Private Sam Rhodes
14571 Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derbys) Regiment
6570 Connaught Rangers
Sam Rhodes was born 1890 at Westwood, Notts, son of George Rhodes born Codnor, a coal miner hewer and and his wife Eliza Jane (nee Sharman) Hatton. In 1911 the family was living at New Westwood, Notts, Sam and his siblings George, Lucy and Arthur were all still living at home but eldest brother had already left home. His parents had been married for 25 years at that time and had 5 children of whom all had survived.
Sam enlisted very early on in the war, attesting with the Sherwood Foresters at Nottingham on 2nd September 1914. He was aged 23 years and 10 months at the time and of larger than average height being 5 foot 10 inches tall. He gave his civilian occupation as coal miner.
By 14th July 1915, Sam had been drafted for active service, entering the French Theatre of War. He seemed to go through the entire war, almost unscathed until very late in the war, when in the Autumn of 1918 he sustained a gunshot wound to the right hip in the autumn of 1918. He was admitted to the Royal Hospital at Fazakerley, Liverpool on 7th December 1918 and after 36 days was transferred to the 1st Western General Hospital, Liverpool until 1st March 1919. Due to his injury he was found to be 60% disabled.
In February 1920 Sam married Stella Irene Limb at Westwood, St. Mary’s and his occupation is given as ‘soldier’. It seems that Sam was still deemed to be part of the military until his state of health had been fully assessed.
A medical examination undertaken much later in February 1921 to review his progress records that his sciatic nerve had been affected and that there was some wasting of his calf muscles and also some paresis (weakness) and involuntary movement in his legs. Several scars are mentioned, obviously entry and exit wounds, but are described as ‘well healed’. In December 1921 a further review decided no further treatment was needed Sam was awarded a 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals as well as Silver War Badge No. B/157506.
Sam and Stella went on to have quite a large family:- Lucy, Sam, Stanley, Irene, Eric, twins Ken and Keith, and also a daughter named Eileen.
Sam had a lifelong interest in football and was trainer for Westwood F.C. for many years.
