Huthwaite's World War Veterans
Starting with a few found photographs of uniformed World War veterans from Huthwaite, chance here to hopefully add another gallery of ancestral interest into our Huthwaite Online war memorial project.
We annually pay a deserving tribute largely to the many souls who lost their lives through two World Wars, 
but remembrance ought also gratefully consider the numbers who returned. All did play a tactical supporting part among the forces and families were also more thankful when regaining a loved one, rather than being issued an individually named memorial coin.
A personal collection of foreign coins featured in one Huthwaite pub. Belief is that local WWII soldiers, perhaps while on overseas leave, nailed their name stamped momento for luck onto the Peacock Hotel mantlepiece. One warm reason seeking a safer revisit.
Whilst veterans rarely wished to recall their own horrific war experiences, more felt obliged expressing relief after serving duties posted among less volatile areas. Nonetheless, all did bravely enlist for duty, whatever and wherever desperately needed and majority here proudly joined the local Notts and Derby regiment of Sherwood Foresters. Based upon these known mining areas, numbers were transferred into Kitchener's Marines, purposefully trenching and tunnelling ways to undermine enemy positions in both wars.
Joined a Sherwood Foresters battalion who faced heavy losses, transferring George into the Durham Light Infantry. He served in Colognes occupying forces before returning to the CWS, where he wed Miss Alice Beardsley in 1921 and fathered a family, extending a currently featured Holland surname as donated by his sons Robert and Aubrey.
Mr Ken Swain reveals from his marital links Lance Corporal George Blow in full uniform. Returning to Huthwaite, this WWI veteran ran a Newcastle Street blacksmiths shop.We found a record giving date of envoy 29.08.15, serving in France under Notts Derbys Sherwood Foresters and credited with 3 awards marked by Victory, British and Star medals.
Trev Ashmore recalls the sad fate of his young uncle, who'd firstly served the 7th Notts Home Guard camping out on Chesterfield Road. Alan Shooter was born at Ashfield Road, and by altering his birth certificate managed to enlist aged 17 years and two weeks into the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards in December 1942. Alan saw action in Northern Italy before his 1947 demob leave took him cycling into Derbyshire, resulting in death by road accident, still only 21.
Mr Ashmore uncovered this gallant addition by simple name unrecorded among memorials. Although born in North Wales, Jack moved to Huthwaite in 1908 and worked at New Hucknall Colliery. He married Lily Wright in 1909 before joining the Notts and Derby Regiment seeing action at Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Ridge and Ypres, where he was gassed and discharged September 1916. Living first at Ashfield Road, then 91 Main Street. There he died in 1929, aged just 44 as a probable outcome from his gassing.Written 30 Nov 09 Revised 15 Jan 10 © by Gary Elliott
