Current Information:

Age-21

22, Borough High Street

On the night of 30th June/1st July 1916, 2nd King’s Royal Rifle Corps  and 2nd Royal Sussex, both of 2 Brigade, 1st Division attacked ‘The Triangle’, a German strongpoint in their line near Maroc, just north of Loos. This was one of several subsidiary attacks delivered, as a diversion, just before the onslaught on the Somme. The attack had all the failings of so many previous efforts. Not enough artillery preparation and uncut German wire. The troops began assembling in their jump off trenches at 7.30pm that evening, but they were observed by the enemy who opened up a heavy fire on the crowded trenches causing many casualties. At 9.15pm three mines were blown and the storming parties went over the top. The two parties on the right of the attack failed to get through the wire, Those in the centre got into the German trenches but with no support on their right they were exposed to bombing attacks and as a consequence failed to make contact with the party on the left. This attack on the left reached their objective and held on there until 2am when those who were still standing were ordered to retire to their own trenches. All in all it was a dismal failure and the casualty list was long. Frederick La Roche was one of those killed in this fruitless operation.