Current Information:

Born-Tottenham

Berles-au-Bois Churchyard, France

On 1st May, 1916, 10th Royal Fusiliers of 111 Brigade, 37th Division, moved into the front line at Berles-au-Bois,  just to the south of Arras. At 2.35am on 4th May, the enemy opened up an intense bombardment of their trenches. The men readied themselves for a follow up infantry attack, which the battalion diary claims that they awaited eagerly so as to get to grips with the enemy. Scaling ladders were seen being placed in position but the attack never materialised, maybe because of the concentrated fire of the British artillery on the German front line trenches and no-man’s land or maybe they never intended to send in the infantry. By daybreak things were back to normal but there had been a price to pay. 10th Royal Fusiliers had sustained nearly 60 casualties during the bombardment. 5 men had been killed, on of whom was Frederick Bowden.