Current Information:

Age-23

14, Silver Street, Upper Edmonton

Born-Edmonton

Battle of St Julien, 24 April – 4 May 1915

Spurred on by the success of their gas attack on 22nd April, the Germans struck again two days later on the northern sector of the Ypres salient at St. Julien.  Once more chlorine gas was used and despite a resolute defence the British and Canadians were pushed back and St Julien was lost. For nearly 2 weeks the fighting continued on this front. The Germans persisted with their attacks, the British fought desperate rear guard actions and launched many counter attacks but gradually they were pushed further and further back. Eventually, during the night of 3rd & 4th May the British forces were withdrawn from their forward positions and took up a new defensive line closer to Ypres.

4th Division had spent the winter holding the line at Ploegsteert, but on 24th April 1915, they were rushed north to Ypres at short notice, to reinforce the hard pressed defenders facing the German gas attacks there. On 2nd May all three brigades of 4th Division were holding the northern and critical face of the Ypres salient from Berlin Wood to Turco Farm. At noon the enemy opened up a violent artillery bombardment and at 4pm gas shells began falling on the British lines. Half an hour later gas was released on a three mile front across a no-man’s-land that was 100-150 yards wide and in its wake came the inevitable infantry attack. The gas took 2-3 minutes to reach the British line and then 15 minutes to pass over. The 2nd Essex battalion of 12 Brigade were one of the battalions in the line and badly affected by the gas some of them fell back. However, their supports moved up through the gas and recovered the trenches. For the next seven days they remained in forward positions until relieved on 9th May when they moved back to reserve positions at La Brique. Thomas Coxell was killed on 6th May which the battalion diary recorded as being a very quiet day, but obviously not quiet enough for him.