Current Information:

Age-20

11, Finck Street, Lambeth

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. On 21st June, enemy observation balloons spotted work parties from 9th Rifle Brigade trying to improve a communication trench and as a consequence they were soon being shelled. Later in the day B Company’s trenches were hit by the enemy’s heavy guns firing from Hill 60. There were of course casualties. Five men were killed, one of them being Frank Jiggens.