Current Information:

Born-Jamaica

Enlisted-Derby

In the south-east of the Ypres salient  the Ypres-Comines canal crossed the front line and on its northern bank there was a large  and dominating pile of earth, which had been put here when the canal was being dug before the war. It became known, to the British, as the Bluff and it was on the British side of the line. If the Germans could capture it, it would give them a commanding view of much of the salient and the British positions and activities in and around Ypres would be compromised.

17th Division took over the front here during the first week of February, 1916, with 51 Brigade, including 10th Sherwood Foresters, to the north of the canal, protecting the Bluff and 52 Brigade in the line south of the canal. On the morning of 14th February, 1916 the enemy began a bombardment of these positions. By the afternoon the Bluff was very much their target. Communications were broken with the infantry of 51 Brigade and in the early evening, after the Germans had blown 3 mines under the British lines, an infantry attack was launched which resulted in the capture of the British front line and the Bluff. For the next 2 days , 17th Division tried to recapture this lost territory but to no avail.