Current Information:

Age-35

59, Fellows Road, Hampstead

During the afternoon of 15th February, 1915 , the enemy attacked the line held by 85 Brigade of 28th Division just to the south of Ypres and  succeeded in piercing the line. The 1st Suffolk battalion of 84 Brigade were ordered up in the evening to take over the trenches of the two battalions of 85 Brigade which had counter attacked with partial success. These trenches were waist deep in water, overlooked, enfiladed and untenable but C Company set off to relieve the 2nd Buffs and on arrival learned that the major part of ‘O’ trench, divided into two unequal parts by a large traverse, was in enemy hands. C  Company began bombing up it but were stopped at the the traverse by machine-guns and grenades. They sustained many casualties, including Ernest Jourdain, the company commander, especially as they were overcrowded in the small portion of the trench they had taken from the Buffs. By dawn all the survivors of C Company had been taken prisoner.