Current Information:

Born-Suffolk

Enlisted-Whitehall

The Battle of Festubert (15–25 May 1915)

This followed quickly on the heels of the Battle of Aubers Ridge and was an offensive operation by the British Army in the Artois region of France in conjunction with a French attack further south.  Initial success soon ground to a halt and although there had been an advance of two miles in some places the end result was not the hoped for breakout but merely more muddy trenches which became the front line. British casualties over the ten days amounted to nearly 17,000, three times as many as inflicted on the Germans.

The Battle of Festubert was preceded by a three day bombardment of the enemy positions and at 11.30pm on 15th May 2nd Division and the Meerut Division from the Indian Army attacked with mixed results. They gained some of their objectives but had met such strong German resistance, that they were unable to participate in the attack by 7th Division at 3.15am on 16th May. 4 (Guards) Brigade were in reserve as 5 and 6 Brigades of 2nd Division attacked on a 1300 yard frontage with 5 Brigade on the left and beyond them the Meerut Division but whereas the attack by 6 Brigade on the right had some success, the left hand of the attack did not fare so well.

On 18th May it was the turn of 4 Brigade, to enter the fray. On the previous evening they had moved up from Le Touret to positions along the Rue des Cailloux ready for the attack but, undetected by the British, the enemy had moved back to newly prepared defences and had reinforced their lines so when, at 3pm on 18th May, the preliminary bombardment of the German positions began, these new positions were not touched. When 1st Irish Guards attacked at 4.30 near Ferme Couer d’Avoue they were immediately hit by enfilade fire from Adalbert Alley. Half their number fell in the first 100 yards and as there was no hope of covering the next 500 yards, the attack was called off. The 1st Irish Guards sustained nearly 450 casualties during this operation including Ernest Leggett who was killed on 17th May.