Current Information:

Born-Balham

Bailleul Communal Cemetery, France

11th Royal West Surrey (Queens) were formed in Lambeth in June 1915 and arrived in France a year later as part of 123 Brigade, 41st Division. On 17th June, 1916 they moved into the front line trenches at Le Bizet, just north of Armentières. At 8.35pm  on 24th June, 1916, just before they were about to be relieved, the enemy bombarded two sections of their front line trenches and an observation post, Monmouth House with heavy trench mortars and rifle grenades. They sent over about forty of these missiles and Trench 98 and the observation post were demolished.Henry Shimell died of wounds on 29th June and it is likely that he was one of the casualties of this incident.