Current Information:

Born-Camberwell

Enlisted-Kingston-upon-Thames

The Battle of the Aisne  13-28 September, 1914

After the Germans were defeated on the Marne they fell back to the River Aisne, closely pursued by both the British and the French. The new German line was a very formidable defensive position. To attack it meant having to cross the Aisne and then climb up a 500 foot high ridge on top of which was the Chemin des Dames, a road that gave the Germans an easy way to move troops along the top of the hills. On 13th September the Aisne was crossed by both British and French troops but after that progress became slower, until there was no progress at all. Both sides dug in and the fighting settled down into trench warfare. The fighting on the Aisne continued for two weeks at the end of which both sides realised that frontal attacks on entrenched positions were both costly and non-productive, not that this deterred them from continuing with this tactic throughout the war.

The 2nd Royal Irish Rifles battalion of 7 Brigade, 3rd Division crossed the River Aisne, east of Vailly on 14th September and advanced towards the enemy. Some progress was made but the Germans were well dug in and all forward movement soon came to a halt. In the face of sniper fire and shell fire 2nd Royal Irish Rifles began entrenching as well and remained in these positions until relieved on 22nd September. William Bennett was killed here on 20th September when the battalion came under a heavy attack during the morning.