Current Information:

Age-25

 59, Replingham Road, Southfields

16, Wetherden Street, Leyton

20th Division were not in the front line on 21st March, 1918 when the Germans launched their Spring offensive on the Somme, but they were soon involved in the fighting. They were in reserve in the southern part of the line, to the south-west of St Quentin and on 22nd March, after the enemy broke through and were nearing the Canal de la Somme, the 7th Cornwall battalion of 61 Brigade, moved to the village of Ollezy and dug in. Here, along with 12th Kings and 7th Somerset, also of 61 Brigade, they dug in and held the Germans up on the canal for several hours. But the pressure was relentless and over the next week 20th Division and the rest of Fifth Army were pushed back across the old Somme battlefields of 1916 almost to the gates of Amiens. On 23rd March the battalion’s right gave way and they fell back to the railway embankment, south of Ollezy. At 11am on the next day, 24th March they withdrew to a position between Cugny and Eaucourt, having to fight a hard rear guard action while doing so. After just a short interval, there was another retirement and another rear guard action to a sunken road north-east of Villeselve. Here they were attacked in force during which their Commanding Officer was killed. In danger of being cut off they withdrew along the Villeselve-Berlancourt road and took up a position south  of Guiscard, behind French troops. On 25th March both the French and the sorely depleted numbers of 7th Cornwall were attacked and another withdrawal took place. By now the battalion had been split into many groups some of which were collected at Ecuvilly and taken to Cremery where a position was taken up in front of Liancourt. Things did not improve on the next day when there was a further withdrawal to Fresnoy-les-Roye and then back to Le Quesnoy with 7th Cornwall acting as right flank guard. Here they were involved in another fight as the enemy followed close behind and attacked the village forcing a further withdrawal that evening towards Beaufort. Some respite came their way on 27th March but on the next day they were on the move again, this time to a wood south of Demum and then to a position behind Meziers. Here, on 29th March, they were attacked and driven from these positions. A counter attack failed and they withdrew to a position south-east of Demum and dug in in front of the cross roads. The following day 7th Cornwall joined up with 61 Brigade details in the wood in front of these cross roads a position that was hit by heavy machine-gun and shell fire at 6.30am and as they were now practically surrounded, those who could fell back and took up a position between Hangard and Domart. They remained here on the last day of the month under shell fire until 20th Division was relieved by 14th Division on 1st April and on the following day what was left of 7th Cornwall were taken by bus to Quevauvillers and out of the firing line. In the confusion and chaos of battle, many of their casualties were not recorded until 2nd April when they were no longer involved in the fight and were able to take stock, so it is not known when exactly during that eventful week Frederick Faulkner was killed.