Current Information:

Born-Bristol

Enlisted-Hackney

Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, France

After having been on the defensive since March 1918, by August of that year the Allies were ready to move to the attack and on 8th August, The Battle of Amiens began, a battle that marked the beginning of what came to be known as the Hundred Day Offensive that culminated in the collapse of the German army and the end of the war. British, Australian and Canadian troops attacked on a wide front that stretched about eighteen miles from Morlancourt, north of the River Somme to the Amiens-Roye road while the French launched their own offensive to the south in the Battle of Montdidier. At 4.20am  on 8th August, aided by early morning mist and backed by 900 guns, 600 tanks and 2000 aircraft the assault was unleashed on the unsuspecting Germans many of whom surrendered straight away. Their resistance stiffened as the day progressed but despite this the Allied forces advanced about 7 miles by nightfall and further, but far less spectacular, gains were made over the next three days until the battle ended on 11th August. Losses had been enormous on both sides. British, Australian and Canadian casualties amounted to 19,000 but the Germans lost 26,000, including 12,000 taken prisoner, an awful blow that prompted Ludendorff, the German supremo, to call it the ‘Black Day’ of the German Army.

III Corps, north of the Somme had the task of protecting the flank of the Australians, keeping pace with their advance and securing the high ground overlooking the passages of the Somme. They attacked from right to left with 58th, 18th and 12th Divisionsbut despite having a more modest role than the Australians and Canadians they were unable to achieve the same measure of progress as them and on the opening day of the battle only managed to reach their first objective. This was due to the difficulty of the ground over which they attacked and the fact that they had all been heavily involved in the earlier battles of 1918 which meant that not only was there a shortage of officers and NCOs but that their ranks were filled with young, inexperienced recruits. To add to their problems, on the night of 7/8th August, before the attack began, this area, north of the Somme was subjected to heavy enemy shelling, including many gas shells, which not only caused casualties but hindered their progress to their starting lines as well.

On 8th August troops from 174 Brigade of 58th Division, attacked Mallard Wood and in order to facilitate this the 2/10th London battalion from 175 Brigade moved up from reserve and attacked and captured Sailly-Lorette in the Somme valley, from where machine gun fire had been directed on 174 Brigade. From there 2/10th London moved closer to Chipilly Ridge but were unable to capture it that day. This was to change however on 9th August when the battalion advanced in support of 6th London. With Mallard Wood secured they continued on towards Chipilly in front of which they were held up by machine-gun nests to the north of the village. However, with the help of an Australian patrol who were familiar with the terrain, they advanced once more and Chipilly was captured. 2/10th London sustained nearly 100 casualties during the fighting on 9th August, one of whom was John Bidder.