Current Information:

Age-20

23, Raleigh Road, Penge

Battle of Albert -  August 1918

This was a continuation of the Battle of Amiens that had been fought earlier in the month and which had been the start of the Hundred Days Offensive that culminated in the collapse of the German army and the end of the war. On the first day, 21st August, the British Third Army attacked along a front that stretched over ten miles northwards from the town of Albert as far as Moyenneville and made significant advances everywhere.

The 7th Lincolnshire battalion of 51 Brigade, 17th Division entered the battle on 24th August, 1918 when they left their bivouacs in Hedauville and moved forward through Mailly Maillet, Auchonvillers and Hamel before crossing the River Ancre. On the following day they moved to assembly positions east of Thiepval and that night advanced eastwards towards Courcelette and eventually took up positions north-west of Martinpuich where they were held up by machine-gun fire. Over the next two days they continued their advance until 50 Brigade passed through their line and continued the attack towards Guedecourt. The operation had been a great success but the enemy fought some fierce rearguard actions and the battalion suffered well over 100 casualties. One of these was George Costidell who was killed on 26th August.