Current Information:

Born-Hounslow

Throughout the winter of 1915-1916, a particularly cold and wet one, 7th East Surrey of 37 Brigade, 12th Division  had been in the line in northern France, mainly in the Loos sector where there was still much aggressive action by both sides following the Battle of Loos in September and October of 1915. One particularly hotly contested spot was the infamous Hohenzollern Redoubt, just to the east of the village of Vermelles. It was here during the evening of 6th March, 1916 that 6th East Kent (Buffs) , also of 37 Brigade, launched an attack against the Triangle Crater and Chord Trench. This attack did not succeed for a number of reasons but largely due to the coincidence that the enemy launched their own attack at the same time. The main thrust of this fell on adjacent trenches held by 7th East Surrey. Three separate assaults were made by the Germans on a crater held by the battalion but none succeeded in capturing it. What they did succeed in doing however was to kill 11 men from 7th East Surrey, one of whom was Leonard Hope.