Current Information:

Age-31

7, Worcester Street, Wapping

Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium

By the end of September, 1918, the German army was in retreat all along the Western Front and on 28th September, 29th Division attacked from Ypres itself astride the Menin Road, clearing Hooge and pushing on to Gheluvelt. 87 and 86 Brigades led the attack and when they had reached Tower Hamlets, a ridge of slightly higher ground, south of the Menin Road, 88 Brigade moved up from reserve. The 4th Worcestershire battalion forced their way into Gheluvelt at which stage the 2nd Hampshire battalion took the lead and made for the high ground round Oude Kruiseecke. Here the opposition stiffened with a fresh German division being thrown into the fight and as the ground was in a  terrible state, the advance of guns and  reserves was delayed. Nevertheless the position was taken along with many guns and prisoners and overall five miles had been gained in one day. 2nd Hampshire suffered forty casualties during the operation, one of whom was Alfred Willetts.