Sergeant
Donald Arthur POOLE
Infantry
Died: 21st March 1918 - Age: 34

Commemorated:

1. Grave:H.A.C. Cemetery Ecoust-St. MeinVIII.A.24
2. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.132
3. Memorial:The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour1D GQS
    

Awards & Titles:

 

Early Life :

Son of Maj. Arthur Poole, T.D. and Emily Poole, of 16, Market Place, Carrington, Nottingham.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: 2/7 Sherwood Foresters 

2/7th (Robin Hood) Battalion Formed at Nottingham on 19 September 1914 as a second line unit. Moved to Luton in January 1915 and placed under command of 2nd Notts. & Derby Brigade in the 2nd North Midland Division. August 1915 : formation became the 176th Brigade, 59th (2nd North Midland) Division. Moved to Watford. Moved to Ireland in April 1916 to quell disturbances. Moved in January 1917 to Fovant and landed at Le Havre 26 February 1917. Absorbed by 1/7th Bn on 6 February 1918.

Action : The First Battles of the Somme 1918 and associated actions 

21 March - 4 July 1918. The Battles of the Somme in 1918 were mostly concerned with stemming the German advance which started in March 1918 and which made considerable gains in the Somme/Arras sector. Utilising surplus troops which had become available following the surrender of Russia after the October Revolution, the Germans gambled on a massive campaign that could win the war in the west before the USA could bring its resources to bear. Initial gains were in places spectacular but eventually dogged resistance coupled with supply problems and sheer exhaustion closed down the battle. Other attacks were launched along the front to probe the Allied defences but the same pattern of initial gains followed by stalemate prevailed. British casualties were almost 345,000.

Detail :

John Cotterill: Sgt Donald Arthur POOLE (267427) 2/7th Bn (Robin Hood Rifles) KIA 21/3/18. Although listed as a 2/7th Bn man, by this time both 1/7th and 2/7th had been amalgamated and POOLE died in the ranks of the 7th Sherwood Foresters (Robin Hood Rifles) on 21 March 1918 in the Kaisers Spring Offensive. The Bn, in 178 Bde of 59 Div, put up a tremendous fight on that day and, as a result had more men KIA (171) than any other Bn in the British Army. When one takes WIA into account there can have been very few men who were taken prisoner un-injured. Robin Hood casualties (KIA, WIA and MIA) on 21 March 1918 totalled 26 Offrs and 629 ORs ? which was their complete trench strength. POOLE was a 34 year old Sgt following a TF family tradition as his father was Maj Arthur POOLE TD from Nottingham. He had been Capt and QM of the Robin Hood Rifles in 1900. Sgt POOLE was in the Sgts Mess Football team defeated by the Offrs Mess team at Mazingarbe on 26 Sept 1917.

The notice of his death appeared in the Nottingham Evening Post 7th December, 1918: "POOLE Killed in action March 21st, 1918. Sgt D.A. Poole, D. Co., 1/7th Sherwood Foresters (Robin Hoods), aged 34.

He is also commemorated at the family headstone in Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery: "In memory of our beloved son, Sergt DA Poole, 1/7th Sherwood Foresters R.H.s, fell in France, March 21st 1918 in his 34th year. ‘Not too much we’ll sorrow - for it’s both ‘Adieu’ and ‘Au revoir'"

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : Newstead No. 47 E.C.Nottinghamshire

Initiated
Passed
Raised
6th October 1908
12th January 1909
13th February 1909
 

Listed as a 25 year old Confectioner and residence is written as the Masonic Hall, Nottingham in 1908 when initiated into Newstead Lodge No. 47. War service is shown in his line on the contribution record, which is closed with the comment: "Killed in Action March 1918."

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2021-01-02 05:34:56