Current Information:

Age-23

After the Battle of Loos in September and October, 1915, , 47th Division, including 15th London of 140 Brigade remained in that sector for the rest of the year, engaged in the normal routines of trench warfare.

On 19th December, 1915, they left their billets in Labourse and took over the nearby front line trenches. At dawn on the next day, 20th December, the Germans launched an attack on the positions held by 15th London in Essex Trench and they were forced to withdraw a number of yards. That evening they launched their own counter attack to recover this lost ground but the bright moonlight revealed their movements and the element of surprise was lost. A few men managed to enter the enemy lines but without support this was a short lived incursion and they fell back and consolidated their previous position. This small action by Western Front standards resulted in over 60 casualties for 15th London, 9 of whom were killed including Private Matthews.