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Age-19

58, Fielding Road, Bedford Park, Chiswick/Born-Fulham

The Battle of Loos, fought by the British Army from 25^th September, 1915 through to 13^th October, was conducted along a six-and-a-half-mile front running north from the mining village of Loos on the outskirts of Lens in Northern France. It was the largest offensive carried out by the British so far in the war. The opening day involved an attack by six divisions, with others entering the fray as it progressed and it was part of a much wider offensive with the French launching their own attacks in Champagne and at Vimy. It was the first time that the British used gas during the war, despite their condemnation of the Germans for doing the same in April 1915. There were some encouraging results on the first day but no major breakthrough was achieved and in the successive days the offensive became mired in trench warfare. By mid-October the battle had petered out with the British having suffered over 60,000 casualties during its course.

At 6.30am on 25^th September, 1915, 9^th (Scottish) Division, in action for the first time, attacked towards the village of Auchy. But in order to capture that village they would first have to overcome a formidable German stronghold, the Hohenzollern Redoubt, a large enclosed entrenchment wired all round in front of their original line (Fosse and Dump Trenches) and connected to them by two trenches ‘Big Willie’ & ‘Little Willie’. Behind the Hohenzollern Redoubt lay the miner’s cottages, the Corons and the pithead itself. Next to this was the Dump, a large 20 feet high slag heap,  a dominant vantage point. The Redoubt was attacked by 7^th Seaforth Highlanders and 5^th Cameron Highlanders of 26 Brigade. They could be distinguished by their hats.  Diced glengarries and dark blue glengarries respectively.  This attack was remarkably successful given the strength of the defences.  There had been an effective bombardment by two 9.2” howitzers and no-man’s land was not very wide. At first their attack was hindered by lingering smoke and gas but in compensation this allowed them to line up behind it and then advance through the smoke screen.  Emerging from it 7^th Seaforth Highlanders met heavy fire and suffered many casualties but the wire had been well cut and the front face of the Redoubt was soon taken. They pressed on and reached Fosse Trench by 7am from where they continued the advance towards the Corons and the mine buildings of Fosse 8.  The Germans here and in the Dump soon retired towards Auchy.  At 7.30am, 7^th Seaforth Highlanders were lining Corons Trench where they had halted to reorganise.  5^th Cameron Highlanders delayed their assault for 10 minutes hoping the wind would carry the gas and smoke away but it did not so they advanced through it receiving heavy fire from  a strongpoint on their left, Madagascar point.  However the wire was well cut here too enabling them to occupy ‘Little Willie’, and by 7.45am  they had joined 7^th Seaforth Highlanders in Corons Trench. Here both battalions were gradually by 8^th Black Watch who themselves had lost heavily from machine gun fire from Madagascar on the way up.  Just to the north of 9^th Division the attack by 2^nd Division had failed so the alternative scheme was enacted whereby 7^th Seaforth Highlanders and 5^th Cameron Highlanders converted Corons Trench into a fire trench, forming a defensive flank facing north-east.  Unfortunately the Germans had flooded Corons Trench before retiring and it was knee deep.   They also suffered from continuous machine gun and rifle fire from the communication trenches facing Fosse 8.  By 10.30am  some 550 men from these three battalions plus some Royal Engineers had consolidated the position.