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Age-20

SDGW-30/09/15

9 Buckridge Buildings, Bourne Estate, Holborn

The Battle of Loos

This battle, fought by the British Army from 25th September, 1915 through to 13th 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. 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 of the battle it became bogged down in brutal trench warfare. By mid-October the battle had petered out with the British having suffered over 60,000 casualties during its course.

On 25th  September 1915,  7th Division attacked along a 1400 yard front between the Vermelles-Hulluch road and the Hohenzollern Redoubt but not including that stronghold. At 6.30am, 20 Brigade on the right attacked Breslau Trench with 2nd Gordon Highlanders and 8th Devonshire leading and after some hard fighting reached the Lens-Hulluch road. At this stage the two supporting battalions of 20 Brigade, 6th Gordon Highlanders and 2nd Border moved up.  2nd Border went into Gun Trench and Stone Alley and awaited the arrival of 22 Brigade.  9th Devonshire in 20 Brigade reserve moved up from the reserve trenches across to Gun Trench in the open because of the congested state of the trenches and in so doing they suffered heavy losses.

Throughout the following day, 26th  September, 1915,  those still left standing in the ranks of 20 Brigade, including the survivors of 9th Devonshire, hung on in Gun Trench until relieved in the evening by 21 Brigade.