Current Information:

Age-19

26, Armoury Yard, Wandsworth

Battle of St Julien, 24 April – 4 May 1915

Spurred on by the success of their gas attack on 22nd April, the Germans struck again two days later on the northern sector of the Ypres salient at St. Julien.  Once more chlorine gas was used and despite a resolute defence the British and Canadians were pushed back and St Julien was lost. For nearly two weeks the fighting continued on this front. The Germans persisted with their attacks, the British fought desperate rear guard actions and launched many counter attacks but gradually they were pushed further and further back. Eventually, during the night of 3rd & 4th May the British forces were withdrawn from their forward positions and took up a new defensive line closer to Ypres.

The 3rd Royal Fusiliers battalion of 85 Brigade, 28th Division, had been in the thick of the fighting since the first gas attacks were launched and on 2nd May, 1915, when George Butler was killed, they were one of the units holding the line below the Gravenstaffel Ridge. Here they were subjected to fierce artillery and infantry attacks as the enemy, advancing from Passchendaele, attempted to break their line. So heavy was this onslaught that two days later they were forced even further back towards Ypres, but the line was not broken.