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Age-26

60 Cromwell Road, Upper Holloway

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.

The Battle of Festubert was preceded by a three day bombardment of the enemy positions and  at 11.30pm on 15th May 2nd Division and the Meerut Division from the Indian Army  attacked with mixed results. They gained some of their objectives but had met such strong German resistance, that they were unable to go any further. Soon after midnight plans were made to attack again on the 2nd Division and Meerut Division front at 3.15am, after a half hours bombardment, to coincide with 7th Division’s dawn attack.  However by this time the enemy had had enough time to reinforce and strengthen their position and the supporting battalions of 2nd Division, 1st Liverpool (Kings) and 2nd South Staffordshire were unable to reach the new front line let alone continue beyond it.  Two fresh battalions, 3rd London & 2/3rd Gurkha, were put in by the Garhwal Brigade, but their leading lines lost so heavily that no more men were committed. After this 3rd London remained in their trenches south of Neuve Chapelle with their HQ on the Rue du Bois.