100 Days.
Bethune. Locon. 1/4 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. 10-17 August 1918,
At the beginning of August 1918 as enemy resistance began to crumble the 1/4 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry was in camp at La Bouviere. They returned to the front on 6 August in the Locon sector, near to Bethune, when they relieved the 7 Bn KSLI in the support lines holding Inverness and Perth trenches between the Le Basee Canal and Canal de la Lawe near to Long Cornet.
On the 10 August they moved up into the front line with A & B Coys in the Edinboro Line, C Coy in support and D Coy as reserves and in Edinboro Support, Battalion HQ was on the bank of the Canal de la Lawe. In this sector there were fields of standing corn, each night the enemy gas shelled the area, the gas lingered in the corn and caused many casualties. They spent time on patrols to try and establish contact with the enemy. On 12 August a patrol captured a German MG emplacement and collected valuable intelligence. The same day B Coy was ordered forward, they advanced about 100 yards before encountering the enemy – the platoon had 2 casualties. On 13 August A Coy pushed forward – advancing under enemy fire for another 100 yards. That night there was an inter company relief with the lead companies going back into support. No further advances were made and the battalion was relieved over the night of 16/17 August and moved to billets at Annezin. Casualties for the tour were 70 ORs – many due to gas.
GOOGLE MAPS Satellite view centres on Long Cornet and location of Inverness Trench roughly following the road running west-east through Long Cornet
1/4 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. Locon. 20-24 August 1918. (National Archives)
References and Sources War Diary 1/4 Bn KSLI. Regimental History KSLI
B&O 1918. 100 Days. Locon. 1/4 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. 10-17 August 1918.
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