Current Information:

Age-26

13, Elmore Street, Canonbury

Contay British Cemetery, Contay, France

Things changed, often dramatically, for the artillery during the German offensives during the first half of 1918. When the line was more static, as it had been for the previous three years, the guns were usually sited at a distance behind the trenches where their main danger, which was considerable, came from the enemy’s artillery fire, much of which was directed on them. But when the breakthrough happened after 21st March on the Somme and then again on 9th April, further north in Flanders and the German infantry poured through the gaps that had been created in the British line, the artillery now found themselves very much in the front line. Every effort was made to get the guns away but this was not always possible and many batteries were lost to the enemy, while the gunners suddenly found themselves taking on an infantry role and relying more on their rifles than the big guns as they staged last ditch attempts to pull back. Not surprisingly, casualty figures among all branches of the artillery were high.

The 63rd Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery were part of 12th Division which, as part of Third Army, had been involved in the heavy fighting in the line to the south of Arras during the last week of March. By 9th April the German advance on this front had been halted and 12th Division were holding part of the line just to the west of the town of Albert. William Pullen was killed in action on 9th April but as yet there are no further details concerning his death.