Armentières. Fleurbaix. 6 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. December 1915.
Following their participation in diversionary action at Neuve Chapelle during The Battle of Loos at the end of September the 6 Bn KSLI remained in the same area on tours in the trenches with billets in Estaires. At the end of October they were employed constructing a breastwork rather than a trench – where ground conditions dictated, breastworks made up of sand bag walls were used instead of trenches. The Regimental History records that the muscle and skill of he battalion’s coalminers enable them to complete their section of works well before other working parties. November was spent on a succession of tours in the line, casualties were relatively light. At the end of November the battalion moved to new sector of line in front of Fleurbaix, Here the round of tours continued. On 24 December they went up the line for a week long tour ending on 1 January 1916. Casualties were light. Two ORs were wounded when they first arrived and Second Lieutenant EA Walker was KIA by bullet to the head. On 30 December 2 more ORs were wounded, one of whom (Private 12268 William E Lewis) died the next day. On 31 December 13 Ors were gassed when an enemy shell hit a gas cylinder in the front line. The next day the battalion was relieved by the 6 Bn Oxs. & Bucks. and returned to billets.
GOOGLE MAPS – satellite view centres of the central sector of the line held be 6 Bn KSLI December 1915 – front line ran parallel to and on south side of Rue de la Cardonnerie running from top to bottom of image
6 Bn KSLI Fleurbaix. section of line held by the KSLI marked by A – A (National Archives)
References and Sources WAR DIARY 6Bn KSLI. Regimental History KSLI.
B&O 1915 Armentières. Fleurbaix. 6 Bn KSLI. December 1915
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