William Fox (1892–1924)

Private

Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) 11684 1st Battalion
3rdBattalion
Connaught Rangers 11307  

The Courier, 3 July 1915

William Fox

Biography
William Fox was born in 1893 the son of William and Ellen Fox of Bull Bridge. His mother died when he was a young child and he was then adopted by James and Mary Redfern who lived at Buckland Hollow. In 1911 he was an eighteen-year-old miner and boarder with the Throssell family at Upper Hartshay. He had a relationship with their daughter Annie Throssell and they had two daughters, Mary Ellen and Annie. William and Annie married in 1924.

William Fox was a regular soldier, who attested with the Connaught Rangers on 2 October 1911. On mobilisation in 1914, he must have been transferred to the Sherwoods as his 'local' regiment, before returning to the Connaught Rangers on 16 March 1917. He was posted to France in November 1914.

William was mobilised with the Connaught Rangers from 9 April 1921 until 5 June 1921. Many men in reserve were mobilised at that time, including Jim Wilson, Abert Crowder and his brother Arthur Crowder. As a reservists they were mobilised briefly in 1921 after the state of emergency had been declared under the Emergency Powers Act 1920. This was declared on 31 March after the Triple Alliance (predecessor to the Trade Union Congress, or TUC) called a strike over a miners' wage dispute. When, on 15 April, the transport and rail unions decided not to call for strike action in solidarity with the miners, this became known as 'Black Friday'. Although not a fully-fledged strike, transport and railworkers were ordered not to handle imported coal.

He was transferred to the Army Reserve on 11 June 1921 and was finally discharged on completion of 12 years' service on 1 October 1923.

FOX William, Notts and Derby 11684 and Connaughts. The Derbyshire Courier 25 March 1916 article (below) does not make sense.
The article  mentions the 33rd Brigade which was part of 11th Division.  Men were not usually attached to the Brigade. The 9th battalion Sherwoods were though part of 33rd Brigade. He therefore had to be in 9th battalion on Gallipoli.
He would have gone to France with 1st Sherwoods in November 1914 and after being wounded at Neuve Chappelle which was another failed opportunity which the battalion had no hope of winning.  After recovery he would have been posted to 9th battalion Sherwoods.  When they went to Egypt the battalion was at times some 1300 strong. Some of the men then formed part of the Machine Gun Corps and others went to new battalions and regiments. I noticed that 1st Connaughts went to Mesopotamia, so he was probably moved to them.  Although the records mention him moving to 3rd Reserve Sherwood Foresters prior to Connaughts. Wonder if he was wounded again or ill? [Steve Morse]

Newspaper reports

Ripley & Heanor News 2 April 1915
WAR ITEMS
Information has been received at Bull Bridge by Mr William Fox that his son, Private William Fox, 1st Notts and Derby Regiment, recently returned from India, has been wounded and is now in hospital, but hoping soon to be discharged.

Belper News, 20 August 1915
Private William Fox, son-in-law of Mrs Throssell, Upper Hartshay, and son of Mr W Fox, Bull Bridge, Ambergate, is to rejoin his regiment at the Front (the 3rd Sherwood Foresters) next week. Private W Fox has seen service in India, was out at the Front and in several engagements. He was severely wounded and in hospital at Exeter for sometime. Some short time ago he was married at Pentrich to Miss Throssell, Upper Hartshay. He has been stationed for some weeks in Sunderland.

Belper News, 10 September 1915
Private W Fox, Jr, Sherwood Foresters of Bull Bridge, Ambergate and Upper Hartshay, who was wounded at Neuve Chapelle and was for a time at the Magdalene Hospital, Exeter, and then in this district, arrived in the Dardanelles last Friday. On his way out Private W Fox came across some wounded soldiers coming to England, and with one of these he sent a brief message to his wife, Mrs W Fox to receive this short letter, went to Derby and there waited many hours. Private W Fox is the son of Mr W Fox, Bull Bridge, Ambergate and in his youth was much in the district of Over Heage. He has seen service in India.

Belper News, 11 February 1916
No news has been received for eleven weeks of Private W Throssell and Private W. Fox, Upper Hartshay, are naturally much concerned Foresters. The last that was heard from them was a Field Service Postcard, saying a letter would follow and also intimating that they were on the move. The letter so far has failed to arrive. Private W Fox is the son of Mr W Fox, Bulls Bridge, and was severely wounded on the Western Front. While here he was married to Miss Throssell, of Upper Hartshay, and was then sent out East, where he actually met his brother-in-law, who had gone some months previously to the East. Since the meeting Private Fox and Private Throssell have been comrades in arms together. Mrs Philip Throssell and her daughter, Mrs W Fox who reside together at Upper Hartshay, are naturally much concerned at the long absence of news. The last they heard was to the effect that both were in good health and spirits.

Derbyshire Courier, 25 March 1916
News has been received at Bull Bridge, Ambergate, that Private W Fox Sherwood Foresters, 33rd Brigade, B M E F, has been wounded in the leg and has recovered. In a letter to his sister he says he's made up his mind to earn his fortune in Australia after the war. He has been offered a position on a cattle ranch, had promised the man who made him the offer that he will work with him directly the war is over. This is the second time Private Fox has been wounded. The first occasion was at Neuve Chapelle last year. He was in hospital at Exeter, and during his convalescence an operation was performed. He was married to Miss Throssell, Upper Hartshay, Ripley, upon rejoining his regiment he went east. He formerly worked at Hartshay Colliery.

The Courier, Saturday, 3 July 1915
FOX-THROSSELL
william FoxPrivate William Fox, 1st Sherwood Foresters, a convalescent soldier who had been wounded at Neuvre Chalelle, was married on Monday at Pentrich church to miss Alice Throssell, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs Philip Throssell, of Upper Hartsay, Ripey. The bridegroom who is the youngest son of Mr and Mrs William Fox of Bullbridge, Ambergate, fought in France seven months before he was wounded. He was afterwards taken to the Base Hospital and then to Exeter Hospital. He served three years in India. Married on Monday he went to Derby barracks on Tuesday and expects shortly to be sent back in the fighting line.
Alice Throssell

The bride who was in a white military dress with a white hat had an Indian rupee the gift of the bridegroom and she wore the badge of the Notts and Derby Regiment. Her bouquet was of lilies and roses. She was given away by her sister. The bridesmaids were Miss Ellen Throssell sister of the bride and Miss Sarah Straw. They were in brown with white Panama hats. The ceremony was performed by the Rev A Wright. A Reception was held at the bride's home, Upper Hartshay.

Connaught Rangers Service Record
Reg No. 7143627; Fox William
Attested 2-10-11; age 19yr 10mo at Derby
Transfer to/from 3rd Sherwood Foresters 16-3-17 No116684 ; collier
Embodied 9-4-21 to 5-6-21; Bullbridge, Crich, Derbyshire
Wife & child: Annie Throssell, Mary Ellen
Place of marriage and birth of each child: Pentrich , Belper
Marriage date and child birth: 28-6-15, 22-3-16
Campaigns, wounds, medals: BEF 1914-15-16; W in A 11-3-15; Med Exp Force 1915-16; EEF 1918; Messop 1917-18; 1914 Star, Victory and British War Medals
Place of discharge: 11-6-21, Cork, Sec B A Res, Pte; 1-10-23 Warwick, Termin of Engagt, Pte, Good; Upper Hartsay, Nr Belper, Derbyshire; Reg No 11307

Medal Index Record
William was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.
He disembarked 4/11/14

1st Btn Notts & Derbyshire –1914 Star
11684 Private Fox William, embarked 4-11-14 ; 11307 Private Connaught Rangers

The Sherwood Foresters Roll
William Fox enlisted with the TA on 1 June 1924 when aged 32 years 7 months. He was a miner by trade who had previously served with the Sherwood Foresters and Conaught Rangers for a total of twelve years. He married Annie Throsell in Pentrich 28 June 1924 and had daughters Mary Ellen born 22 March 1919 and Annie born 25 March 1920; both born at Upper Hartsay.

His brother Francis Fox is also on the Roll of Honour.

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Buckland Hollow

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
James Redfern Head 41 Colliery banksman Heage
Mary A Redfern wife 40   Belper
Annie M Barber adopt.daughter 15 Spinner cotton mill Heage
William Fox adopt.son 8   Ambergate
Kate M Redfern adopt.daughter 1   Derby

RG13 piece 3230 folio 100 page 22

1911: Upper Hartshay

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Mary Ann Throssell Head (wdw) 46   Derby
William Throssell son 17 Miner daitler Chesterfield
Annie Throssell daughter 15 Mill hand cotton factory Sheepbridge
Ellen Throssell daughter 11 School Chesterfield
John Throssell son 9 School Lincoln
Eliza Throssell daughter 6 School Lincoln
Mercy Throssell daughter 3   Belper
William Fox boarder 18 Miner puller off Bullbridge

RG14PN20977 RG78PN1251 RD436 SD4 ED6 SN14