Battle Of Loos

On the 23rd June 1915 the Battalion was transferred to the 8th Division and amalgamated with the 1/7th Middlesex. On 25th Sept 1915, the 8th Division was involved in the attacks at Bois Grenier, a costly subsidiary action of the Battle of Loos. On this occasion Charles’ battalion was fortunate - as the bulk of the 1/8th Middlesex was held in reserve, with only a small selection of machine gunners and grenadiers used in the initial attacks. Throughout the day however, the remainder of the battalion either carried supplies forward, or was used to hold the captured German trenches. During this short stay on the front line they endured considerable enemy shellfire, and when the battalion was returned to billets on the next day, they had lost 6 men with another 17 wounded.

After a seven-month stay with the 8th Division, the 1/8th Middlesex was transferred to the 167th Brigade, 56th (London) Division on the 9th of February 1916. Here it was to stay for the duration of the war.