Current Information:

Enlisted-Bermondsey

After the Battle of Loos in September and October, 1915, 47th Division, including 22nd London of 142 Brigade remained in that area of the front for the rest of the year. On 29th December, 1915, the battalion relieved 21st London in the front line near Vermelles in a sector known as the “Hairpin”, a loop in the trench line that jutted out towards the enemy positions. The enemy shelled both the front line and communication trenches during the relief but things settled down. Next day however, 30th December, things took a turn for the worse. In the morning the German artillery heavily shelled the positions held by 22nd London, causing a number of casualties and then in the afternoon 5 mines were exploded under and around the Hairpin killing and wounding many men from B Company and the battalion bombers. Simultaneously a terrific bombardment of the front line commenced, adding to the casualty list. An infantry attack was expected but this was not made against the front line but rather on some of the craters formed in the explosion. Sorely shaken and depleted, 22nd London hung on in there until relieved the next morning and moving back to billets in Noyelles to lick their wounds. Their casualties amounted to 116 officers and men of whom nearly half were either killed or missing.