The Sherwood Foresters in the Great War 1914-1919 | Page 5

completion of Demobilisation.
June 23rd Return of Cadre and Colours to Headquarters at Newark.
CHAPTER I
ENGLAND
August 4th, 1914. February 25th, 1915.
When the 8th Sherwood Foresters concentrated at Hunmanby, at the
end of July, 1914, for their usual annual training, the International
horizon was clouded with the diplomatic conversations which had
followed the murder of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria by
Servians at Sarajevo. Many hoped, no doubt, that the experience of the
Morocco incident of 1905 and the Agadir incident of 1911, would
again be repeated and that once more the clouds of a world war would
be dissipated, but when we reflect upon this period of the world's

history it is easy now to see that war with Germany, sooner or later,
was inevitable.
The atmosphere was so charged with electricity that it was impossible
to settle down to the normal routine of training, and there was little
surprise when on August 3rd, Bank Holiday, Germany declared war on
France, and when on the following day, August 4th, Great Britain
herself, following upon the violation of the neutrality of Belgium,
joined forces with Russia and France.
Territorial Camps were at once broken up and all ranks ordered home,
with instructions to hold themselves in readiness for any emergency.
The Royal Proclamation for the embodiment of the 8th Battalion
Sherwood Foresters (Notts. and Derby Regiment) was issued at 6.45
p.m. on Tuesday, August 4th, and notified to all units in the briefest
possible telegram--"Mobilise." During Wednesday and Thursday,
August 5th and 6th, all Companies were endeavouring to purchase
locally and issue to every man, underclothing and necessaries
according to scale. This was a big undertaking, as the scheme for
earmarking such goods in the case of embodiment had not been
completed, and there was, therefore, some delay in obtaining all
requirements. The strength of the Battalion on mobilisation was 29
officers and 852 other ranks.
On Friday, August 7th, the Battalion concentrated at Newark, under the
Command of Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson, T.D., with Major G. H.
Fowler second in Command, and Capt. E. N. T. Collin, Adjutant,
Companies and their Officers at this time being as follows:--
A Company--Retford.--Lieut. W. R. Smith, 2nd Lieuts. L. Rose and E.
C. A. James.
B " Newark.--Capt. L. C. B. Appleby, Lieuts. C. Davenport and A. H.
Quibell.
C " Sutton-in-Ashfield.--Lieut. M. C. Martyn, 2nd Lieuts. H. G. Wright
and R. H. Piggford.

D " Mansfield.--Capt. A. C. Clarke, 2nd Lieut. J. W. Turner.
E " Carlton.--Lieut. F. G. Cursham, 2nd Lieut. H. Kirby.
F " Arnold.--2nd Lieuts. G. Clarke and A. F. O. Dobson.
G " Worksop.--Capt. E. W. E. Tylden-Wright, Lieut. W. H. Allen.
H " Southwell.--Capt. J. P. Becher, Lieut. J. K. Lane, 2nd Lieut. H. B. S.
Handford.
Lieut. A. L. Ashwell was Machine-Gun Officer; Capt. F. W. Johnson,
and Surgeon-Capt. H. Stallard, Medical Officers, and Rev. J. P. Hales,
Chaplain; Major W. N. Sarll was Quarter-Master, but, being medically
unfit, at once handed over his duties to Capt. R. F. B. Hodgkinson, who
joined from the Territorial Force Reserve. Capt. R. J. Wordsworth
mobilised with Brigade Headquarters.
The Battalion was billeted for the most part in Schools: B Company
were detailed for various duties in the town, and H Company found
guards on bridges and other points on the Great Northern Railway, the
most important being the Tubular Bridge. Nothing of interest happened
except that a too keen sentry one night loosed off at some suspicious
looking persons, who turned out to be innocent platelayers returning
home from work. Fortunately there were no casualties.
On Monday, August 10th, at 9.30 a.m., we paraded in the Market Place
ready to begin our move to concentration areas. The Mayor (Mr. J. C.
Kew) and Corporation were present, accompanied by Canon Hindley,
Vicar of Newark, and other Clergy, and there was a dense crowd of
onlookers. After an address by the Mayor, who wished us God speed,
and a short service, we marched off via the Fosse Way to
Radcliffe-on-Trent, leaving behind H Company under Capt. Becher, to
guard the railway.
For the first time in its history the Battalion had complete First Line
and Train Transport with it, this being under the command of Lieut.
Davenport, who had been appointed Transport Officer. The vehicles

were not exactly regulation pattern, but little fault could be found with
the horses, all of which had been purchased locally. Floats from
Warwick and Richardson's and Hole's formed the majority of the Small
Arm Ammunition and tool carts, whilst Dickens's Mineral Water drays
and Davy's Brewery drays made fairly good General Service wagons,
when fitted with light wooden sides. A furniture van full of blankets,
two Corporation water carts, and a bread cart with a large red cross on
each side, completed the