Current Information:

Born-Islington

London Rifle Brigade Cemetery, Belgium

12th East Surrey arrived in France in May 1916 and joined 122 Brigade 41st Division. At the end of the month and after a period of trench instruction, they took over part of the line near Ploegsteert Wood, just north of Armentières and throughout June they did seven day spells in these trenches with seven days in reserve at Soyer Farm. Between 11th June and 17th June, 12th East Surrey were in the front line trenches but the Battalion Diary for 13th June, 1916, the day James Sandford died, makes no mention of any casualties just recording that there was less enemy machine gun activity.