Current Information:

Age-36

2, Derby Road, Wimbledon

43, Dalyell Road, Stockwell

The second major offensive by the Germans in the Spring of 1918 began on 9th April when they launched Operation Georgette on the seventeen miles of front running between the La Bassée canal and Houplines, just to the north of Armentières. They met with immediate and overwhelming success when in the first few hours they broke clean through  the weak 2nd Portuguese Division at Laventie and from there pushed further and further into British territory.

The need to contain the German advance was paramount and reinforcements were urgently sent to shore up the defences. 29th Division was sent south from Second Army at Ypres and on 10th April, 86  and 87 Brigades arrived at Vieux and Neuf Berquin, near Estaires, to reinforce 50th Division. 2nd Royal Fusiliers of 86 Brigade were sent to bolster 151 Brigade and on 11th April they took over the defences at Le Doulieu where, during the afternoon and evening there was some sharp fighting as the enemy tried to and in many cases succeeded to advance further. By 2am on 12th April Le Doulieu had become a small salient and 2nd Royal Fusiliers along with other units of both 86 and 151 Brigades they fell back 2 miles. At 9am they were heavily attacked in an isolated position and once more fell back this time to the village of Bleu. The pressure from the Germans continued unabated and when the inevitable gaps appeared in the British line and the battalion was in danger of being out-flanked there was a further withdrawal, this time to the Vieux Berquin-Outtersterne road. Early the following morning there was a heavy and sustained enemy attack on their positions and by dusk both their flanks were open and there was no option but to fall back yet again. This time they were withdrawn from the battlefield and marched back to Borre. 2nd Royal Fusiliers had sustained over 340 casualties during two days of heavy fighting one of whom was Frederick Bearman who was killed on 13th April.