Current Information:

Born-Battersea

Senlis Communal Cemetery, France

47th (London) Division which included the 21st London battalion of 140 Brigade, had been heavily involved in the struggle to contain the German Spring offensive when it was launched on 21st March, 1918 and over the next two weeks, along with all the other divisions of  the Fifth and Third Armies, had been pushed back across the old battlefield of the Somme until Amiens itself was in danger. They were holding the line around Aveluy on 5th April when the enemy made their final push and although some ground was conceded, there was no further break through and Operation Michael was called off. 21st London had been at Senlis from 4th-6th April where they sustained over sixty casualties from gas shells. One of these casualties was Dudley Smith who was killed on 6th April.