Current Information:

Age-25

5, Harvist Road, Queen's Park

Beacon Cemetery, Sailly-Laurette, France

After having been on the defensive since March 1918, by August of that year the Allies were ready to move to the attack and on 8th August, The Battle of Amiens began, a battle that marked the beginning of what came to be known as the Hundred Day Offensive that culminated in the collapse of the German army and the end of the war. British, Australian and Canadian troops attacked on a wide front that stretched about eighteen miles from Morlancourt, north of the River Somme to the Amiens-Roye road while the French launched their own offensive to the south in the Battle of Montdidier. At 4.20am  on 8th August, aided by early morning mist and backed by 900 guns, 600 tanks and 2000 aircraft the assault was unleashed on the unsuspecting Germans many of whom surrendered straight away. Their resistance stiffened as the day progressed but despite this the Allied forces advanced about 7 miles by nightfall and further, but far less spectacular, gains were made over the next three days until the battle ended on 11th August. Losses had been enormous on both sides. British, Australian and Canadian casualties amounted to 19,000 but the Germans lost 26,000, including 12,000 taken prisoner, an awful blow that prompted Ludendorff, the German supremo, to call it the ‘Black Day’ of the German Army.

III Corps, north of the Somme had the task of protecting the flank of the Australians, keeping pace with their advance and securing the high ground overlooking the passages of the Somme. They attacked from right to left with 58th, 18th and 12th Divisionsbut despite having a more modest role than the Australians and Canadians they were unable to achieve the same measure of progress as them and on the opening day of the battle only managed to reach their first objective. This was due to the difficulty of the ground over which they attacked and the fact that they had all been heavily involved in the earlier battles of 1918 which meant that not only was there a shortage of officers and NCOs but that their ranks were filled with young, inexperienced recruits. To add to their problems, on the night of 7/8th August, before the attack began, this area, north of the Somme was subjected to heavy enemy shelling, including many gas shells, which not only caused casualties but hindered their progress to their starting lines as well.

On 8th August, 1918,174 Brigade of 58th Division attacked Malard Wood and at 8am, despite some determined resistance from the enemy, it was in their hands. The next objective for 58th Division was the Chipilly ridge and 173 Brigade moved up to Malard Wood for this task. The 3rd London and 2/4th London battalions led their attack but as soon as they emerged from the cover of the wood they were met such heavy fire that they were unable to advance and the ridge remained in enemy hands. It is possible that some men did manage to move forward and there were reports that a handful had reached the ridge but that hardly constituted capturing the objective. During the afternoon reserve units renewed the attack but with the same results.

The attack was renewed the following day, 9th August, at 5.30pm and the task given to 173 Brigade was to cover the right of the front,  cross the ridge and  reach the road from Chipilly to Gressaire Wood. The three battalions of the brigade, 3rd, 2/4th and 2/2nd London set off in line from Mallard Wood but after advancing 500 yards they were held up by fire from Chipilly and Gressaire Wood and it was not until Chipilly had been captured, around 8pm by other units that they were able to continue. Just before 11pm they secured their objective but it had been a hard struggle. On 10th August they were relieved and moved back into support positions. Many of the casualties suffered by 3rd London, including Clifford Field, had their date of death recorded as 11th August, by which time they had moved back behind the original front line where they were not engaged in any fighting and it is safe to assume that they were actually killed during the fighting that took place on 8th and 9th August.