Current Information:

Age-26

23, Euston Street, Euston

Throughout the autumn of 1918 the Germans were being steadily pushed back all along the line, from Flanders to the Somme. As a result of the Battle of Cambrai, fought during the first week of October, 1918, they were evicted from the Hindenburg Line and fell back to the River Selle where they hurriedly prepared a new defensive line. The British Army followed  behind them and by the 17th October they were in a position to attack. They did so at 5.20 that morning along a ten mile front running south of the town of Le Cateau. Three days later there was a similar attack north of Le Cateau. Once more the German Army retreated and by the end of the Battle of the Selle on 25th October, they were back to a line between Valenciennes and the Sambre and Oise Canal.

On 23rd October a combined offensive was launched by the British Fourth, Third and First Armies towards the Sambre Canal, Le Quesnoy and Valenciennes and on 24th October, as part of this offensive, 112 Brigade of 37th Division sent forward the 13th Royal Fusiliers and 1st Hertfordshire battalions with 1st Essex in support. They  experienced difficulties in reaching the forming up line due to congestion and enemy shell fire and then faced strong resistance at Saleches station where the wire had to be cut before the Germans could be driven off. They then crossed a small river, the Ecaillon, and went on to capture the village of Ghissignies and the high ground to the north of it. Despite a number of efforts, they were unable to gain control of the railway line near Halte and that evening were relieved by 21st Division. 112 Brigade sustained a number of casualties during this operation, one of whom was William Nye of 1st Essex who was killed in action.