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Age-28

13, Herbrand Street, Bloomsbury

The Battle of Armentières  12th October-2nd November 1914

The official History pinpoints the battle of Armentières to a series of battles that took place between the river Douve and a line between Estaires and Foumers. It was part of the Race to the Sea and it determined the line of the Western Front in that sector. It was fought by III Corps which at that time consisted of 4th and 6th Divisions plus 19 Brigade.

On 22nd October, the 1st Middlesex battalion of 19 Brigade took up a defensive position between La Boutillerie and Rouge Bancs. Here they remained until the middle of November, subjected to continuous sniping and shelling and inevitably there were many casualties. The battalion diary entry for 8th November, the day on which Robert Dawes was killed, recorded that there was fearful shelling of D and C Company’s trenches and heavy losses.