George Spencer

George Spencer enlisted at Nottingham initially serving (30674) with the Notts & Derby Regiment. As he was medical grade C1, fit for Garrison service in Home camps, Spencer joined 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters on 18th March 1916. They were on coastal defence duties in Sunderland. Special Reserve Battalions were holding units where soldiers were “held on strength” prior to being posted elsewhere. He was transferred on 14th April 1916 to perform coastal duties in Essex with 2/8th Battalion Royal Scots. They never served overseas and were posted to Dublin in January 1917 and disbanded that summer at which point, according to John Gray, ‘ its men were redeployed to battalions in France [and Flanders].’ 13th Bn Royal Scots was strengthened with 328 men between August 6th and 11th 1917 in preparation for the Third Battle of Ypres and it seems likely that Spencer was amongst them. 115 men from the unit lost their lives between August 21st and 27th in vicious fighting to improve the jumping off position on the Langemark-Ghueluveldt Line. Nine Nottinghamshire men, most of whom like Spencer had been transferred from 2/8th Bn Royal Scots, were killed during these actions. The unit served at Esquelbecq, near Wormhout during September and later at Midddlesex Camp, Arras. The daily routine of trench warfare continued through the autumn for 13th Bn Royal Scots; trench raids, enemy bombardments and periods of rest were recorded by their War Diary. 212 13th Battalion Royal Scots died between July 31st and November 30th 1917. When and how Spencer became a casualty are unknown but he died of wounds at Bagthorpe Military Hospital, Nottingham and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery. Screen Wall: 03333

Thanks to John Cotterill, custodian of the Sherwood Foresters' archive, and Julian Putkowski for helping to compile this record. David Nunn