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Age-24

52, Denmark Road, Kilburn

The Battle of Loos

This battle, fought by the British Army from 25th September, 1915 through to 13th October, was conducted along a six-and-a-half-mile front running north from the mining village of Loos on the outskirts of Lens in Northern France. It was the largest offensive carried out by the British so far in the war. The opening day involved an attack by six divisions, with others entering the fray as it progressed and it was part of a much wider offensive with the French launching their own attacks in Champagne and at Vimy. It was the first time that the British used gas during the war, despite their condemnation of the Germans for doing the same in April 1915. There were some encouraging results on the first day but no major breakthrough was achieved and in the successive days the offensive became mired in trench warfare. By mid-October the battle had petered out with the British having suffered over 60,000 casualties during its course.

The last throw of the dice for the British army at Loos came on 13th October, 1915, when there was a renewal of the offensive along much of the line. But this time there were no grand ideas about a breakthrough. The objectives were far more modest and included the recapture of Fosse 8 and the Quarries and the consolidation of the line that ran along the Lens to La Bassée road. The action started at noon with a two hour bombardment of the enemy positions and once again the release of gas. The gas however was ineffective serving only to warn the Germans of the impending attack. 

When the infantry attack went in at 2pm, 35 and 37 Brigades of 12th Division attacked the Quarries in front of Hulluch with 36 Brigade in reserve. However the bombers from 11th Middlesex were sent forward to assist 35 Brigade. On 14th October, 36 Brigade relieved 37 Brigade in the front line and at dawn on the following day the trenches held by 11th Middlesex were attacked by German bombers. Unfortunately their own bombers had not yet returned so 11th Middlesex were unable to reply in kind. To add to their woes they were also targeted by aerial torpedoes and high explosive shells and at the end of the day they had suffered 15 casualties.