Battle of Loos and the 46th (North Midland) Division

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

At 1400 hours on the 13th October 1915 a whistle blew. The men of the 46th (North Midland) Division began their attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt. 137th Brigade went first and were immediately hit by heavy machine gun fire. The attacking battalions were annihilated without achieving anything.

Of the two companies of the 1/5 South Staffords, every single officer and man was hit as they tried to advance.

138th Brigade attacked at 2.05 p.m.. They managed to reach their first objective with fewer losses. Then, as they carried on, heavy fire cut across them resulting in very high casualties. The attack came to a standstill within ten minutes. Trench fighting continued, but once again the shortage of bombs proved decisive. The Division lost 180 officers and 3,583 men within ten minutes, and achieved absolutely nothing.

The ceremony of remembrance, attended by the Mayor, was held at the 46th (North Midland) Division Memorial close to the Redoubt at 2,00 p.m. on the 13th October 2015. 

Wreath of the Leicestershire Regiment

After the laying of wreaths

Leicestershire Regimental Wreath

To read more about the 46th (North Midland) Division, please click here and for further information about the memorial, click here

To read For the Fallen  by Robert Binyon, follow this link

Their Name Liveth for Evermore