Current Information:

Born-Stroud Green

Aval Wood Military Cemetery, Vieux-Berquin, France

During May and June of 1918, the British Army was not seriously engaged along its front and this allowed it time to build up its strength once again after the hammering it had received during the first two German offensives earlier in the year. By the end of June it was considered to be the right time to attempt larger scale operations aimed at improving their defensive line. The first of these, the Action of La Becque, took place on 28th June and was designed to advance the front line by one mile along a three and a half mile stretch to the east of Nieppe Forest. 5th Division, which had recently returned from Italy and 31st Division were given the task and the attack was launched at 6am on 28th June behind a creeping barrage of artillery and machine-gun fire but without a preliminary barrage. These tactics worked very well. The troops followed close behind the creeping barrage and were in the enemy trenches before it had lifted, giving the defenders no time to bring their weapons to bear. At the northern point of the attack, La Becque Farm just to the west of the village of Vieux Berquin was captured and the same success was seen all along the line. Nearly five hundred Germans were taken prisoner and many more killed or wounded. But, as always, there was a price to be paid among the attackers who suffered nearly two thousand casualties as the Germans rallied and strengthened their resistance from their reserve positions.

On the right of the attack 5th Division used 13 Brigade and 95 Brigade and 2nd Scottish Borderers of 13 Brigade, heading towards l’Epinette Farm were unlucky enough to be held up by uncut wire in front of the enemy support trench and then hit by machine-gun fire. Among their many casualties was Thomas Bland.