Current Information:

Born-New Beckton

New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium

Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge (24th-25th May, 1915)

On 22nd April, 1915 the Germans launched a major assault on the the Ypres salient when they used gas as a weapon for the first time. After a series of battles, the line held by the British at the start of the last week in May 1915 stretched for 5 ½ miles around much of the significantly reduced Ypres salient from Hill 60 round to the junction with the French at Turco Farm in the north-east and was held from right to left by 83 Brigade, 28th Division, 1st Cavalry Division (1 & 2 Cavalry Brigades astride the Menin Road), 85 Brigade, 28th Division (across the railway and the Zonnebeke road) and then 10 Brigade, 4th Division covering Wieltje and up to Mouse Trap Farm with 12 Brigade beyond.  At 2.45am on 24th May, the Germans opened upon this front a tremendous artillery bombardment followed up by the release of gas in greater quantities than had been seen before with dense gas clouds rising to 40 feet. In some places no-man’s land was very narrow and the defenders had little or no time in which to don their gas masks. The centre of the line held firm but at the two extremities, Mouse Trap farm in the north and Bellewaarde Lake in the south, the enemy broke through. Reserves were called up but despite some hard fighting the losses were not made good and the salient around Ypres was further reduced.

On 22nd May, 1915, the 2nd Essex battalion of 12 Brigade, 4th Division, left their billets in Vlamertinghe and moved to trenches near Wieltje. When the German attack began on 24th May, 2nd Essex along 1st Royal Lancaster faced the full force of the assault and when, on their right, Shell Trap, or Mouse Trap Farm was captured by the enemy the pressure on them grew stronger so that by late afternoon both battalions were withdrawn to trenches behind the canal bank. One of those who did not make it back was Ernest Philbey of 2nd Essex who was killed.