Current Information:

Born-Islington

Bailleul Communal Cemetery, France

9th Rifle Brigade were part of 42 Brigade, 14th Division that arrived in France in May, 1915. On 19th June, 1915, they moved into the front line near Zillebeke in the Ypres salient as 14th Division took over the Railway Wood sector. The trenches here were in a very bad state having been continually knocked about by enemy artillery. They remained here until 26th June desperately trying to improve their defences while all the time coming under shell fire and sniper’s bullets, many of which came in the form of flanking or enfilade fire from Hill 60.  James Bickell died of wounds on 24th June and was probably wounded during this period in the front line.