Current Information:

Born-London

On 2nd May, 1918, the 23rd London battalion of 142 Brigade, 47th Division, left there billets in Warloy and relieved an Australian unit in the front line at Hénencourt a few miles to the west of the town of Albert. At 3.30am on 9th May the enemy placed a heavy artillery barrage on their front and support lines accompanied by considerable rifle and machine-gun fire. After ten minutes this barrage intensified and shortly before 4am, the German infantry attacked and captured 150 yards of trench on the left, held by D Company. Two immediate counter attacks failed to regain the trench, nor did another one at 7am. It was not until 11pm that evening that a three platoon counter-attack evicted the Germans and retook possession of the trench along with three prisoners and two machine-guns. There was however a price to pay for 23rd London who suffered over 60 casualties, one of whom was William Peel.