Current Information:

Age-18

Born-Ireland

Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France

Battle of St Julien, 24 April – 4 May 1915

Spurred on by the success of their gas attack on 22nd April, the Germans struck again two days later on the northern sector of the Ypres salient at St. Julien.  Once more chlorine gas was used and despite a resolute defence the British and Canadians were pushed back and St Julien was lost. For nearly two weeks the fighting continued on this front. The Germans persisted with their attacks, the British fought desperate rear guard actions and launched many counter attacks but gradually they were pushed further and further back. Eventually, during the night of 3rd & 4th May the British forces were withdrawn from their forward positions and took up a new defensive line closer to Ypres.

During the night of 25th -26th April, the 4th Rifle Brigade battalion of 80 Brigade, 27th Division were ordered to relieve 2nd Buffs near St Julien but in the absence of any guides to direct them to their new positions they stayed where they were and only managed to reach their new positions, trenches in front of Canadian Farm to the north of Wieltje, on the evening of 26th April and there they stayed until relieved during the night of 30th April/ 1st May when they marched to Hooge and bivouacs in Sanctuary Wood. Here they spent two days digging trenches before moving on 3rd May to positions on the eastern edge of Bellewaarde Wood. On the following day, 4th May, the enemy advanced to positions 600 yards from their front line and then heavily bombarded the trenches held by the battalion throughout the day with shrapnel, high explosive and gas shells which resulted in 100 casualties. They remained in these positions throughout the next day, still under fire, until relieved that evening when they moved back to the GHQ line south of the Menin Road. 

Henry Beech died from wounds on 6th May, 1915, after having been sent to a base hospital on the coast, and it is likey that he was wounded during this battle.