Current Information:

2, Ranwell Street, Bow

Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France

40th Division, including 20th Middlesex of 121 Brigade, arrived in France in May 1916 and after a period of trench instruction, took over front line duties at Loos, a mining village on the outskirts of Lens where they stayed throughout the summer and autumn. On 21st October, 1916, 20th Middlesex moved into the front line at the sector known as Bis14. Two days later, during the night of 23rd-24th October, 1916, the enemy raided their trenches. It began with a heavy trench mortar bombardment on that part of the trench line where Gordon Alley, a communication trench, met the front line and this was followed by the raid itself on the area around Cameron Sap. It all happened very quickly with no warning and the alarm was not raised until after the Germans had returned to their own trenches. It was a costly affair for 20th Middlesex with over 30 men killed, wounded or missing. One of those who was killed was Ernest Harvey.