robfinds
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Was watching the news on TV this afternoon when it was announced that one of the last British soldiers who fought in WW1 had just died. The guy had emigrated to Australia, it said he had been in a regiment called the Sherwood Foresters. About 3 weeks ago whilst detecting a ploughed field in the Nottingham area I found a badge with a mother of pearl back. The inscription was small and was rather unclear in places. The badge had been on the kitchen window sill since, on seeing the item on the news I took a better look at it !.
Sherwood Foresters regiment 1881-1970
The regimental cap badge is made up of the Maltese cross with inside, an oak wreath, a white hart (deer) - left and right inscribed SHERWOOD FORESTERS. Below this is a scroll inscribed NOTTS & DERBY. All ensigned with the crown.
Battle of the Somme 1st July 1916
As dawn broke on 1st July 1916, Fourth army waited for the seven day artillery barrage to stop and the advance to start. The soldiers had been told that the Germans would have been battered into submission, the wire defences cut to ribbons and the operation would be a walkover, literally.
In the event the Germans were fresh and well prepared, they had mended the broken wire every night. As soon as the bombardment stopped they surface mounted their machine guns and mowed down the slowly advancing troops in rigid straight lines, no skirmishing was allowed.
Needless to say casualties were appalling,the worst day in the history of the British army. In a single day 19,000 killed and 38,000 wounded. The three Forester regiments involved in the battle lost over 1,500 killed and wounded on that day.
I don't know if the badge dates to the time of WW1 but it certainly got me thinking.
Sherwood Foresters regiment 1881-1970
The regimental cap badge is made up of the Maltese cross with inside, an oak wreath, a white hart (deer) - left and right inscribed SHERWOOD FORESTERS. Below this is a scroll inscribed NOTTS & DERBY. All ensigned with the crown.
Battle of the Somme 1st July 1916
As dawn broke on 1st July 1916, Fourth army waited for the seven day artillery barrage to stop and the advance to start. The soldiers had been told that the Germans would have been battered into submission, the wire defences cut to ribbons and the operation would be a walkover, literally.
In the event the Germans were fresh and well prepared, they had mended the broken wire every night. As soon as the bombardment stopped they surface mounted their machine guns and mowed down the slowly advancing troops in rigid straight lines, no skirmishing was allowed.
Needless to say casualties were appalling,the worst day in the history of the British army. In a single day 19,000 killed and 38,000 wounded. The three Forester regiments involved in the battle lost over 1,500 killed and wounded on that day.
I don't know if the badge dates to the time of WW1 but it certainly got me thinking.
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