Current Information:

Age-27

45, Talbot Grove, Notting Hill

After the opening battles of the war at Mons on 23rd August, 1914 and Le Cateau on 26th August, the British Army (BEF), in conjunction with the French Army, began a retreat that took them all the way back to the River Marne, 200 miles to the south. With the Germans in hot pursuit they were forced to fight a series of rear guard actions as they fell back in extremely hot weather. The Great Retreat, as it became known, came to an end on 5th September, 1914 when the allied forces attacked along the River Marne and drove the Germans back to the River Aisne.

By 1st September, 1914, 5th Division had fallen back to the area around Mermont and to the ground north of Crépy-en-Valois. Here their outpost line was held by 13 Brigade, including the 2nd West Riding battalion and in the morning this came under attack.  By 10am the pressure here became serious as the rest of 5th Division began to retire.  Their own orders to withdraw were then received and they managed to get away and join the rest of the division. One of the casualties suffered by 13 Brigade on 1st September was William Caswell of 2nd West Riding, who was killed in action.