Current Information:

Age-19

156, Victor Road, Penge

Villers Hill British Cemetery, Villers-Guislaine, France

Throughout October 1918, the last full month of the war, the Allies were advancing all along the Western Front against a demoralised and drastically shrinking German Army which could do little other than fight, often desperate, rear guard actions. These continued to take a heavy toll of both sides, but failed to halt the forward momentum. Towns, villages and whole areas, which had been under German occupation for four long years were now liberated in a series of operations.

On 30th September, 1918, the 1st Middlesex battalion of 98 Brigade, 33rd Division, pushed forward to Honnecourt, a few miles south of Cambrai, and for the first two days of October, they held the crossing of the St Quentin Canal there. Although the village was found to be clear of the enemy, the men of 1st Middlesex came under heavy sniper fire from ruined houses the other side of the canal and suffered a number of casualties as a result. One of these was Frederick Haines.