Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
The War diary entry for the period 25th to the 30th September records. BERNAFAY WOOD. The Battalion moved up to assembly trenches at 4.00am, 25th September, leaving behind 60 men to act as carriers.
The operations from the 25th to the 29th September 1916 appended.
OPERATIONS ON THE SOMME FROM 25th September to the 30th September 1916. Appendix II.
25th September. The Battalion started from BERNAFAY WOOD at 4.00am, marched through DELVILLE WOOD, and occupied trenches as follows by 6.00am. HQ and D Company SWITCH TRENCH, A, B and C Companies assembly trenches behind SWITCH TRENCH. The Battalion remained in these trenches till 1.00pm. (zero being 12.25pm). At 1.00pm D and C Companies advanced across the open to follow up and occupy trenches vacated by the 8th and 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. as they advanced, and to support and reinforce them in case of necessity. Two platoons of D Company and two platoons of C Company reinforced the 8th and 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. when they were attacked by enemy machine guns in GIRD TRENCH, and they had a good many casualties from these machine guns, Major H. H. EMMERSON (Officer Commanding C Company) being killed, and Captain QUAYLE (Officer Commanding D Company) wounded. At 2.00pm HQ and A and B Companies advanced in artillery formation, as wounded men stated that the 8th and 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. were in the village. Battalion HQ were established in BULL ROAD TRENCH, and the Battalion was disposed as follows:- Two platoons of D Company in PIONEER TRENCH, with oddments of 8th and 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. A Company and the remainder of C and D Companies in BULL ROAD TRENCH. B Company in BULL ROAD support. They remained in these positions during the night of 25th/26th, and these trenches were very heavily shelled during the night.
26th September. The Battalion advanced at 4.30pm preceded by patrols to take the final objective on the northern and eastern outskirts of GUEDECOURT. The barrage was fairly heavy and some few casualties took place. The leading platoons entered the village about 6.30pm and the village was not then being shelled by the enemy. No enemy were encountered in the southern portion of village, but the leading platoons, on reaching the LESBOEUFS-FACTORY CORNER ROAD through village, were heavily sniped and fired at by enemy machine guns. They held on to this line till dusk, when they were at once reinforced by the other platoons, and moved forward with very slight casualties to the orchards on the northern and eastern outskirts of village, and began consolidating. This was continued throughout the night with very slight molestation from enemy. The village itself and approaches to it, and especially its south western edge were, however, very heavily shelled. HQ were established at N.26.d.2.8. Touch was established with 62nd Infantry Brigade on the right at N.27.a.5.0., but it was till the morning of the 27th that connection was gained with the 55th Division on the left.
27th September. Consolidation was continued as far as possible by daylight, and during the night the posts on the northern edge were connected up. There was a certain amount of sniping, but the trenches were not heavily shelled. The village itself, and approaches to it were heavily shelled but very few casualties were sustained, as no troops were in the village.
28th September. Situation remained the same. At midnight a strong patrol under 2nd Lt. J. B. GARNER and a party of Pioneers went out to GARDEN TRENCH, and made a small post with blocks on either side to deny its occupation by the enemy.
29th September. Situation same. At 9.00pm the Battalion was relieved by the 7th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. The relief was complete by 11.30pm. A certain number of casualties were caused to both Battalion’s by enemy’s bombardment of village and its approaches.
30th September. The Battalion returned to its former bivouac near BERNAFAY WOOD, arriving there at 1.00am. The casualties suffered by the Battalion during these operations, were as follows:-
Officers killed Major H. H. EMMERSON, Captain G. M. G. GILLETT, 2nd Lt. W. E. ROBINSON. Officers wounded Captain G. A. QUAYLE, Lt. A. V. DAGG, Lt. F. WOOLNOUGH, 2nd Lt’s. A. C. NICHOLLS, C. H. HIGSON, A. M. DIXON, E. G. LANE–ROBERTS, E. J. HODGSON, F. GILDING and G. H. BOWEN. Other ranks killed 32, missing 25 and wounded 141.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday October 27th, 1916

Mrs Sheffield, of 49, Charnwood Street, has received official intimation from the War Office that her third son, Joseph, aged 21, was killed in action in France on Tuesday morning, September 26th. He joined Kitchener’s Army shortly after the outbreak of war. He was a much-esteemed member of St. Saviour’s choir, and a Requiem Mass will be rung for the repose of his soul on Sunday, November 5th. His brother, John, was recently wounded, but recovered sufficiently to be able once more to return to the Front.

Coalville Times article - Friday September 28th, 1917

IN MEMORIAM

In loving memory of our dear son, Pte. Joseph Sheffield, killed in action, September 26th, 1916. Aged 21 years.

“In a far and lonely battlefield, where the trees their branches bend,
Lies our ever-loving son, gone to his untimely end.
Sleep on, dear son, in a hero’s grave,
A grave we may never see;

But as long as life and memory last,
We will remember thee.
It’s the unknown grave that’s the bitterest blow,
None but aching hearts can know.”

From Mother, Father, Sisters and Brothers

Coalville Times article - Friday February 15th, 1918

WAR MEMORIAL UNVEILED AT WHITWICK

TABLET IN HOLY CROSS CHURCH

The Bishop of Nottingham, the Rev. Father Dunn, unveiled a memorial tablet in the Whitwick Holy Cross Church, on Sunday containing the names of 12 men, formerly connected with the church, who have made the supreme sacrifice in the war. The names and dates each recorded on small square bronze plates, and fixed on the tablet in three columns, are as follows:

Private James Cairns, Connaught Rangers, killed in action, August 21st, 1915.
Private A. C. Johnstone, 8th Leicesters, killed in action, September 1st, 1915.
Sapper B. Whittaker, 2nd Leicesters, killed in action, September 25th, 1915.
Private Edward Jarvis, Grenadier Guards, killed in action, October 17th, 1915.
Private Ed Hunt, 2nd Leicesters, killed in action, January 7th, 1916.
Private C. Stanford, 8th Leicesters, killed in action, July 14th, 1916.
Private Jos. Sheffield, 2nd Leicesters, killed in action, September 26th, 1916.
Lance-Corporal B. Morley, 2nd Leicesters, killed in action, April 23rd, 1917.
Private Harold Edwin Ketcher, 12th Northumberland Fusiliers, killed in action, June 16th, 1917
Corporal A. Concannon, M.M. Sherwood Foresters, killed in action, July 31st, 1917.
Private William Beasley, 1st Leicesters, killed in action, September 11th, 1917.
Rifleman L. Haywood, Scottish Rifles, torpedoed at sea, December 30th, 1917.

The tablet, which is surmounted by a crucifix, reads, “In memory of our devoted heroes who fell in the great war. Your prayers are requested for the repose of the souls of (names)”.

At the foot appear the words, “May they rest in peace.” Space is left for the addition of any further names if this becomes necessary. There was a large congregation, including the relatives of the deceased soldiers, and after the unveiling, a memorial service was held. This was conducted by the Rev. M. J. O’Reilly, assisted by Father Degan of Coalville, and the Bishop preached the sermon.

St Saviour’s Bulletin

Vol. 1. November 1928 No. 4.

Published by Father Degen, The Catholic Church, Coalville, Leicester

Price – One Penny.

St. Saviour’s Roll of Honour

Edward Henry Hunt.
Joseph Sheffield.
Francis Edward Stafford.
Harold Edwin Ketcher.
William Ducksbury.
Allan Thorpe.
George Herbert Saddington.
Arthur Lovell.
John Mulrooney.

How vain is the wealth of flowers,
How vain is the mourner’s wreath,
How useless the marble tombstone,
To the dust that lies beneath.

How futile the empty praises,
How futile the tears that fall,
The sable and crape of mourning,
How empty and vain are all!

The voice of the dead is calling,
All through the wealth of flowers,
Not for our grief and tears.

Our own, our lost, our lov’d ones,
Oh! Could we but hear them speak;
Prayer is the flower they ask for,
Prayer is the wealth they seek.

More dear than the flower-lit grasses-
The fragrant churchyard sod-
One prayer for their souls to Jesus,
One prayer to the heart of God.

We can open the gates of heaven
By the wondrous key of prayer,
That the suffering souls may enter
The joy that awaits them there.

Research undertaken and submitted (including photograph from Coalville Times) by Andy Murby 17/10/2017