Maurice Limb DCM

Second Lieutenant

Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys Regiment)
1631 & 240192 & 17502 1/6th Battalion

Photo Lea Mills postcard

Maurice Limb in w1

Notes
Maurice joined the Sherwood Foresters in 1912 as a Private and left in 1919 as Second Lieutenant M. Limb DCM.

He joined the Territorial Army for four years in 1912 as a private in the 6th Serwood Forester. After a recruitment meeting at Lea Mills he enlisted immediately and joined the forces on 4 August 1914. He rose though the ranks to become an officer and became one of the most distinguished Lea Mills solders leaving with the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM).

Medal Card Index
He was awarded the Victory, British War and 15 Star Medals
He entered France 28/02/15
Disemb. 18/03/19

Army Service Record
Territorial Force for 4 years service, dated 02/04/1912, for the 6th Notts & Derby (Sherwood Foresters) Regt. No 1631. He was aged 20, a mechanic at Lea Mills. He was born at Holloway and was living at Woodlands Terrace, Matlock Bath. Height 5ft 5½in. Mother Sylvia Limb, Woodland Terrace, Matlock Bath
02/04/12 to 27/02/15 Home
28/02/15 France
13/02/18 to 27/02/18 Home
28/02/18 to 06/07/18 France
07/07/18 to 21/07/18 Home
02/06/15 Promoted Cororal in the field
06/08/15 Adm. Neuralgia in the field
12/08/15 Rejoined the Batallion
27/11/15 Promoted acting Sergeant for good service in the field
25/11/15 Awarded Distinguished Service Medal for conspicuous good service on 25th November 1915 (extract supplement to London Gazette 22/1/16)
For conspicuous good service on 25th November 1915 Lance Sergeant Limb and Lance Corporal Rust each led a patrol to inspect the German wire opposite the Boar's Head, Nr Neuve Chapelle and brought back useful information upon which a plan of attack was founded. On the night of the bombing attack they behaved with great gallantry and coolness.
30/12/15 Posted to CQM sergeant
01/04/17 Continues to serve under Military Service Act (Session 2) 1918
07/06/17 bounty note of £15 for Sgt Limb M. 240192 of 1/6th Notts & Derby
17/07/18 DCM certificate
12/07/18 Transferred to England (temporary Commission)
28/09/18 Posted to No 15 Officers Cadet Rippon
10/02/19 Dispersal Certificate for Cadet Maurice Limb 240192, Fairview Terrace, Matlock Bath, unmarried, served in Eastern Theatre of War with 1/6 Notts & Derby; an engineer. Reason for early release S.D.3.C/157
18/03/19 Demobbed
29/12/21 Medals 1914-15 Star sent to 2nd Lieutenant Maurice Limb Notts & Derby Reg No 1631

Supplement to London Gazette, 22 January 1916 (959)
1631 Lance-Sergeant M. Limb 1/6th Batallion Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, T.F.
For conspicuous good service on 25th November 1915 Lance-Sergeant Limb and Lance-Corporal Rust each led a patrol to inspect the German wire opposite the Boar's Head, Nr Neuve Chapelle and brought back useful information upon which a plan of attack was founded. On the night of the bombing attack they behaved with great gallantry and coolness.

Supplement to London Gazette, 16 April 1919 (5006)
Notts & Derby R
18 Mar 1919
Maurice Limb DCM

In June 1915 Maurice was mentioned in a letter from fellow Lea Mills soldier, John Oxbridge, printed in the Belper News:

Belper News, 18 June 1915
TERRITORIALS LIFE IN THE TRENCHES
An interesting letter from Private J Oxspring, of Bolehill, near Wirksworth, and also previous to the war and employee at Lea Mills, has been received by a gentleman of Dethick, Lea and Holloway. Private Oxspring was a member of the Wirksworth and Matlock Territorials, 6th Notts and Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters), who together with Private Stanley Wykes, of Lea Bridge, and Private Maurice Limb, of Matlock Bath, were also employees at Lea Mills, and belonged to the Territorial Force. The following are extracts from the letter: – "I do not know whether Wykes or Limb have written. We are all three in the same company, but in different platoons. We have been in and out of the trenches now for about six weeks, and I think we keep steadily decreasing the German population, but they must have had a terrible lot of men to start with. I expect they thought of being across the English Channel long enough before now, and I think they've had the biggest surprise of their lives. We came out here on 26 February, and have never been out of earshot of the guns since the first day we arrived. I shall be glad when the noise of the old wheels of the mill will take place the roar of the guns. We have a short period in the trenches, which is rather monotonous, then we have the same period out which they term as our rest; we call it worse than being in the trenches – we have to do all sorts of fatigues, which is all done during the night time, and sometimes the Germans are making rather hot for us. You should see us drop-down when they send their Magnetian flares up, the Venetian fete at Matlock is nowhere in it. We have been at one place in the trenches where we were only 25 yards away, and it was woe betide anyone that put their heads up above the parapet in the daytime; in fact we received orders not to do. They used to give us rather a hot time at night, with their hand grenades and trench mortars, which we had to keep a strict look out for; they are nearly as strong as some of their shells. It was nearly impossible for them to shell us there for fear of dropping them on their own trenches; that is the reason they used grenades; they contain rusty nails and all sorts of things that will injure you. As we go to and from the trenches we pass through a village which seems to have been a pretty place before the war, but now it is only a mass of ruins; about the only thing that is left erect is a bandstand, which stands on the green. The people in England have a lot to be thankful for as they have no Germans, for it is heart rendering to see people of about 70 years of age flee from their homes with what household effects they can carry, some of the old ones having to be wheeled barrows and children following on behind crying. Some of them lost their parents only a few hours before. You would hardly realise there was a war going on sometimes, especially in the daytime, but soon as it becomes dark the fun begins. Sometimes they send as a shell or two we call "coal boxes". If they drop near the trench it shakes us up an inch or two off the ground. They have got one special time for sending them about 3 to 5 in the afternoon. That is the time we realise warfare when they are flying. We are about a 150 yards away from the Germans where we are now. I have two more brothers wearing khaki uniforms, one in France the other England.

High Peak News 23 October 1915
HOME FROM THE FRONT
SERGT. LIMB

A warrior from the French lines carrying German souvenirs, landed home again on choose the morning. This was Sgt Maurice Limb, of Woodland Terrace. He is as "fit as a fiddle" and tells us the good news of the Great Battle for Loos and Lens which the British so nobly won.
Sergt Limb says he has seven days leave, and he is with the Matlock boys at the Front, and we all, he says, went through the Big Battle. "Every man did well, and stood his ground" – not a flinch, he added.
"All the Matlock boys were in the next trench to the one in which Lieutenant Dickinson was blown up, and we were all terribly cut up to hear about it. He was one of the best officers we had got."
Sergt Limb brought home coins of the country, German nose caps of shells and anti-aircraft, known as whizz-bang, and the anti-air-craft shells.
"Everyone is well cared for at the Front" added the Sergeant, and "we only wish more of the boys would come to the front. If they could only see how the Germans treat us at the front none of the young men in England would stay at home."
We asked Sergt Limb to convey Matlock and Matlock Bath's pride in the lads now fighting so bravely

High Peak News 6th November 1915
A UNIQUE PHOTOGRAPH

newpaper photo of Maurice Limb Ww1

This photograph is particularly interesting from the fact that it was taken behind the firing line in France, and represents Sergeant Chas. Wolley (standing on the left), Sergeant Whittington Clas (on the right) and (sitting) Sergeant Limb.

Derbyshire Courier 18 December 1915
MATLOCK BATH N.C.O. WINS THE D.C.M.
Reward of Courage and Efficiency

Sergeant Maurice Limb of Matlock Bath has been awarded the DCM for his courage and efficiency in carrying out a difficult operation.

newpaper photo of Maurice Limb WW1

SERGEANT M LIMB D.C.M.
After a heavy day's shelling by the enemy he crept at night into the German trenches to see what they had done and returned with observations for the making of plans. In these he helpred his officers so that they were able to arrange a highly sucessful night attack in which not a man of ours was lost.
Further the undermining movementsof the enemy were completely frustrated.
Sergeant Limb, who is the son of Mrs Limb of Masson Terrace, has come unscathed through the battles of Loos, Ypres, Hooge and other engagements

High Peak News 29th January 1916
MATLOCK BATH
LOCAL WAR HONOUR
Sergt. Limb's Brave Deed
Distinguished Conduct Medal

newpaper photo of Maurice Limb Ww1

This photograph is given as a unique record, it having been taken at the Front. Sergt. Chas. Woolley and Sergt. Whittington are the comrades of the distinguished Sergt Limb (sitting).
His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to the undermentioned for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty while serving with the Expeditionary Forces in France and Flanders.
1631 Lance-Sergeant M.Limb, 1/6th Battalion Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, T.F. For conspicuous good service on November 25th 1915, Lance-Sergeant Limb and Lance- Corporal Rust each lead a patrol to inspect the German wire opposite the Boar's Head near Neuve Chapelle, and bought back useful information on which a plan of attack was founded. On the night of the bombing attack they behaved with great gallantry and coolness.
We announced the above distinction, exclusively, at the time as the news reached his relatives in Matlock Bath, on the award of the usual notice from the C.O.of Sergeant Limb's Battalion.
Sergeant Limb was over on leave a few months ago, and he is one of the cheeriest of our soldiers, absolutely without fear and full of zeal for King and Country.
Matlock Bath is extremely proud of him

Derbyshire Courier, 10 August 1918
After serving with the local Territorials in France since February 1915, Sergeant Maurice Limb DCM Sherwood Foresters, sone of Mrs Sylvia Limb, Matlock Bath, has been selected tp train for a commission. Sergeant Limb who is well known in the Holloway and Wirksworth districts as a cricketer and footballer is a nephew of Mr G H Key chairman of Matlock Bath Urban Council


Letters to JB Marsden-Smedley

Sgt. M.Limb 1621
129 Bde H.Q., 46th Division, B. E. F.
Nov. 7/11/16
Dear Sir,
Received your kind parcel letter safe, thanks muchly for same, the parcel was in very good condition, the contents muchly enjoyed. Regards clothing, it is very good of you to make the splendid offer to me, the weather has changed very much, colder & wet, the underclothing would be a great help to me. It is a year ago this month since I won my D.C.M. hard luck not getting home to receive my medal yet. The Hun is still hanging on, but his chance of victory I hope are all gone by pushing on all sides, is bound to find the weak places, which he must certainly have a lot.
Hope everything is going strong at the Mills. Hope you will excuse short letter, as I am very busy. Again thanking you for the kind parcel
Your Obedient Servant
Maurice Limb

Sgt. M. Limb 1621
129th Inf. Bde H.Q., 46th  Division, B.E.F.
29/12/16
Dear Sir,
Received both parcels safe, thanks muchly for same. The eatables were in good condition, & very enjoyable, the clothing was just the thing I was waiting for, as the weather has changed, cold & wet.
I expect coming on leave very shortly, hope to get my D.C.  medal, while I am at home, I think it is about time, as I have had since Nov 1915
With your permission Sir, I shall have a look around the Mills
The War has seen the third xmas, I wonder how many more, it will be a good thing when it is all over, & everyone returns to his respective home, still we must not grumble, everybody has to do his bit, we must win at all costs, not so much for ourselves, but for the next generation.
I hope you will excuse the short letter, as we are so busy at present.
Wishing you a bright & happy New Year
Allow to remain
Your obedient Servant
Maurice Limb

Sgt. M. Limb
139 Inf. Bde  ?? unclear, 46th Division, B E F
3/9/17
Dear Sir,
Received your kind parcel safe and all in splendid condition, muchly enjoyed, thanks muchly for same.
I see in the Daily papers we are still making progress at different points on the Western Front, still I am very doubtful of the Wicked War finishing this year.
England did not want War, Germany took advantage, trying to bluff England, it is up to us to win, & secure an honourable peace, so all that remains can return to their respective homes, rest in peace, of course we are all aware, what would happen, if Germany should win, at the same time, we have nothing to spare, & we'll all be out to secure a “Well Earned Victory"
Wishing you every success
Again thanking for the splendid parcel
allow me to remain
Your Obedient Servant
Maurice Limb Sergt.

26-12-17
France
Sir,
Received Parcel safe on the 24th thanks muchly for same. Just the thing the Tommy requires for this cold weather.
The Compliments of the Season.
Yours
M.Limb Sgt.

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Steeple Grange Wirksworth

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Robert Limb Head 36 Foreman stone mason Holloway
Sylvia Limb wife 34   Ridgeway
Albert Limb son 12   Holloway
Florence Limb daughter 11   Holloway
Maurace Limb son 9   Holloway
Anne Limb daughter 7   Holloway
Edith A Limb daughter 4   Holloway
Doris S Limb daughter 1   Wirksworth

RG13 piece 3234 folio 71 page 14

1911: Holloway

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
Sylvia Limb Head (wdw) 43   Heage
Florence Limb daughter 21 Hosiery seamer Holloway
Maurice Limb son 19 Asistant engineer hosiery factory Holloway
Anne Limb daughter 17 Hosiery machinist Holloway
Edith Alice Limb daughter 14 Errand girl hosiery works Holloway
Doris Sylvia Limb daughter 11 School Holloway
Alec Lister Lock boarder 41 Dental operator Ipswich

RG14PN21012 RG78PN1253 RD436 SD6 ED10 SN156