Current Information:

Born-Bloomsbury

On 15th February, 1915 the 2nd East Yorkshire battalion of 83 Brigade, 28th Division moved into the front line at Ypres. At 5.30am on 17th February one of their trenches was blown in by a mine after which it was occupied by the enemy. At 11.30am a counter attack was launched and the trench was retaken but not without cost. Charles Balcombe was killed the next day, 18th February, when the battalion were still in these forward positions. The attrition rate among British soldiers on the Western Front was on average 300 each day and 60% of these were as a result of shellfire. When not involved in an actual battle it was either shell fire or a sniper’s bullet that caused most deaths and injuries.