Matlock Bath is in the middle of Derbyshire. It was known as The Bath to distinguish it from its larger neighbour Matlock (which was sometimes referred to by its constituent parts of Matlock Bridge, Matlock Bank and Matlock Green). Togehter all these communities were known as The Matlocks.

In 1911, the combined population of Matlock Bath and the small neighbouring settlement of Scarthin Nick was 1,802.

In many ways, Matlock Bath's experiences during The Great War were similar to those of equally sized towns and villages throughout the county and the rest of the Kingdom, but there were two elements that made it unique. Firstly it was an inland resort for both affluent visitors and day trippers from the surrounding conurbations. Secondly, from the beginning of 1918 it was the home of the Canadian Convalescent Officers' Hospital.

To present a more complete picture of the war, this account also draws on events and experiences of neighbouring communities, as well as looking at the circumstances and places where local men were on active service.

The main witnesses and participants in the story are mostly dead and perhaps it is a story that should have been written decades ago, but it is hoped that the book will lift the curtain to provide a glimpse of what the local men and women had to endure, both on the front line and at home during the horrific war.

It is a vast, if incomplete, canvas with hundreds of participants and facts. I have strived for accuracy but would like to apologize in advance for any omissions or inadvertant errors and would be grateful if readers would kindly point out to me any such transgressions.

No history of this nature can ever be complete and if you have any further relevant information, documents or photographs that you feel should be preserved for posterity, or have any queries about the text, please contact the author here.

Charles Beresford

Matlock Bath

October 2007