A serviceman from Nether Alderley is included in a book produced in Peterborough to highlight the city's importance as a railway hub during World War 1.
Peterborough Archives Service has embarked on an exciting three year project to bring to life two visitors' books from the tea stall run by the Women's United Total Abstinence Council on Peterborough East Railway Station during 1916 and 1917.
Servicemen travelling through Peterborough on their way to and from the front wrote messages, poems or drew pictures to express their gratitude to the ladies serving them tea and cake.
These slim volumes provide a unique insight into the servicemen who came from across the country and were passing through Peterborough during two years of the Great War.
The books have been digitised and transcribed and the volunteers are now in the process of researching the servicemen's stories. It has been discovered that one of these servicemen came from Nether Alderley and appears on the WW1 memorial in St. Mary's Church.
Herbert Potts was born in Nether Alderley in 1897 and he enlisted with the 9th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. His service records have not been found but he passed through Peterborough East Station on 20th July 1916, and signed the visitors book as 'sergeant'.
Jenny Youatt, archivist at St.Marys Church, said "It would appear he may have been an acting sergeant. On 21st March 1918, the Battle of St Quentin began with a Germans offensive, pounding the British troops with heavy artillery fire and shells for over five hours, the British responding with artillery fire of their own. The firing stopped overnight. The morning brought thick fog but, when it cleared, the Germans resumed their offensive. Herbert Potts was fatally injured in this onslaught and died of his wounds on 22nd March 1918.
Herbert is buried at Roye New British Cemetery, Picardie, France. He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals.
Jenny added "Herbert's father Edward and step mother Alice ran the village shop in Nether Alderley. Edward was very closely involved with the church and was presented with a beautiful inkwell in the shape of a bell in appreciation of his 50 years as a bellringer."
St.Mary's Church in Nether Alderley is holding a Family History Weekend with a local World War 1 display on Saturday 17th September from 10.30am to 5pm and Sunday 18th September from 11.30am to 5.00pm.
Above is Herbert Potts' entry in the Peterborough visitor book, together with his comrade, Cpl. Thomstone (above).
