Current Information:

Age-19

54, Brayards Road, Peckham

From 22nd October through to 10th November, the 1st Rifle Brigade battalion of 11 Brigade, 4th Division were holding the line at Le Touquet while the rest of the Brigade was in trenches at nearby Ploegsteert Wood. On 7th November the enemy made a strong attack in the early morning mist against 4th Division, sending in eight battalions against 11 Brigade. At Le Touquet, 1st Rifle Brigade were heavily shelled, and at 3.30pm there was a strong infantry attack on their positions after the Germans had sapped quite close.  The fierce fighting continued on the following day when the Germans made a determined effort to tunnel beneath the wire in front of British line, immediately east of the railway. The battalion remained in these trenches until relieved on 10th November, not in time to save James Sullivan who was killed on 9th November.