Current Information:

Age-34

63, Loanda Street, Haggerston

Crucifix Corner Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, France

When the German offensive started on 21st March 175th Brigade,  58th Division were on the extreme right of the Fifth Army, south of the River Oise and although subjected to some heavy artillery fire, they were not attacked. Despite this, the brigade, which included the  2/10th London battalion began a steady retreat as the enemy kept up their pressure and pushed the British front back across the old Somme battlefield until by 6th April, they had arrived at Longeau, just to the east of Amiens. On 18th April the battalion marched to the village of Gentelles which was now part of the front line and where they came under shell fire for the next two days until 20th April when they moved back into support positions in a sunken road.

Here they became the counter-attack battalion and they were brought into action in this capacity on 24th April when after a fierce artillery bombardment of the British positions at 4am the enemy attacked two hours later. 173 Brigade held the front line and when they began losing ground on the left, one company of 2/10th London was sent to form a defensive flank. Two other of the battalion’s companies then counter attacked but were met by heavy machine-gun fire from Hangard Wood and went  to ground after two hundred yards. Positions were consolidated as best as they could be and 2/10th London remained in these forward positions until relieved following evening. Among their casualties over this two day period was George Grout who was killed on 24th April.