Second Battle of Ypres

On the 9th April the Battalion moved up to the town of St Jean and three days later relieved the 3rd Middlesex in the trenches east of Zonnebeke for their first spell of front line duty. The battalion’s first taste of action however, came during the Second Battle of Ypres, which commenced on 22nd April 1915, when chlorine gas was deployed against the French, Belgian and British forces for the first time. The 1/8th Middlesex were held in reserve for the first 2 days of the battle, but from the 24th to the 29th April they occupied the front line outside Zonnebeke. On the 25th of April the Battalion experienced actual combat for the first time, when A and B Companies of the 1/8th were called upon to support the neighbouring 2nd East Surreys, who were in a bad way and were in danger of being outflanked. The two Companies from the 1/8th, along with the remnants of the East Surreys charged the Germans and drove them back. Later on that night they joined with 2 companies of the Shropshire Light Infantry in an unsuccessful counter attack on German held trenches. Captain Austin H Woodbridge MC of the 1/8th Battalion reported in his trench diary, “All men behaved splendidly in this their first fight”.

The Battalion then held the line for another 3 days. The situation was summed up by the 1/8th’s commander Lieut.-Colonel Garner, “Enemy’s sniping and bombing, which now enfiladed us from both flanks became very nerve shaking, making many casualties.” These actions became a part of the Battle of St Julien.

Disposition of the 28th Division, 8am 29 April 1915. The 8th Middlesex is situated to the north of Zonnebeke and also on the front line.

Charles was gassed on the 24th May 1915, during the final German push of the offensive, later known as the Battle of Bellewaarde. The 1/8th Battalion Diary describes the 3am German attack thus;

“Opening with rapid fire and gas clouds. Momentary panic during which several men left trenches….Germans established themselves in British trench south of railway, and thus enfiladed us later in the day. But position was secured by reinforcements after dark. Meanwhile troops of all regiments who had retired from fire trench swept over GHQ line and carried certain men with them. A and C companies (1/8th Middlesex) under their officers, stood fast, experiencing a terrific shelling. The gas, moreover, rolled down into the hollow through which GHQ line runs and affected these troops, considerably, the trouble being aggravated by the addition of asphyxiating shells which the fire trenches did not have….Roll call taken under difficulties that night showed the casualties to be, 2 officers killed, 4 missing, 1 other rank killed, 160 missing”.

3rd Britsh General Hospital, Le Treport.

He was treated in the field by the 3rd Canadian Field Ambulance and evacuated to number 5 Casualty Clearing Station at Poperinghe. The next day he was evacuated to Le Treport and admitted to either the 3rd or 16th General Hospital. He remained at Le Treport for 11 days before being ‘discharged to base’ on the 6th June.