Current Information:

Age-42

156, Uxbridge Road, Hanwell

Millencourt Communal Cemetery, France

On 21st March, 1918, when the Germans opened their Spring Offensive on the Somme, 12th Division were further north in the Armentières region and were one of the divisions who were then rushed south to help stem the tide of the German advance. Arriving there on 24th March they were soon in action around Contalmaison and Thiepval which had been scenes of bitter fighting during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. After five days of hard fighting during which time the British line had been pushed back even further, they were relieved. Three days later on 2nd April, 6th East Kent (Buffs) of 37 Brigade, returned to the fight when they marched to the village of Henencourt, some four miles to the east of Albert, and took up defensive positions there. By now the German advance was slowing down but Amiens with its important railway network was still a prize they sought and on 4th April they launched a final push in an attempt to capture it.

On 5th April Henencourt was heavily shelled and given that once again thick mist cloaked the battlefield, an infantry attack towards Amiens was anticipated. 6th Buffs were sent forward to occupy the reverse slope of a  ridge in front and from there to send out patrols. At 7.05am they moved forward  through an intense artillery barrage to the Old Corps Line west of Albert. The situation remained obscure throughout the morning. Would the enemy attack here or not?  6th Royal West Surrey (Queens) sent up to support 6th Buffs but in the end the German infantry took place at Dernancourt,  two miles further down the Ancre valley.  At 2.30pm 6th Buffs moved forward over the ridge and occupied some old trenches and spent a bitterly cold night there.  Throughout the day and some of the night they had to contend with heavy artillery fire which resulted in over fifty casualties in the battalion. One of these was Thomas Allen.