Current Information:

Age-31

126, Kennington Park Road, Kennington

Born-Islington

Vermelles British Cemetery, France

In mid-February , 1916, 12th Division returned to the area of the Hohenzollern Redoubt that they had left in November 1915 after the Battle of Loos. Since then, by mortaring, shelling and mining the Germans had captured The Chord, a trench that had been the British front line.  They had exploded some shallow mines in the clay above the chalk which formed craters with high lips which made perfect observation posts for them with the British front line strung across the slope below them.  Throughout the winter, 170 Tunnelling Coy of the Royal Engineers had laid three deep mines below the German’s  shallow system and they needed firing soon before they were discovered.  The blowing of these mines would leave huge craters for which there would be a desperate fight and after some consideration the decision was taken to explode these mines and recapture the Chord.

This took place on 2nd March, 1916. At 5.45pm, without any preliminary artillery bombardment, the three mines were detonated and this was the signal for the artillery to open up and for the infantry of 12th Division  to attack the Hohenzollern. The attack, which was successful but costly. was made by 36 Brigade with assistance from the 5th Royal Berkshire battalion of 35 Brigade. One of the mines was blown in front of D Company after which the company bombers occupied the crater formed there. There was of course retaliation from the enemy and 5th Royal Berkshire sustained ten casualties. One of these was John Irons.