Current Information:

Age-30

53, Linton Street, Islington

The Battle of Nonne Bosschen 

The battle of Nonne Bosschen  on 11th November, 1914 was the final German attempt to break through the British lines around Ypres. They threw twelve and a half divisions into an attack against a nine mile front, stretching from Messines to Reutel (close to Polygon Wood). The main thrust of their attack was either side of the Menin Road where two fresh divisions, numbering around 10,000 men were thrown against eleven tired and depleted British divisions of around 4000 men. The attack was launched at 9 am after the heaviest artillery barrage yet seen and was protected by early morning mist. Astride the Menin Road the defenders were forced to give ground but more critical was the attack that penetrated the Guards Brigade line just to the north and allowed the Germans to get into Nonne Bosschen woods and threaten the artillery line. This threat was averted in the afternoon when a counter attack cleared the Germans from the wood. There was now no chance of a breakthrough and although the Germans made a few minor attacks over the next few days the First Battle of Ypres was finished.

On 11th November, 1 Guards Brigade of 1st Division, consisted of three weak Scottish battalions, numbering 800 in total. These were the 1st Scots Guards, 1st Cameron Highlanders and 1st Black Watch and they were holding that part of the line that stretched 900 yards from Nonne Bosschen to Polygon Wood. Attacked in overwhelming force they were overrun, their machine guns barely getting the chance to fire more than two belts. A desperate defence was made by the cooks and details of 1st Scots Guards and other isolated pockets of resistance. 1st Liverpool (Kings) and some of 1st Scots Guards held firm in Polygon Wood and this defence together with accurate British shelling from Hooge halted this advance. Banks of grey turned out to be German dead rather than a new attack. The death of Richard Monsees was recorded as being on 12th November when 1 Brigade was relieved and moved back to Hooge but it is more likely that he was killed on the previous day.