Current Information:

Born-Poplar

On 15th March, 1915, the 1st Devonshire battalion of 14 Brigade, 5th Division, moved into the front line at Wulverghem in Belgium where they remained until relieved on 19th March on which date they went into billets in Neuve Eglise. The enemy often seemed to know when an inter-battalion relief was taking place in the front line opposite them and then did as much as they could to disrupt it. This meant targeting the approach communication trenches with their artillery and keeping up a high level of machine-gun and rifle fire. Reliefs therefore were times of extra danger and many a soldier was killed or wounded during them. This may have been the fate of Joseph Barnes who was killed on 19th March but the battalion diary has no information about this.