Current Information:

4, Haddon House, Haddonhall Street, Bermondsey

On 17th December, 1914, the 1st Dorset battalion of 15 Brigade, 5th Division moved into trenches at Wulverghem, south of the Wulverghem-Messines road where they remained until relieved on 29th December. James Purbrick was killed on 19th December but the battalion diary makes no mention of any casualties on that day. 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.