Current Information:

Age-23

109, Woodlands Avenue, Wanstead

Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Belgium

On the night of 28th/29th June, 1917, the 13th King’s Royal Rifle Corps battalion of 111 Brigade, 37th Division, moved into the line at Wytschaete, a few miles south of Ypres. As a result of the recent fighting here during the Battle of Messines the front line was a series of outposts, so, on the following day they set about improving them, not an easy nor safe task with the enemy able to observe much of what they did. The battalion remained here for just over a week during which time they not only improved their position but also sent out patrols at night to check the state of the enemy’s defences and pushed their own line further forward by establishing new outposts. 13th King’s Royal Rifle Corps sustained a number of casualties during this period, including Arthur Gerrard who was killed in action on 1st July, but the Battalion Diary gives no information about his death so it is not known if he was killed while on patrol or if he was a victim of shell fire, an ever present danger, or sniper fire.