Current Information:

Age-23

70, Fulham Park Gardens, Fulham

Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery, Belgium

First Battle of Ypres

Between 21st October and 22nd November, 1914 a desperate fight took place around the Belgium city of Ypres, the first of three major battles that were to be fought there during the course of the war. British troops entered Ypres in October. The 1st and 2nd Divisions plus the 3rd Cavalry Division had made their way up from the Aisne as part of the “Race to the Sea”, whilst the 7th Division came west to Ypres after Antwerp had fallen. The Germans knew that Ypres was the gateway to the Channel ports and that these were vital to Britain’s war effort so they poured reinforcements into the area. The fighting fell into three distinct battles; the Battle of Langemarck, 21-24 October, the Battle of Gheluvelt, 29-31 October and the Battle of Nonne Bosschen, 11 November. Ypres did not fall to the Germans but its defence during these two months resulted in the destruction of much of the old regular British Army.

During the first week of November, 1914, the Royal Horse Guards of 8 Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division were in a position of readiness half way between Zillebeke and Hooge, in a wood during the day and spending the nights in billets in a farm half a mile north-west of Verbranden Molen. At 3.30pm on 6th November they were sent, with other cavalry units, to support French troops at Zillebeke who had been driven from their trenches by a strong attack. Coming under fire they dismounted and took up positions on the Klein-Zillebeke ridge before advancing, in support of the Lifeguards, through a wood towards the village of Klein-Zillebeke. When dusk arrived they were ordered to rejoin their horses and as they made their way back they were fired on by enemy soldiers who had worked their way forward. This was when the Royal Horse Guards sustained most of their casualties, one of whom was Denis Sherlock who died on the following day.