Another Rugeley Recruit arrives in France

On the 22^nd June 1915, James Fisher, aged 27, of the 1/6^th North Staffordshire Regiment arrived in France.

James Fisher 1/6th North Staffords

James Fisher was born in 1887 in Rugeley, Staffordshire. The eldest of ten children, in 1911 he was living with his parents James and Mary Anne Fisher (nee Glaze) and his 5 brothers, Albert, John, George, William and Frederick and 4 sisters, Eliza, Sarah, Elsie and Harriet at 40 Brereton Road, Rugeley. James along with his brother Albert and father were working as coal miners.

James had married Harriet Hollins (my 2^nd cousin twice removed) the daughter of William and Sarah Ann Hollins (nee Wood) between January and March 1914 and their son also called James was born later on in 1914. 

In 1911 the Hollins family was living at 64 Queen Street, Rugeley. Harriet was seven years older than James and in 1911 was working as a Tin Box Grainer. Her father William was a labourer in the local Phoenix Tanyard.

His brother Albert had been discharged from the 1/6th North Staffords on the 18th January 1915 

The 1/6^th North Staffords, since arriving in France in March 1915, had settled into a rotational routine of 4 to 5 days in the trenches followed by 4 to 5 days resting in camp before returning back to the front lines. Each period in the trenches had seen the regiment suffer casualties, it’s recent tour had been no different on the 19^th June the 1/6^th lost one officer Killed and one wounded, 3 other ranks killed, one died of wounds and five more wounded. 

On the 22^nd June the 1/6^th North Staffords were at “Aldershot” Camp, with showery weather. On the 25^th June the battalion marched with the rest of the brigade to Hutments One mile North East of Ouderdom, Belguim.