Current Information:

Age-24

4, Gray Street, Waterloo

Outtersteene Communal Cemetery, Bailleul, France

On 10th  August, 1918, the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers battalion of 86 Brigade, 29th Division moved into the front line at Strazeele, a few miles to the west of Armentières. This area had been captured by the Germans during the Battle of Lys in April 1918, but by now they were being pushed back all along the Western Front.

In keeping with this, on 12th August, the battalion was ordered to advance their line 400 yards and seize a line of trucks east of Celery Copse.  However, when they moved forward they were met by fierce resistance and sustained heavy casualties and only got half way to their intended destination. In the evening the enemy launched a counter attack and 1st Lancashire Fusiliers were forced back to the western side of Celery Copse. They had suffered over 80 casualties during the day’s fighting, one of whom was David Dawson.