Current Information:

10, Twine Court, Shadwell

Mory Abbey Military Cemetery, Mory, France

In December, 1917, 3rd Division were holding the line around Noreuil, to the north-east of Bapaume. On 11th December, 4th Royal Fusiliers of 9 Brigade, 3rd Division, left Mory and moved into the front line in the right sub sector at the same time that 12th West Yorkshire, also of 9 Brigade, took over the left sub sector. The following day a fierce German attack drove 12th West Yorkshire back and resulted  in the loss of Pudsey Support Trench. On 13th December, two platoons from 4th Royal Fusiliers assisted in the attempt to retake Pudsey Trench but their efforts were thwarted when the enemy pre-empted them with their own bombing (grenade) attack. That night two companies of 4th Royal Fusiliers relieved the survivors of 12th West Yorkshire. 14th December was a day of hard fighting for the men of 4th Royal Fusiliers as they battled to hold the front line blocks from some determined German attempts to breach them. By the time they were relieved, the battalion had sustained over fifty casualties. One of these was James Ross who was killed on 14th December.