Current Information:

Born-Westminster

On 20th December, 1914, the 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers battalion of 22 Brigade, 7th Division moved into trenches at La Boutillerie, near Fleurbaix in France where they remained until 24th December. William Dooley was killed on 24th December, but the battalion diary has no information concerning this. The attrition rate among British soldiers on the Western Front was on average 300 each day and 60% of these were as a result of shellfire. When not involved in an actual battle it was either shell fire or a sniper’s bullet that caused most deaths and injuries.