Current Information:

Born-Fulham

When the German Spring Offensive began on 21st March with such devastating impact, 18th Division held a nine thousand yard front from La Fère to Moy south of St Quentin and right in the path of the German onslaught. The 8th East Surrey battalion of 55 Brigade were in divisional reserve and in the afternoon were sent forward to bolster the defences of 53 Brigade at Ly-Fontaine. That evening they covered the withdrawal of all of 53 Brigade and then moved back across the Crozat canal themselves. The morning of the following day, 22nd March, was fairly quiet on the front held by 8th East Surrey around Frières-Faillouel, Mennessis and at Remigny but the German advance continued on both flanks. The afternoon was a different story as the enemy artillery became very heavy, resulting in many casualties among the battalion, specially among those at Mennessis. Things got even worse on the next morning when at 7am the Germans launched a mass infantry attack behind a ferocious artillery barrage which eventually drove them back in a south-westerly direction to Béthancourt. But still the pressure continued to be applied and for the rest of the month, 8th East Surrey, along with all the other units of the brigade and division and indeed all of the British Fifth Army, continued the retreat towards Amiens until by 29th March they arrived at Boves , three miles south-east of Amiens. During the night of 30th/31st March they relieved Australian troops one mile west of Marcelcave and spent the next three days strengthening the position. Throughout this period there was constant shelling as well as a number of hard fought rear guard actions that saw the casualty list grow daily, a list that included John Scorey who was killed on 31st March.