Current Information:

Age-26

1, Laurel Terrace, Camberwell

On 17th November, 1917, 2nd Rifle Brigade of 25 Brigade, 8th Division, moved into the front line, relieving the Canadians, north-west of Passchendaele in the Ypres salient. The 3rd Battle of Ypres had come to an end a week earlier but that did not mean all was peaceful. The Germans, smarting from the loss of territory here were not taking it sitting down. A fearsome artillery barrage was placed upon 2nd Rifle Brigade during the relief and for the rest of the three days that they remained in these forward, dangerous, mud-clogged and flooded positions. By the time they were relieved on 19th November they had suffered nearly 150 casualties. One of these was John Pilcher who was killed on 19th November.