Current Information:

Age-22

5, Angle Street, Leytonstone

Merville Communal Cemetery, France

Action of Pietre

With the aim of diverting German troops away from Loos when the British attack went in there on 25th September 1915, there was an attack by the Meerut Division of the India Corps along a 1500 yard front against the German salient west of the Moulin du Pietre with the possible objective of gaining a foothold on the Aubers ridge in which case the Lahore Division  would attack through the Bois du Biez.  As at Loos, gas and smoke were used but this handicapped the attackers more than the defenders, especially when German shells destroyed some of the cylinders.  Zero was at 6am and on the right, 2/3rd Gurkha Rifles and 2nd Leicestershire of Garhwal Brigade stormed forward. However, very little artillery ammunition had been made available for the diversionary attacks and here the German wire was still largely intact.  This resulted in severe losses for these two battalions who got no further than the dykes in front of the German line.  By evening they were back in their own line where they stayed, still under fire, until relieved.