Current Information:

Born-Willesden

On 20th March, 1915, the 3rd Rifle Brigade of 17 Brigade, 6th Division moved into the front line near Armentières on the French-Belgian border where they remained until relieved on 27th March. Percy Newton died on 22nd March but the battalion diary provides no further information regarding his death. The attrition rate among British soldiers on the Western Front was on average 300 each day and when not involved in an actual battle it was either shell fire or a sniper’s bullet that caused most deaths and injuries.