Current Information:

Age-27

37, South Grove, Mile End

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.

When the German offensive began on 21st March, 24th Division were holding the line just to the north of St, Quentin. 72 Brigade were in position to the south of the River Omignon with 9th East Surrey in reserve except for B Company which was sent forward to reinforce the 1st North Staffordshire battalion in the trenches east of Maissemy. After the Forward Zone was quickly overrun this company, who had already suffered during the artillery bombardment, were attacked. For about an hour they managed to hold off the enemy but were eventually swamped and only thirty of them were able to make it back. The rest of the battalion at Villecholles had sustained casualties when the German bombardment had begun and had lost most of their signallers when their hut was hit. At 10am they were sent forward to occupy the high ground to the east of the village where they consolidated a new position in which they remained overnight.

On the following day, 22nd  March they had to withstand a German artillery  bombardment and three infantry attacks none of which were able to breach their lines but in the early afternoon, when in danger of being outflanked, they withdrew five miles to the crossroads east of Estrées-en-Chaussée and later to Monchy Lagache where they took up an outpost line. A further retreat took place on 23rd March when at 9am they withdrew another five miles to Falvy. After making a stand here for an hour, 9th East Surrey, with the exception D Company who had been temporarily attached to 17 Brigade, then withdrew across the River Somme.The men of D Company put up a stout resistance but were soon overwhelmed and with the bridge destroyed only twenty five of them managed to get back by swimming across the river. On 24th March they moved further back to Chaulnes and then to Hattencourt where they took up a defensive line. On the morning of the next day, 25th March they moved to cover Fonches where an attack was expected. Here they sustained casualties from the enemy bombardment but an infantry attack was repelled. 26th March  was not a good day for 9th East Surrey. At 1am they withdrew to a line running from Hattencourt to Hallu where they faced a fierce enemy attack. They tried to withdraw but ended up completely surrounded and those not killed were captured. All that remained of the battalion was one officer and thirty men and they joined the remnants of 8th Royal West Kent and became a composite battalion which moved into reserve. Among the many casualties incurred by 9th East Surrey was Henry Dean and although his date of death is shown on the records as 27th March it is much more likely that he was killed on the day before.