Current Information:

Age-26

Born-Richmond-on-Thames

On 7th August,1917, the 2nd Essex battalion of 12 Brigade, 4th Division, left Wilderness Camp and moved into the front line near Arras. At 7.45pm on 9th August, a large party of 180 from the battalion raided the enemy trenches opposite in conjunction with other raids taking place further along the line. Things did not go well. Their covering artillery barrage was weak and the raiders soon ran into heavy machine-gun fire which stopped them in their tracks and prevented them from entering the German lines. After suffering many casualties, one of whom was David Bristow, they were forced to retire to their own trenches.