Current Information:

Age-20

Born-Hampton

Pernois British Cemetery, Halloy-les-Pernois, 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 Amiensbegan, 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 Divisions but despite having a more modest role than the Australians and Canadians they were unable to achieve the same measure of success 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.

The attack by 18th Divisionwas carried out by 55 Brigade and by 36 Brigade of 12th Division which were attached at the last minute to replace the badly depleted 54 Brigade. 53 Brigade were in support. The 7th Royal West Surrey (Queens) battalion had the task of of forming the first part of the defensive flank on a plateau on the left while the other two battalion of 55 Brigade, 8th East Surrey and 7th East Kent (Buffs) were left holding the front line after the attack was made. As 7th Queens made their way forward, the German defenders, not waiting to be attacked, moved forward themselves and confronted them on the plateau. They came through the early morning mist throwing stick grenades and in the ensuing fighting 7th Queens lost the protective artillery barrage. No tanks arrived to assist and in the mist the fighting took place between small, scattered groups. The battalion commander then brought up all the men still available and they drove the enemy out of the first objective. Here the attack stalled and the new position was consolidated where 7th Queens remained, still under fire, until relieved on 10th August. One of their many casualties was George Gathergood who died from wounds on 10th August.