An edited version of this post was originally published by the Society of Genealogists in the Genealogists’ Magazine, June 2025.

Part 1 : Part 2 : Part 3 : Part 4 : Resources

Part One: From Northampton to the Front

This is the story of my grandfather, Arthur Ward — a Northampton delivery boy turned First World War soldier. His journey from the quiet streets of Northampton to the trenches of the Western Front offers a personal glimpse into a generation of young men swept up in history’s deadliest conflict. In this first instalment, we follow Arthur’s early life, enlistment, and his first experiences at the front.

Arthur Ward, my grandfather, was born in Northampton in 1888. Before the First World War and after leaving school Arthur worked for his uncle Tom Pack, as a delivery boy, on an old fixed-gear bicycle with an oil lamp. taking fresh yeast to bakers south of Northampton and into north Buckinghamshire. Sometimes he covered 40 miles in a day arriving home late, ready to start another day at 5 am. After the outbreak of war in 1914 there was plenty of work to be had and Arthur found a job at Abraham Lee’s Boot & Shoe factory in Bective Road, Northampton. On 6 November 1915, he married Maud Packwood at St Paul’s Church, Northampton, a new Anglican church that stood at the top of Essex Street near the family home.

After the outbreak of the War, Arthur was enlisted along with a group of 35 other men of a similar age, most but not all from Northampton. They enlisted between 25 November and 6 December 1915 in Northampton and were assigned to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment but then put on reserve. Based on Arthur’s service number (32074) and other men with similar service numbers, enlistment took place on 26 November 1915. The attestation and medical examinations took place at either the Barracks on Kingsthorpe Road (Barrack Road) and the Territorial Headquarters (Drill Hall) in Clare Street.

They were mobilised on 2 January 1917 and moved to Kent and trained at “Fort Darland” near Gillingham between January and March 1917. Subsequently, this group travelled to France via Folkestone to Boulogne on 31 March 1917.

Movements of 10th Bn Sherwood Foresters (April 1917-August 1918)

Soon after arrival, Arthur and his fellow soldiers were transferred en bloc to 10th Bn. Notts & Derby on 11th April 1917. On the 27th of April, they were transferred ‘up the line’ to join the battalion. At the time they were billeted at Grand-Rullecourt in Pas-de-Calais. The battalion had suffered losses in the preceding weeks and accommodated 143 new men on 29th April.

For the duration of the war, the 10th Bn Sherwood Foresters remained part of the 51st Brigade within the 17th (Northern) Division of the British Army. The division was commanded by Major General Philip R Robertson from 13th July 1916 until the end of hostilities. Robertson provides an overview of the Division’s engagement, and hence that of the 10th Bn Sherwood Foresters.

In March 1917 the Division was attached to the Cavalry Corps for special service with it at the Battle of Arras, its role being to push forward independently in support of the Cavalry should a “breakthrough” be made. It was subsequently engaged in severe fighting about Monchy and on the Scarpe River. Remaining in the Arras sector until September, it moved north to play its part in the 3rd Battle of Ypres and struggle for the Passchendaele Ridge. In the attack on 12th October, it was signally successful, being the only Division to gain all its objectives on that date.

Transferred in December to the Cambrai Area the Division found itself holding the trenches astride the Canal du Nord on the north shoulder of the Cambrai salient when the Great German Offensive was launched on 21st March 1918. All the enemy’s attacks upon the Division on that date were successfully repulsed, but it had to retire at night in order to conform to the general withdrawal of the British Line. Throughout the 22nd March it completely defeated attacks made on it at Hermies and Havrincourt, earning special mention in Field Marshall Lord Haig’s official dispatches for its gallant defence.

The summer of 1918 was spent in the trench line directly north of Albert, until in August in the Great Final Advance, it swept forward across the Somme country, capturing Thiepval, Courcelette, Martinpuich, Transloy and other villages en route.¹

They were immediately deployed in the area to the north and east of Arras from the beginning of May to the end of September 1917, notably around Gavrelle and Fampoux. This engagement with the enemy was known as the Battle of Arras.

Arthur described the pattern of much of his time on the Western Front, his company would be in the ‘line’ for about 14 to 17 days before being replaced to man the secondary line of trenches for about another week. These were always prepared and manned in case the forward positions were overrun. After that they were moved to the rear for about three days rest. This cycle was designed to be repeated over and over, but in reality, more often broken, when there were attacks and counter-attacks by one side or the other meaning that all resting troops were ordered back into the line.

From October 1917 the battalion moved north to Belgium and were based around Ypres taking their turn on the front, notably in the area around Langemark. They continued here until mid-December 1917. These were the closing stages of the Third Battle of Ypres.

Arthur’s war was far from over. In the next instalment, we’ll follow him through one of the war’s darkest moments — a gas attack that would shape the rest of his life.

1. Atteridge, A. Hilliard. History of the 17th (Northern) Division / by A. Hilliard Atteridge. Robert Maclehose & Co. Ltd, 1929.

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