and 3rd) would have been relatively well prepared for training an influx of volunteers compared with Terrier or New Army units. Still, 17 Dec seems a quick turn around to get complete civvies into something a regular battn like 1 S Staffs would take.
I’ve been to the S Staffs Museum at Lichfield several times; makes it even more poignant that Great Uncle Will had trained there. Wish my Dad was around so I could tell him: we’ve walked over just about every inch the 1 S Staffs fought for (apart from Italy).