Posted to 2/5th S Staffs - and a promotion

When Albert had recovered from his illness, he was transferred to the 2/5th battalion, and promoted to sergeant. There followed a stay of about twelve months in Blighty, and reprieve from the horrors of the front in France and Flanders.

This photo of NCOs is certainly the 2/5th Bn S Staffs, because Albert was made sergeant after joining them. I wondered why he was not sent back to the front after his recovery from illness, but was told at the Staffordshire Regiment Museum in Whittington that the men were usually not returned to their original units after going sick or wounded to England. A matter of policy.

In April 1916 the battalion was sent to Dublin with the rest of the 59th(2nd North Midland Division) to quell the Easter Rising.

Early days - men of the 5th Bn S Staffs on parade

This photo shows men of the 5th Bn S Staffs before March 1915. Albert is the last man on the front row, the corporal (two stripes) on the far right. I wonder whether anyone can recognise any others. I don't know which company this was, but these particular men would have met as territorials either at Wednesbury or Walsall.

from Nowhere eventually to France - and back

On March 2nd 1915, Albert's battalion, the territorial 5th Bn S Staffs, was posted to France. The battalion embarked th "Empress Queen" at Southampton and arrived Le Havre the next day. His stay in France was remarkably short-lived, at least for the time-being. His service record shows that he fell sick "in the field". He was transferred by ambulance to the RawalPindi British Hospital at Wimereux on 12th March and was invalided back to England on 15th March.

Perhaps that was the luckiest thing that ever happened to him. The battalion was sent to the Ypres Salient, "Wipers" as the Tommies called it. It became a dreaded word.

Extracts from the war diary of the 5th S Staffs shows that they were involved in serious fighting in Belgium during 1915.

Albert would not return to France and Flanders until 1917, when he would fight in the battle for Passchendaele.

Off to Luton

5th Btn S Staffs on the way to Luton

This postcard, labelled "Nowhere, August 15th" was sent to Albert's wife Ebba. 1914, the beginning of WW1.

It reads:-

"Dear Ebba, I did not receive your letter this morning and shall probably not do so for a day or so. We left Burton early this morning as I expected and am now on the road to Luton near London I shall post this at one of the stations enrout. I hope you are all going on allright and are keeping your peckers up. We are although we are having some (********) (illegible) about the country. They are still wiping it across the Germans. Will write again soon. From your Albert."

There is a Happy Land, Far, Far Away

Men of the 5th Btn S Staffs Regiment, 1914 - 15

(Click to see enlarged. When enlarged, it is easy to see that this photo is taken in a garden in spring; most likely an English garden before the draft went to France. A very casual photo in very motley uniform! They seem pretty happy here....)



There is a happy land, far, far away,

Where they eat bread and jam, three times a day.

Oh, how they laugh and grin,

When the bread and jam comes in,

Oh, how they laugh and grin,

Three times a day.



A song from the front, in WW1, learnt at my grandfather's knee.

When war broke out in August 1914, the men of the 5th Btn, South Staffordshire Regiment, (Territorial) paraded in the square in Walsall, (then Staffs) and marched away to do their bit for King and Country.