Current Information:

Born-Plaistow

Railway Chateau Cemetery, Belgium

First Battle of Ypres

Between 21st October and 22nd November, 1914 a desperate fight took place around the Belgium city of Ypres, the first of three major battles that were to be fought there during the course of the war. British troops entered Ypres in October. The 1st and 2nd Divisions plus the 3rd Cavalry Division had made their way up from the Aisne as part of the “Race to the Sea”, whilst the 7th Division came west to Ypres after Antwerp had fallen. The Germans knew that Ypres was the gateway to the Channel ports and that these were vital to Britain’s war effort so they poured reinforcements into the area. The fighting fell into three distinct battles; the Battle of Langemarck, 21-24 October, the Battle of Gheluvelt, 29-31 October and the Battle of Nonne Bosschen, 11 November. Ypres did not fall to the Germans but its defence during these two months resulted in the destruction of much of the old regular British Army.

On 27th October, 1914, the 2nd South Staffordshire battalion of 6th Brigade, 2nd Division were involved in a fierce fight as they advanced from Pilkem to part of the road running between Becelaere and Moorsede and although they managed to drive the enemy back from their positions they suffered many casualties in doing so. They dug in and remained here until 12th November when the Germans attacked and drove back French troops on their left. This left them in a precarious position and on the next day they were pulled back into brigade reserve from where they took up support trenches on the Becelaere-Passchendaele road. Relieved on 16th November they moved back to billets in Ypres. Charles Oughton died from wounds on 16th November but the exact date on which he was wounded is not known.