Current Information:

Enlisted-Bermondsey

Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-l'Avoue, France

The 22nd London battalion arrived in France in March, 1915 to become part of 142 Brigade of the newly formed 47th Division. But first they were attached to 1st Division to undergo trench warfare training at Richebourg-St Vaast which was followed by a period of training at Labeuvrière, just to the west of Béthune and then at Allouagne. On 22nd April a ten mile march brought them to Rue de l’Epinette near Loos where they moved into trenches on the following day for five days. It was here on 24th April that John Day was killed but the battalion diary provides no further information concerning his death. 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.