DTerritorials

2/Lt Conrad Stark. Commissioned into the 2/6th Battalion & was captured on 21st March 1918 during the first day of the ‘Kaiserschlacht’ & he provides one of the best personal accounts of the ‘last stand’ of the 2/6th Battalion @jpsyerevan1 derbyshireterritorials.uk/2026/05/09/2-l…

@MOF1916 That’s an interesting question Mick - it does look intentional 🤔

@DTerritorials Super “find”! Are the tines meant to be different lengths, I wonder?

Bought this off eBay for 99p - a bargain - the buyer had it for 'a buy now price' of £55. I don't think he understood its significance. I believe its from the Sergeant's Mess (SM) 3rd Derbyshire Militia, which later became the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion Sherwood Foresters

3rd (2nd Derbyshire Militia) Battalion (Chatsworth Rifles)

@jpsyerevan1 Sorry, been delayed with work - will definitely post a 1st draft this weekend and see what you think and add/edit as you think 👍

@DTerritorials Outstanding! Thank you Mike.

I'm preparing to the tell the story of 2/Lt Conrad Stark - 2/6th Battalion & his role in the Kaiserschlacht – German Spring Offensive: 21st March 1918 - and many thanks to his grandson Jonathan for kindly providing photographs and a transcript of his diary for that fateful day

Tuesday 3 May 1916 Diary of Sgt Major Lomas 2/2 "The officer being Lieut Rogers of C Company. C Coy were ordered to provide 12 men & a sergeant with shovels for a fatigue parade at the same time & proceed to the Detention Barracks (Kilmainham Gaol)." From "The 1916 Diaries" -MOF.

Tuesday 2 May 1916 Diary of Sgt Major Lomas 1/2 "I was to provide a party of 48 men & 4 sergeants for a special duty parade at 3am tomorrow. I was told as a special favour I had been allowed to go as senior NCO." (Lomas & his men were to form firing squads for rebel executions.)

Monday 1 May 1916 Sgt Maj Lomas 2/6 Sherwood Foresters Diary 1/2 6am: Breakfast 9am: Battn paraded & marched via Sackville St to Dublin Castle. All available troops being massed on [College] Green, Gen Maxwell inspected & addressed them. Thanking them for services rendered etc."

@jpsyerevan1 Thanks Jonathan - been caught up with work but intend to get this posted next week 👍

@jpsyerevan1 Hello Jonathan - thanks for msg and email - wow thats amazing ! will send you an email - cheers Mike

@DTerritorials 2nd Lt Conrad Stark of the 2/6th Sherwood Foresters was my grandfather. He was in the front line on 21st March. I have his war diary, mainly written as a POW which I am happy to share if of interest.

20951 Pte Herbert Seagrave, a 31 year old cola miner from Bulwell in Nottinghamshire Served (December 1914 – July 1917) with the 4th, 2nd and 1st Battalions and was wounded on the Somme in July 1916 derbyshireterritorials.uk/2026/03/29/209…

Wonder if there’s some Foresters amongst them (59th Division)…..

A batch of 4, 000 British prisoners captured behind Bapaume and Arras at a collecting point in front of Arras, March 1918. © IWM (Q 51464)

@N323339N Visited many times. The North Midlanders had it bad that day….

Z and Little Z Foncquevillers.

Durham Light Infantry

43939 Pte Charles Thomas Lamming, a farm labourer from Brinbrook in Lincolnshire Served with the 20th (Labour) Battalion, Sherwood Foresters and later with the 166th Labour Company derbyshireterritorials.uk/2026/02/16/439…

Not my usual interest, but this is significant (I think). Lincolnshire man joins 20th (Labour) Battalion N&D - France in 1916. 20th transferred to Labour Corps 1917 & as usual LC Medal Roll does not state the N&D Battalion. But he was wounded in 1918 & record states 20/N&D👍

The Devil’s Wood: Delville Wood, September 1916.

241695 Pte Frank Isaac Shimwell, a farm worker from Birchover Enlisted in January 1916; served with the 2/6th Battalion in Ireland and France; Transferred to the London Regiment in August 1918; Served as a stretcher bearer and was wounded in 1918 derbyshireterritorials.uk/2026/01/24/241…