Current Information:

Age-21

36, Goring Road, Bowes Park

With the aim of diverting German troops away from Loos when the British attack went in there on 25th September 1915, there were three subsidiary attacks by the British, the largest being the Second attack on Bellewaarde in the Ypres salient. 3rd Division were involved in this costly and fruitless action and in the days that followed they had to face considerable German retaliation,

This came to a head at 4.30pm on 29th September, 1915, when the enemy exploded a mine on the left of the line held by 8 Brigade. Immediately German bombers rushed across to this section of trench and all the unfortunate occupants there were killed. At the same time an artillery bombardment opened up followed by an infantry attack and some of the trenches were lost. These gave the enemy a good observation platform and obviously  was not a situation that could be allowed to go unanswered. The next day, 30th September, 1915, a counter attack was launched at 3.15pm by one company each from 4th Middlesex, 2nd Royal Scots and 2nd Suffolk, all of 8 Brigade, plus the bombers from 1st Honourable Artillery Company, an infantry battalion despite its name, from 7 Brigade. Some ground was regained but not much. The fifteen minute bombardment of the German positions before the attack was launched had not destroyed the wire and there were problems with the supply of grenades (bombs).