Current Information:

Born-Southwark

Starting on 8th August, 1918, the Allies launched a series of offensives, collectively known as the Hundred Days Offensive, that resulted in the collapse of the German army and the end of the war by November. British, Australian and Canadian troops attacked across the old Somme battlefield and on the Arras front causing the demoralised German Army to fall back on a daily basis while the French did the same thing further south.

By the beginning of September much of the territory that had been lost earlier in the year,  when the Germans had made spectacular gains in March and April, had been won back but the Allies relentless pressure did not falter. On 3rd September, 99 Brigade of 2nd Division took part in an attack, commencing at 5.20am, against the Morchies-Lagnicourt ridge, a few miles to the north-east of Bapaume. Little opposition was encountered but the leading companies of the 1st King’s Royal Rifle Corps battalion suffered some casualties from the artillery barrage of the Guards Division on their left which did not coincide with their own barrage. By 6.00am they had reached their objective but strong patrols that were then pushed forward were still unable to make contact with the enemy anywhere along the north-west side of the Cambrai-Bapaume road. At 9.30am, 99 Brigade were ordered to stand fast while 6 Brigade passed through to continue the advance. 1st King’s Royal Rifle Corps sustained around thirty casualties in this operation one of whom was William Hughes who was killed, probably as a result of the artillery barrage falling short.