Current Information:

Served as ROWE  

75, Great Eastern Buildings, Quaker Street, Whitechapel

On 15th December, 1914, 2nd Warwickshire of 22 Brigade, 7th Division, moved into the front line trenches near Fleurbaix in France. At 4.30pm on 18th December they attacked the German trenches just to the east of La Boutillerie. This was preceded by  a heavy artillery barrage which did little damage to the enemy positions but wounded a few of 2nd Warwickshire and let the enemy know that an attack was imminent When they left their trenches they met heavy rifle and machine-gun fire and failed to reach their objective. The next day, shortly after daylight,  the enemy came out and started examining the dead and allowed parties of 2nd Warwickshire and 2nd Queens to collect identity discs from the dead and carry the wounded into the German trenches, but this armistice did not last long before firing started again. 2nd Warwickshire sustained over 300 casualties in this failed attack, one of whom was William Brookes, whose death, like many others who were killed in this attack was recorded as 19th December.