Current Information:

Age-21

5, Exbury Road, Catford

Towards the end of July, 1916, 18th Division, including 8th East Surrey of 55 Brigade, left the Somme, where they had been heavily involved in the fighting on the first day of the battle and later at Trones Wood, and moved north to the front line at Erquinghem, near Armentières. On 4th August, 8th East Surrey moved into the front line here. At just gone midnight on 7th August the enemy began an bombardment of Trench No. 52 and the communication trenches leading to it. So intense was this bombardment which lasted just over one hour, that at times up to six trench mortars could be seen in the air, tumbling down on to their target. Along this part of the Western Front, the water table was high and therefore the trenches were not deep. Instead they relied on breastworks, sandbags piled up in front of the trench to provide the parapet, and these were easily knocked down by trench mortars. Nor were there any deep dug-outs here so the troops in the front line had nowhere to seek shelter and there were nearly 50 casualties as a result, which included nearly 20 officers and men killed or missing. One of these was Alan Jacobs.