Current Information:

Age-21

25, Coleridge Road, Walthamstow

Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge (24th-25th May, 1915)

On 22nd April, 1915 the Germans launched a major assault on the the Ypres salient when they used gas as a weapon for the first time. After a series of battles, the line held by the British at the start of the last week in May 1915 stretched for 5 ½ miles around much of the significantly reduced Ypres salient from Hill 60 round to the junction with the French at Turco Farm in the north-east and was held from right to left by 83 Brigade, 28th Division, 1st Cavalry Division (1 & 2 Cavalry Brigades astride the Menin Road), 85 Brigade, 28th Division (across the railway and the Zonnebeke road) and then 10 Brigade, 4th Division covering Wieltje and up to Mouse Trap Farm with 12 Brigade beyond.  At 2.45am on 24th May, the Germans opened upon this front a tremendous artillery bombardment followed up by the release of gas in greater quantities than had been seen before with dense gas clouds rising to 40 feet. In some places no-man’s land was very narrow and the defenders had little or no time in which to don their gas masks. The centre of the line held firm but at the two extremities, Mouse Trap farm in the north and Bellewaarde Lake in the south, the enemy broke through. Reserves were called up but despite some hard fighting the losses were not made good and the salient around Ypres was further reduced.

On 24th May, 1915, the 1st Somerset Light Infantry battalion 11 Brigade of 4th Division, began the day in billets near Poperinghe but as the intensity of the enemy attack grew they moved first to Vlamertinghe then to La Brique but a proposed counter attack did not take place. Instead the perimeter of the line around Ypres was further reduced and 1st Somerset Light Infantry withdrew to Reigersburg Chateau. At some stage during the day William Johnson was killed most likely by shell fire.