Current Information:

Age-19

22 Radcliff Buildings, Bourne Estate, Holborn

Post Office Rifles Cemetery, Festubert

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 two miles 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.

7th London had arrived in France in March, 1915 as part of 140 Brigade, 47th Division but when Festubert kicked off, they came under the orders of 22 Brigade, 7th Division, who were on their immediate left. 2nd Royal West Surrey (Queens) and 1st Royal Welsh Fusiliers led 22 Brigade’s attack which went in at 3.15am on 16th May and at that time 7th London moved up to occupy the intermediate line, becoming the first battalion of 47th Division to go into action. At 8am 7th London moved forward to occupy the old German front line. They had difficulty in crossing the dykes with all the heavy equipment and on arrival, B Company’s trench was found to be full of water. Parapets were reversed and souvenirs collected though most had to be dumped later. Two platoons of C Company moved up to the German support line, occupied by 2nd Bedfordshire, 21 Brigade many of whom were wounded.  A strong German position in the ‘Orchard’ had held up their attack.  D Company moved up a long communication trench and then over the open to a position near the orchard where they dug in. But heavy machined gun and sniper fire made it impossible to entrench properly and after ¾ hour they moved back 1000 yards to the old German front line. 7th London’s casualties for this day amounted to 150 killed, wounded or missing.