Chesterfield Sherwoods on the Somme
1st July - 18th November 1916
My own Families role in the War
Guardsman Thomas Briggs, 18032, 4th Grenadier Guards
Service with the Colours: 1914-1919
Honi soit qui mal y pense
Tom's Army Service Records no longer exist. However the HQ of the Grenadier Guards retained a copy of his Attestation (Army Form B2065), Statement of Service and Military History Sheet. These sources together with his Medal Index Card and 'History of the Grenadier Guards in the Great War' has allowed my to piece together his time in France.
--1914--
Tom enlisted in the 4th Grenadier Guards on 31st August 1914, aged 19. The 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards formed at Marlow and proceeded overseas on the 14th July 1915, where on the 19th August it was attached to the 3rd Guards Brigade in the Guards Division.
My Great Uncle, Guardsman Thomas Briggs, 18032, 4th Battalion the Grenadier Guards.
The Briggs Family taken in 1915 prior to Tom's departure to France. My Grandfather, Henry Briggs, is seated at the front on the left. Three of Harry and Tom's brother-in-laws served with the Sherwood Foresters during the War.
Tom did not embark with the Battalion in July; according to his regimental records he arrived in France on the 8th September 1915. The first record of the Battalion receiving a draft of men was on the 2nd October, after the Battle of Loos. Whether Tom arrived in time to take part in the Battalion's attack on Hill 70 may never be known.
Tom's Medal Index Card showing his arrival in France on 8th September 1915 and his entitlement to a 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
After the Battle of Loos, October and November were relatively quite for the Battalion. Following a re-organisation in early October, the Battalion occupied trenches around Hulluch-Vermellies and the War Diary recorded this as a period of heavy shelling. A further draft of 290 men arrived from base on the 9th October. During the 17th October many men of the 4th Btn assisted the 2/Scots Gds in a bombing attack:-
"The Battn bombers went forward, followed later by over 100 volunteers of whom many had never thrown a bomb before."
During the rest periods in Billets the War Diary notes that the battalion constantly drilled and marched. In addition there were also Lewis gun lectures and training. On December 19th every man of the Battn had a hot bath and clean clothing was issued.
"As the Battn will be in the trenches on Xmas day, a dinner for the Sergts of the Battn was held last night and a concert for the men, the band of the Regt attending. Xmas dinner for the Battn will be had today [ the 19th]."
The Battn moved to advance billets and on . . .
"Saturday, December 25th 1915. Xmas Day. Battalion relieved 1st Battn in trenches last night - relief effected without casualties by 6.30 pm - Battalion fired 5 rounds rapid at midnight and artillery bombarded from 1 am - 1.30 am without drawing any very rigorous reply from the ENEMY. Weather mild and wet"
Christmas Card from Tom, year unknown but possibly 1915.
On the 29th March 1915 Tom was appointed Lance Corporal.
--1916--
On the 18th July 1916 Tom was wounded by an exploding shell and suffered 'shell shock'. However this wound did not keep him out of the front line for very long and he was soon involved in the Guards attack at Ginchy on the 13th September. Either during this attack, or over the next few days as the Battalion held a very fluid front line, Tom became detached from his Company and was officially posted 'Missing' from 13th September. His records state that 'Next of Kin Notified' on 19th September however this was subsequently deleted.
--1919--
Tom returned to England on the 22nd/23rd February 1919 and was posted to the 2nd Battalion. He was finally demobilised on the 27th April 1919 with a 5/6 pension for 56 weeks.
Medals awarded; 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The Guards Memorial at Horse Guards Parade in London.
Using his Army Pension Tom started a Butchers business and later opened a number of shops with my Grandfather.
Butchery Department at the Chesterfield
Cooperative Society. Henry Briggs is the 2nd from the left.
Tom with his son Tommy
(Harry), taken just after WWII. After the War Tommy was to become a
professional football player and scored 140 goals for Blackburn Rovers.
The legendary Tommy Briggs heads a goal against Charlton, December 14th 1957.
"The emphasis was placed firmly on attacking football and the success of Tommy Briggs in scoring 32 goals, 33, 30 and 32 goals in successive seasons was symptomatic of this new swashbuckling style"
Tommy played for Plymouth, Grimsby, Coventry, Birmingham, Blackburn and also had a second spell for Grimsby at the end of his career, which was between 1946 - 1958. During his career he achieved numerous records such as the Top Striker in the English First Division in 1950 (35 goals for Grimsby Town) and 1955 (35 Goals for Blackburn Rovers) and scoring 7 goals against Bristol Rovers on the 5th February 1953. After his career he lived in Grimsby and worked as a Butcher. He died on 10th February 1984 at the age of 61.
Driver Charles Cameron, T16881, Army Service Corps
Service with Colours: 1900-1903 and 1914-1919
My Great Grandfather,
Driver Charles
Cameron, 1914-1918.
General Notice of Mobilization, 4th
August
1914.
Cameron Family,
circa 1916 (My Grandfather,
Leonard, is on the left).
Army Form B3037; Character
Reference.
Army Form Z21; Transfer to Reserve.
A typical
Army Service Corps Ammunition Train.
Medals awarded; 1914
Star, British
War Medal and Victory
Medal
Charles Cameron's Army Service Records survive and a brief resume of his Army career follows:-.
Born
c1881 near Keighley, Yorkshire
Enlisted
18th October 1900 at Ashton-on-Lyme into Army Service Corps, age 18 years and 11 months
Regimental number T16881; Transport Driver
19th October 1900 posted to depot;
Served in No. 2 Company at Woolwich, and also at Southampton and Norwich
Transferred to Reserve
At Aldershot on 18th October 1903 on completion of 3 years service
Civilian Life
Married Lily Whitehead at St Peters Church in Oldham on 22nd December 1906
Children :-
Elsie born on 17th November 1907
Mary Alice born on 13th March 1909
Agnes born on 8th November 1910
Leonard born on 5th December 1913
Re-engaged in section "D" of Army Reserve on 11th September 1912
The Great War
Mobilization: rejoins Army Service Corps on 5th August 1914 at Bradford
Embarked UK on 13th August 1914 and disembarked in France on 14th August 1914
From MIC it also appears he served with the 2 Div Supply Column
Posted to 5 Division Supply Column (date unknown)
Posted to General HQ Reserve Park on 9th December 1914
Posted to No 3 Reserve Park 10th December 1914
Posted to No 10 Reserve Park 2nd May 1917
Posted to 2nd Cavalry Reserve Park on 24th June 1917
Granted leave from:
22nd August 1917 to 1st September 1917
3rd February 1918 to 2nd March 1918
20th July 1918 to 7th August 1918
Transferred to Reserve on demobilization (class Z) on 4th April 1919
Discharged on Demobilization 31st March 1920 having served 7 years and 242 days
