Current Information:

Age-18

99, Torriano Avenue, Kentish Town

Bethencourt Communal Cemetery, France

Throughout the autumn of 1918 the Germans were being steadily pushed back all along the line, from Flanders to the Somme. As a result of the Battle of Cambrai, fought during the first week of October, 1918, they were evicted from the Hindenburg Line and fell back to the River Selle where they hurriedly prepared a new defensive line. The British Army followed  behind them and by the 17th October they were in a position to attack. They did so at 5.20 that morning along a ten mile front running south of the town of Le Cateau. Three days later there was a similar attack north of Le Cateau. Once more the German Army retreated and by the end of the Battle of the Selle on 25th October, they were back to a line between Valenciennes and the Sambre and Oise Canal.

The objectives of the attack on 20th October, launched along the whole line held by Third Army to the north of Le Cateau, were to advance two miles eastwards to the three ridges that ran between two streams, the Harpies and the St Georges. It would be a surprise attack, without a preliminary bombardment, with zero at 2am. On 19th October, 5th Division moved back to the front line after an eight day rest and the 1st East Surrey battalion of 95 Brigade moved to assembly positions near Biastre in preparation for this offensive. 13th Brigade led the division’s assault with 95 Brigade then passing through them to continue it. 1st East Surrey, like other units around them, found their progress checked by machine-gun fire from the final ridge and fell back to the second ridge only to be subjected to a fierce enemy artillery barrage. The British artillery responded and at 4pm the advance was continued and the final objective was reached. It had been a successful operation but with over one hundred casualties, 1st East Surrey paid a heavy price. William Staddon was one of those killed in action on this day.