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Born & Enlisted-Dublin

Battle of St Julien, 24 April – 4 May 1915

Spurred on by the success of their gas attack on 22nd April, the Germans struck again two days later on the northern sector of the Ypres salient at St. Julien.  Once more chlorine gas was used and despite a resolute defence the British and Canadians were pushed back and St Julien was lost. For nearly 2 weeks the fighting continued on this front. The Germans persisted with their attacks, the British fought desperate rear guard actions and launched many counter attacks but gradually they were pushed further and further back. Eventually, during the night of 3rd & 4th May the British forces were withdrawn from their forward positions and took up a new defensive line closer to Ypres.

On 26 April, 1915 the Lahore Division of the Indian Corps were ordered to move from Ouderdom, behind Ypres to the Wieltje-St Jean area in the salient where the Germans had launched their gas attack and then, at 2pm, to attack northwards on a 1000 yard front against Langemarck, through the sector east of the Ypres-Langemarck road, held by 13 Brigade. 1st Manchester of Jullunder Brigade and Connaught Rangers from Ferozepore Brigade led the attack which advanced up the gentle rise to Hill Top Ridge then across a shallow valley. Beyond them was the German line on the slopes of Mauser Ridge. They were heavily shelled on top of Hill Top Ridge where large 5.9 Howitzer shells knocked out whole platoons at a time. Nevertheless these two battalions advanced through 13 Brigade’s line but heavy machine gun fire from the head of the valley, north-east of Canadian farm, drove the whole movement to the left. At 2.20pm, as the leading British troops reached the German wire, the Germans released gas on their right which drifted from west to east across their front. At the same time the Germans redoubled their fire and the attack faltered and came to a stop. Some unprotected Indian troops fell back but the survivors of 1st Manchester, Connaught Rangers, 40th Pathans and 47th Sikhs sought cover where they could and held on. That night the Jullunder and Ferozepore Brigades were relieved by the Sirhind Brigade.  The 1st Manchester and Connaught Rangers men, clinging to the ground by the German wire, were brought back and eventually the bulk of the Sirhind Brigade occupied the old 13 Brigade support trenches with just a few men in the front line. 

Martin Lynch was one of the 360 casualties sustained by  onnaught Rangers in this action.