The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire)
The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment) was formed on 1 July 1881 from the merger of the rifle volunteer and militia units of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire of the 45th (1st Nottinghamshire–Sherwood Foresters) Regiment with the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment.
The 45th became The 1st Battalion The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment); the 95th the 2nd Battalion.
The Maltese Cross, oak wreath, and stag are derived from the badge of the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment. The Royal Stags formed the Supporters to the Arms of the City of Nottingham. The oak wreath derives from the old Nottinghamshire Militia which had an oak wreath in its badge in allusion to Sherwood Forest.
In 1902, the county name of Nottinghamshire was added to the title. In Feb 1970, the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) merged with the Worcestershire Regiment to form the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th).
The 1st/Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire)
1 July 1881 The 45th Regiment became the 1st Battalion The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment).
1898 1st/Sherwood Foresters
| Average Strength | Admissions Hospital | Deaths | Admissions/1000 | Deaths/1000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 176 | 172 | 2 | 977 | 11 |
| Admissions into hospital and deaths during the year with ratio of admissions and deaths per 1000 of strength. The average strength of the troops, exclusive of the Royal Malta Artillery, was 7,390 men. | ||||
(Main Guard Valletta)
28 Sep 1898 The 1st/Derbyshire Regiment embarked at Southampton from the Curragh Camp in Ireland for Malta. The strength of the battalion on departure from Ireland was 15 officers, 567 NCOs and men, 38 women and 72 children.
Its average constantly sick was 7.40 (42.05/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 15.35 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 15.70 days.
The 1st/Derbyshire Regimental HQ was at Pembroke Camp. Its main body was at Lower St Elmo Barracks for 3 months with detachments at Polverista and Cottonera.
Burials in Rinella Military Cemetery in 1898:
- 27 Oct Albert Leeman aged 7 months, died at Cottonera.
- 17 Dec William Murphy aged 5 days, son of CSgt Murphy died at Cottonera.
Burials in Pietà Military Cemetery in 1898:
- 11 Oct Alice May Howard, aged 5 months.
- 9 Dec Sgt Henry William Webb aged 25 years.
1899 1st/Sherwood Foresters
1 Jan 1899 Strength: 819 men. The battalion was at Lower St Elmo Barracks.
1 July Strength: 842 men.
20 Nov The 1st Battalion under their commanding officer Lt Col H L Smith Dorien embarked on the transport Dunera for East London, South Africa, where it arrived on 15 Dec 1899. Lt Col H L Smith Dorien was selected to command a brigade in South Africa.
The Derbyshire Regt joined the column under Gen Gatacre and advanced from Sterkstroom to Stormberg and Burghersdorp.
Baptisms in the Garrison Church in 1899:
- 14 Oct Gertrude Sarah Read born on 23 September 1899, daughter of Pioneer Sgt Albert Read and Sarah, resident at Valletta.
Burials in Pietà Military Cemetery in 1899:
- 29 Jan Florence Howard, aged 7 years, daughter of Sgt Howard.
- 2 Feb James Matthew Dobson Wade, aged 6 years 1 month, stepson of Pte.
- 2 July James William Granville Roberts, aged 2 years 9 months, son of CSgt Roberts.
- 5 July Pte Ernest Pinnell , aged 18 years 11 months.
- 11 Aug L/Cpl Arthur Edmund White , aged 21 years 5 months.
- 10 Nov Pte Thomas Armstrong, 23 years 1 month.
- 19 Aug Pte John Hayes aged 37 years 4 months, died at Cottonera and was buried at Rinella Military Cemetery.
The 2nd/Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire)
1 July 1881 The 95th Regiment became the 2nd Battalion The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment).
1899 2nd/Nottingham and Derbyshire
25 Oct 1899 The 2nd/Nottingham and Derbyshire Regiment arrived in Malta from Aden and went into quarantine. At the lazaretto the disinfection of the 2nd/Derby Regiment was carried in batches of 50 men at a time. Twenty three women and 53 children were in their turn subjected to the same treatment with the assistance of the female attendant.
The duty of the female attendant was to tell the women to wash themselves with the disinfecting solution prepared for the purpose, and to see that the operation was actually performed. The Lazaretto did not provide clothing as temporary covering for persons undergoing disinfection and the women had to take with them a change of dress or sufficient garments to put on whilst theirs were being disinfected.
1900 2nd/Nottingham and Derbyshire
The second battalion provided volunteers for the mounted infantry companies sent to South Africa but remained in Malta whereas the 1st Battalion left for Natal.
1 Jan 1900 Strength: 879 men. The battalion occupied the barracks at Fort Manoel.
1 July Strength: 884 men. The battalion occupied Mtarfa Barracks.
Baptisms in the Garrison Church in 1900:
- 10 Apr Beatrice Maud Howard born on 6 March 1900, daughter of Jane and Cpl Thomas Howard, resident at Mtarfa.
Burials at Mtarfa Military Cemetery in 1900:
- 22 Apr Pte William Wilkes E Coy 2nd/Derbyshire, aged 21 yrs, died on 20 April 1900.
- 28 July Pte William Hall aged 31 yrs.
- 22 Aug Pte Alfred Smedley aged 18 yrs 9 mths.
- 24 Sep Dorothy Eleanor Freeman aged 4 mths daughter of Sgt William and Louisa Freeman. She was born at Mtarfa Barracks on 7 June 1900.
- 5 Oct Pte Reynold Sholto Douglas Greaves aged 19 yrs.
- 9 Oct Pte John Henry Beardsmore aged 20 yrs.
1901 2nd/Nottingham and Derbyshire
1901 Strength: 868 men. The battalion was located at Mtarfa Barracks.
Baptisms in the Garrison Church in 1901:
- 7 Jan Alice Ellen Hallam born on 8 December 1900, daughter of Ellen and Sgt Absalom Hallam, resident at Mtarfa.
Burials at Mtarfa Military Cemetery in 1901:
- 31 Mar Sgt Henry White aged 36 yrs 6 mths.
- 11 Dec Pte Thomas Barton aged 29 yrs.
1902 2nd/Nottingham and Derbyshire
The 2nd/Nottingham and Derbyshire Regiment was located at Mtarfa Barracks.
21 May 1902 The 2nd/Nottingham and Derbyshire Regiment consisting of HQ Coy and 8 companies, 19 officers, 3 officers wives and 2 children, 1 female officer's servant, 2 warrant officers, 39 sergeants, 10 buglers, 477 rank and file, 20 soldier's wives and 33 children, embarked for Southampton on board the Carthage. The men disembarked on 29 May and moved to Parkhurst Barracks, Isle of Wight.
The 9th/The Sherwood Foresters Regiment
1915 – 9th/Sherwood Foresters
The 9th Bn Sherwood Foresters Regiment landed at Suvla Bay Gallipoli on 6 August 1915.
Burials at Pietà Military Cemetery in 1915:
- 1 Sep Pte Chambers W aged 26 yrs.
- 10 Sep Pte Ball George aged 23 yrs.
- 13 Sep Pte Edgson J H aged 23 yrs.
- 15 Sep Pte Britland R C aged 20 yrs.
- 16 Sep Pte Howitt A aged 21 yrs.
- 5 Oct Pte Hughes John aged 24 yrs.
Bibliography
- Farmer, J. S., 1984. The regimental records of the British Army Reprint Edition, Trowbridge, Wiltshire: Crecy Books.
- TNA:WO 156/116. Burial Register No 17 Mtarfa Cemetery from 1 June 1899.
- TNA:WO 156/115. Register of burials in the military cemetery Rinella from January 1890 to January 1908.
- TNA:WO 156/598. Baptism Register No 16; Malta from 20 February 1898 to 17 July 1916.
- TNA:CO 158/332. Disinfection of 2nd Derbyshire Regiment.
- TNA:WO 379/11. Stations of Regiments 1859–1900.