Current Information:

Age-26

Born-Brixton Hill

Bagneux British Cemetery, Gezaincourt, France

The Battle of Albert was a continuation of the Battle of Amiens that had been fought earlier in the month and which had been the start of the Hundred Days Offensive that culminated in the collapse of the German army and the end of the war. On the first day, 21st August, the British Third Army attacked along a front that stretched over ten miles northwards from the town of Albert as far as Moyenneville and made significant advances everywhere.

At 4.45am on 21st August, the Guards Division on the left of this line attacked and soon reached the first objective without meeting much resistance. At 5.40am 8 and 9 Brigades of 3rd Division passed through them and continued the assault to to the second objective, the Arras to Albert railway which was reached at 9.00am by 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers and 7th Shropshire of 8 Brigade. Equally successful was 13th Liverpool (Kings) of 9 Brigade but on their right, 1st Northumberland Fusiliers met much stronger opposition. Faced by a forward slope they were unable to overcome the German machine-guns and 4th Royal Fusiliers were sent up from 9 Brigade reserve to help. On their way up to the assembly point  they were hit by shells that caused nearly fifty casualties and the confusion resulting from this and the early morning fog meant that the battalion lost their way and were unable to make contact with 1st Northumberland Fusiliers. Instead they moved forward to Blue Line from where they attacked and took the railway line. 1st Northumberland Fusiliers overcame their difficulties and also made it to the second objective and 4th Royal Fusiliers moved back into a support position. The Battalion suffered many casualties during the course of the day, one of them being Arthur Edwards, who was killed in action.