Current Information:

Age-24

30, Colwick Street, Deptford Park

Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, Laventie, France

On 1st March, 1915, the 2nd Royal West Surrey (Queens) battalion of 22 Brigade, 7th Division, moved into the front line two miles south-east of Fleurbaix where they remained until relieved on 5th March. The battalion diary entry for 4th March simply recorded that there was nothing to report and that it was a quiet day. But not quiet enough for Frederick Salmon who was killed. 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.