Current Information:

Age-23

379, Norwood Road, West Norwood

Born-Brixton

With an end to the fighting on the Eastern Front after the Russian Revolution, Germany was able to bring its troops from there to France and launch a series of offensives in the Spring of 1918, designed to bring the war to a swift conclusion. Four times between March and July they attacked in strength and on each occasion they broke through the British and French lines and made spectacular gains but in each case they over extended themselves and without adequate supplies keeping up with their rapid advances, they could go no further.

The first of these attacks, Operation Michael, was made on 21st March by 63 specially trained divisions, attacking along a 60 mile front held by 26 British divisions, many of them in a weakened state At 4.40am the German artillery opened up with the most ferocious and concentrated bombardment of the war, the likes of which the British had never experienced before. The Forward Zone, consisting mainly of individual posts was blown away. Very few of the men there made it back. Many were killed and many more were taken prisoner. The Battle Zone was also battered as were the British guns, firing from positions just to the rear. Brigade and Divisional HQs were targeted as well and then, from out of the thick mist came the German storm troopers. Moving fast, they skirted round the few remaining strongholds and penetrated deep into the British lines, including those of the Battle Zone, causing the utmost confusion. There were many cases of heroic stands being made but the relentless pressure forced the British back everywhere and there then began a general retreat that went on for two weeks and which ceded to the Germans a huge amount of territory, including all of that that had been won at such great cost during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

On 21st March, 1918, 61st Division was holding the line opposite St Quentin where they met the full force of the German attack. None more so than the 2/4th Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry battalion of 184 Brigade some of who were holding Enghien Redoubt in the Forward Zone which they held, under extreme pressure until 4pm when those still standing fell back to the Battle Zone where they joined up with the rest of the battalion. By the end of the day the units of 61st Division had been forced back to the rear of the Battle Zone. One of the many casualties was Ernest Brown of 2/4th Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry.