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Age-17

Enlisted-Chelsea

The Battle of Festubert (15–25 May 1915)

This followed quickly on the heels of the Battle of Aubers Ridge and was an offensive operation by the British Army in the Artois region of France in conjunction with a French attack further south. Initial success soon ground to a halt and although there had been an advance of three kilometres in some places the end result was not the hoped for breakout but merely more muddy trenches which became the front line. British casualties over the ten days amounted to nearly 17,000, three times as many as inflicted on the Germans.

The final action of this battle took place during 25th and 26th May, 1915 and involved 47th Division and the 1st Canadian Division in an attack against Chapelle St Roche and Rue d’Ouvert in the Givenchy sector of the front. 47th Division was an all London division which had begun life as the 2nd London Division and had arrived in France in March 1915. This was to be their first taste of an offensive action and was going to be a very costly one.  The main attack went in at 6.30pm on 25th May when 142 Brigade attacked with its right on the Chapelle St Roch – Givenchy road.  They advanced 400 yards on a 1000 yard frontage, through hostile machine gun fire, and captured German front and support trenches. On their right the 18th London battalion of 141 Brigade continued to hold the line and maintained a covering fire as the attack went in keeping this up despite the heavy shell fire brought down on their positions by the enemy which largely destroyed their first aid dressing station and caused a number of casualties. One of these was Charles Rowe who was killed.