Current Information:

Age-35

107, Oakhill Road, Putney

On 3rd April, 1917, the 2/4th Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry battalion of 184 Brigade, 61st Division left Caulaincourt on the Somme and moved into the front line in the nearby small village of Soyecourt. During the night of 6/7th April they took part in a large scale attack with 59th Division on their left and 182 Brigade on the right with the objective of advancing the line for 1 mile astride the River Omignon.  The battalion’s objective were some trenches running between Le Vergier and the river.  At midnight,  A Company advanced through snow and sleet for 1000 yards behind an ineffective barrage that had not destroyed the enemy wire.  As they moved forward some fell victim to their own artilllery and the rest were unable to get past the uncut wire where they were hit by heavy machine-gun fire. After a second brave attempt they retired to their original position having suffered over 30 casualties, including Bertie Elliott.