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The Battle of Armentières  12th October-2nd November 1914

The official History pinpoints the battle of Armentières to a series of battles that took place between the river Douve and a line between Estaires and Foumers. It was part of the Race to the Sea and it determined the line of the Western Front in that sector. It was fought by III Corps which consisted of 4th and 6th Divisions as well as 19 Brigade.

On October 16th, the 1st East Lancashire battalion of 11 Brigade, 4th Division arrived at Nieppe and on the 18th October they moved to Chapelle d’Armentières and Wez Macquart where they dug trenches facing east in support of the brigade line. From there they moved to Ploegsteert and on 21st October they were involved in some heavy fighting around Le Gheer and Le Touquet. They remained in the trenches at Le Gheer until relieved on 4th November when they moved into reserve at Ploegsteert and spent the next two days digging trenches on Hill 63. On 7th November, the day on which Allan Applegarth was killed, the enemy attacked the trenches held by the 3rd Worcestershire battalion and broke through their line for some 600 yards. That afternoon 1st East Lancashire joined in a counter attack towards Le Gheer cross roads that regained some of the lost ground but not all of it.