Sidney Shooter
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Sidney Shooter was born in Sutton in Ashfield (or Somercotes depending on which record is looked at) and he had a twin sister Bertha. They were born to William a coal miner and Mary Shooter née Carlin. Sidney's other siblings were Agnes, Annie, William Henry, Leonard, Harold, Frank, Gertrude, Elizabeth and Mary. By 1911 Sidney was living at 13 Hillmoor Street Pleasley Hill Mansfield with his elder brother William Henry also a coal miner and his wife and their 4 children. Also at the same address were his brother Henry and sister Elizabeth.
Shooter’s ASR shows that on 3rd December 1914 he attested at Mansfield. He gave his age as 22 years and 242 days , his occupation as miner and his address as Lime Street Sutton in Ashfield. His next of kin was his father William of Union Street Pleasley Road Mansfield. On 10th December 1914 he was posted to 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters and on 29th March 1915 was awarded 28 days Field Punishment No 2 (reason not stated). On 14th July 1915 he joined the British Expeditionary Force in France and on 28th January 1916 was sentenced to 14 days Field Punishment No 1 for absence. On 27th February 1916 he was tried by field court martial for desertion, found guilty and sentenced to suffer death by being shot. However this sentence was commuted to 10 years penal servitude. He was returned to England 12th March 1916 and on 25th April 1916 was sent to a civil prison. Whilst undergoing sentence at a convict prison he was admitted to hospital and found to have pulmonary TB and a medical board dated 5th October 1916 stated he was no longer physically fit for service. He was discharged from the army on 25th October 1916. He continued to have medical examinations the last being on 11th December 1918 which found his condition unchanged.
Research by Peter Gillings
