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Born & Enlisted-Winchester

The Battle of the Aisne  13-28 September, 1914

After the Germans were defeated on the Marne they fell back to the River Aisne, closely pursued by both the British and the French. The new German line was a very formidable defensive position. To attack it meant having to cross the Aisne and then climb up a 500 foot high ridge on top of which was the Chemin des Dames, a road that gave the Germans an easy way to move troops along the top of the hills. On 13th September the Aisne was crossed by both British and French troops but after that progress became slower, until there was no progress at all. Both sides dug in and the fighting settled down into trench warfare. The fighting on the Aisne continued for two weeks at the end of which both sides realised that frontal attacks on entrenched positions were both costly and non-productive, not that this deterred them from continuing with this tactic throughout the war.

On 26th September 1914, 3 Brigade of 1st Division were holding part of the line, on the Aisne front. In the early light, about 1000 Germans advanced against 1st Royal West Surrey (Queens)  along the Moulins valley but were unable to break through the lines. 1st Gloucestershire on their left were left alone but 1st South Wales Borderers, the next battalion along on the spur of Mont Faucon were attacked by over 1000 Germans, moving from the woods and across the broken ground in front of them, in platoon columns covered by skirmishers. After a two hour fire fight 1st South Wales Borderers had gained the upper hand but at 8am, the Germans made another effort against them and at one point managed to penetrate their lines.  The reserve company and two companies from 2nd Welsh retook the trenches after a fierce fight whilst the rest of 1st South Wales Borderers were kept in their trenches by heavy shrapnel fire. British casualties here amounted to 450, 80% of which were men from 1st South Wales Borderers, one of whom was Leonard Bishop.