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1st Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps
1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps were based at Aldershot with 6th Brigade, 2nd Division when war broke out in Auguat 1914. The proceeded to France with the BEF on the 13th of August 1914, landing at Rouen and remained on the Western Front throughout the war. It took part in most of the major actions. In 1914 they were in action in The Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, the Actions on the Aisne heights and First Battle of Ypres. They took part in the Winter Operations 1914-15 and in 1915 saw action at The Battle of Festubert and The Battle of Loos. On the 13th of December 1915 they transferred to 99th Brigade still with 2nd Division. In 1916 they fought in the Battles of the Somme and the Operations on the Ancre. In 1917 they were in action during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, the Battles of Arras and The Battle of Cambrai. In 1918 they fought on the Somme, in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and The Battle of the Selle 2nd Division was selected to advance into Germany and formed part of the Occupation Force after the Armistice.
27th Aug 1914 On the March
16th Sep 1914 Enemy Active
17th Sep 1914 Attack
18th Sep 1914 Shelling
20th Sep 1914 Under Shellfire
5th Oct 1914 Shelling
21st Oct 1914 On the March 
27th Oct 1914 1st KRRC Advance
2nd Nov 1914 Attack Made
9th Nov 1914 Reliefs
12th Nov 1914 Enemy Advance
2nd Jan 1915 Relief Complete
3rd Feb 1915 Reliefs
7th Feb 1915 Reliefs
19th Feb 1915 Reliefs
25th Feb 1915 Boundary Change
1st March 1915 A Royal Visitor H.R.H. The Prince of Wales walked round the trenches occupied by the 1st Battalion KRRC, with General Horne.
Battalion War Diaries 1914-195 WO 95/1358/3
10th Mar 1915 Diversionary attack
10th Mar 1915 1st KRRC on the Attack 1st Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps are involved in failed assault by the Brigade on German trenches near Givency-lés-la-Bassée after artillery bombardment. "..if gallantry and determination could have commanded success it would have been theirs.." Casualties suffered were: NCOs and other ranks Missing believed killed (119); Killed (32); Wounded (94). In addition Captain E.P. Shakerley (killed); Captain C.A. Grazebrook (wounded and missing); 2nd Lieutenant F.P. Crawhall (believed killed); 2nd Lieutenant H. Else (wounded); Lieutenant P.J. Bevan (believed killed); 2nd Lieutenant A.R. Heron (believed killed); 2nd Lieutenant R. Fellowes (believed killed); 2nd Lieutenant K. Ward (wounded and missing. Subsequently unofficially reported prisoner of war)
Battalion War Diaries 1914-195 WO 95/1358/3
10th Mar 1915 Attack Made
11th March 1915 Reliefs
13th March 1915 Valiant Rescue
14th March 1915 Brigadier Congratulates 1st Herts
8th Apr 1915 Instruction
19th Apr 1915 Relief
12th May 1915 Training
15th May 1915 First Night attack
15th May 1915 Assault Made
2nd Jun 1915 Reliefs
6th June 1915 Operational Order No.10.
16th Jul 1915 Shelling
20th Jul 1915 Reliefs Complete
25th Jul 1915 Reliefs
8th Sep 1915 Reliefs
12th Sep 1915 Reliefs
16th Sep 1915 Reliefs
19th Sep 1915 Reliefs
24th Sep 1915 Reliefs
25th Sep 1915 Attack Made
26th Sep 1915 Reorganisation
26th Sep 1915 Reliefs
27th Sep 1915 Attack
29th Sep 1915 Reliefs Complete
1st Oct 1915 In the Line
1st Oct 1915 In Support
3rd Oct 1915 Reliefs
3rd Oct 1915 Attack
6th Oct 1915 1st KRRC at Rest
21st Oct 1915 Reliefs Complete
24th Oct 1915 Orders
14th Nov 1915 Reliefs Complete
15th Nov 1915 Shelling
26th Nov 1915 Reliefs Complete
4th Dec 1915 Reliefs
10th Dec 1915 Reliefs
16th Dec 1915 Reorganisation
24th Dec 1915 Trench Work
12th Jan 1916 Route March
21st Mar 1916 No Smokes
28th Mar 1916 On the Move
12th Apr 1916 Bad Weather
17th Apr 1916 On the Move
6th May 1916 Working Parties
20th May 1916 Training
22nd May 1916 Orders
23rd May 1916 Orders
27th Jul 1916 1st KRRC and 23rd Royal Fusiliers advance At 7.10am after a one hour barrage on Delville Wood the 1st KRRC and 23rd Royal Fusiliers of 99 Brigade and 2nd Division began their advance from the south. By 9am they had occupied a line 50 yards from the northern edge of the wood
27th Jul 1916 Attack Made
28th Jul 1916 Attack Made
4th Aug 1916 Reliefs Complete
24th Sep 1916 Church Parade
10th Oct 1916 Training
11th Oct 1916 Training
12th Oct 1916 Training
13th Oct 1916 Training
17th Feb 1917 Attack Made
5th Mar 1917 Reliefs
10th Mar 1917 Attack Made
28th Apr 1917 Attack Made
21st of May 1917 Quiet Night
24th of May 1917 Relief Completed
4th Jun 1917 Reliefs
11th Jun 1917 Reliefs
20th Jun 1917 Move
21st Jun 1917 Reliefs
27th Jun 1917 Reliefs
3rd Jul 1917 Relief Complete
9th Jul 1917 Reliefs
15th Jul 1917 Reliefs
27th Jul 1917 Reliefs
2nd Aug 1917 Reliefs
8th Aug 1917 Reliefs
14th Aug 1917 Reliefs
20th Aug 1917 Reliefs
1st Sep 1917 Sports
13th Sep 1917 Gas
26th Sep 1917 Gas
2nd Oct 1917 Gas Shells
5th of October 1917 On the March
6th Oct 1917 On the March
13th Oct 1917 Competition
14th Oct 1917 Competition
15th Oct 1917 Inspection
25th Oct 1917 Exercise
31st Oct 1917 Training
5th Nov 1917 On the March
6th Nov 1917 On the March
7th Nov 1917 On the March
26th Nov 1917 Reliefs
27th Nov 1917 Attack Made
27th Nov 1917 Intermittent Shelling
29th Nov 1917 Attack Made
13th Dec 1917 Reliefs
17th Dec 1917 Reliefs
24th Dec 1917 Working Parties
30th Dec 1917 Reliefs
4th Jan 1918 In Reserve
5th Jan 1918 In Reserve
6th Jan 1918 In Reserve
7th Jan 1918 Training
9th Jan 1918 Snow
10th Jan 1918 Snow
11th Jan 1918 Poor Weather
12th Jan 1918 Training
13th Jan 1918 Snow and Frost
14th Jan 1918 Training
15th Jan 1918 Training
16th Jan 1918 Bad Weather
17th Jan 1918 Poor Weather
19th Jan 1918 Orders
20th Jan 1918 Orders
21st Jan 1918 Heavy Rain
23rd Jan 1918 Reliefs
24th Jan 1918 In the Line
25th Jan 1918 Artillery Active
26th Jan 1918 Orders
26th Jan 1918 Reliefs
27th Jan 1918 Fog
28th Jan 1918 Artillery Active
29th Jan 1918 Artillery Active
29th Jan 1918 Reliefs
30th Jan 1918 Artillery Active
31st Jan 1918 Thick Mist
1st Feb 1918 Trenches Improved
1st Feb 1918 Thick Mist
2nd Feb 1918 Trenches Improved
3rd Feb 1918 Orders
15th Feb 1918 Reliefs
17th Feb 1918 Enemy Aircraft
21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation
22nd Feb 1918 Patrols
22nd Feb 1918 Reliefs
23rd Feb 1918 Shelling
24th Feb 1918 Shelling
25th Feb 1918 Shelling
26th Feb 1918 Artillery Active
27th Feb 1918 Artillery Active
28th Feb 1918 Shelling
1st Mar 1918 Raids
2nd Mar 1918 Snow
3rd Mar 1918 Patrols
4th Mar 1918 Quiet
5th Mar 1918 Patrols
6th Mar 1918 Gas
7th Mar 1918 Enemy Active
8th Mar 1918 Enemy Active
9th Mar 1918 Mist
10th Mar 1918 Enemy Active
11th Mar 1918 Gas
12th Mar 1918 Gas
12th Mar 1918 Reliefs
13th Mar 1918 Raids
14th Mar 1918 Artillery Active
15th Mar 1918 Intense Fire
16th Mar 1918 Trench Raid
17th Mar 1918 Patrols
18th Mar 1918 Raids
19th Mar 1918 Patrols
20th Mar 1918 Reliefs
21st Mar 1918 Arrangements
21st Mar 1918 In Action
22nd Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
23rd Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
24th Mar 1918 In Defence
25th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
25th Mar 1918 Fierce Attack
26th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
27th Mar 1918 In Defence
27th Mar 1918 Moves
29th Mar 1918 Enemy Quieter
30th Mar 1918 Reorganisation
31st Mar 1918 Shelling
31st Mar 1918 Intermittent Shelling
1st Apr 1918 Reliefs
18th Apr 1918 Reliefs
26th Apr 1918 Reliefs
5th May 1918 Reliefs
9th May 1918 Trench Raid
30th May 1918 Sports
16th Jun 1918 Reliefs
25th Jun 1918 Reliefs
26th Jun 1918 Quiet
5th Jul 1918 Reliefs
20th Jul 1918 Reliefs
4th Aug 1918 Reliefs
12th Aug 1918 Reliefs
14th Aug 1918 Raid
18th Aug 1918 Orders
19th Aug 1918 Training
24th Aug 1918 In Action
2nd Sep 1918 Orders
3rd Sep 1918 In Action
3rd Sep 1918 Attack Made
4th Sep 1918 Advance
29th Sep 1918 Attack Made
8th Oct 1918 Attack Made
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with1st Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps during the Great War 1914-1918. - Allcock Henry. Cpl. (d.10th Mar, 1915)
- Baxter Robert Samuel. L/Cpl. (d.27th Oct 1914)
- Bellamy W.. Rflmn. (d.16th Jul 1915)
- Brown William. Rfmn. (d.27th July 1916)
- Bryan William. L/Cpl.
- Caulfield Thomas. Rfmn. (d.14th Nov 1916)
- Clarke William. Rfmn. (d.15 May 1915)
- Clinton Walter L.. Capt.
- Clinton Walter. Capt. (d.22nd November 1918)
- Edwards Harold Brinley. Rflmn. (d.7th Sept 1915)
- Ellett William. Rflmn. (d.9th Oct 1916)
- Fear Arnold Hubert. Pte. (d.29th September 1918)
- Franklin Arthur Charles. Rfm. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Gill Albert. Sgt. (d.27th Jul 1916)
- Hammer Edward Walter. Rflmn. (d.14th September 1914)
- Harding F.. Pte. (d.29th June 1916)
- Harris Richard. Rfmn. (d.4th Oct 1914)
- Hatcher George. Rfm. (d.10th Mar 1915)
- Horne A. E.. Pte.
- Hornsby John Arthur. L/Cpl.
- Hornsby John William. L/Cpl.
- Johnston James William. L/Cpl. (d.3rd Oct 1915)
- Jones Frederick George. Rifleman (d.17th Sep 1916)
- Jones Frederick. Pte.
- Lambert George Henry. Rifleman (d.17th Feb 1917)
- Law Frank Edger. Sgt.
- Law George. Pte. (d.31st Oct 1915)
- Phillips William. Rflmn. (d.17th Feb 1917)
- Philpot C. W.. Pte.
- Prudence George Edwin. L/Cpl. (d.7th August 1916)
- Shearing Thomas William. Pte. (d.10th March 1915)
- Shewring Arthur. Rfmn. (d.10th Mar 1915)
- Still William Henry. Rflmn. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Styles William Charles. Rflmn (d.8th October 1918)
- Sutton John Thomas. L/Cpl.
- Swallow Herbert William. Rflmn. (d.27th July 1916)
- Ungerer MM. Cristian Arthur. Rfmn. (d.27th August 1918)
- Watson William Albert. Rflmn. (d.27th July 1916)
- Wilson Thomas. Pte. (d.27th July 1916)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 1st Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps from other sources.
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L/Cpl. William Bryan 1st Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps My great-great-uncle William Bryan. William fought in the Boer War and India prior to WW1. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has his date of death as 27th of October 1914. I visited Ypres and the Menin Gate last year to pay my respects to Bill, who was in the 1st Battalion KRRC. Incredibly, I have just found out that he is listed as a prisoner in Red Cross records dated 2nd of November 1914 and later in Güstrow POW Camp records dated 2nd of December 1914. After all these years, nobody alive today realized that 27th of October 1914 was not in fact his actual date of death.
So from today begins more research in the hope that we can now find out what really did happen to our Bill.
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Rfmn. Richard Harris 1st Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.4th Oct 1914) Richard Harris was 39 when he was badly wounded in the lungs during the Battle of Aisnes in September 1914.
He was brought home and died of these wounds in Whitworth Street Military Hospital in Manchester. He was buried in Southern Cemetery, Manchester and is remembered on the Screen Wall.
Richard was the first British Soldier to die in Manchester as a result of WW1 and there was great local outcry because, unlike German soldiers who had received full military honours when buried there, he was not given the same courtesy.
A Manchester newspaper reported that "the lack of the usual military features attending a soldier's funeral was freely commented on".
Born in 1875, Richard was a veteran of the Boer War having been awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal for his action in Cape Colony, Orange Free State, the Relief of Ladysmith and Transvaal, he also received the King's South Africa Medal for his service in 1901 and 1902. His WW1 medals (the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal) were presented to his wife and children, along with his Memorial Plaque, these are still with Richard's family to this day.
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L/Cpl. George Edwin Prudence 1st Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.7th August 1916) George Prudence took part in the Battle for Delville Wood. He was wounded gunshot to the face and died back in the UK.
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Sgt. Frank Edger Law 8th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps He was with his Battalion 8th K.R.R.C after transferring from the 1st Battalion K.R.R.C as an N.C.O through out WW1 right up until he was captured during the German attack on 21st March 1918. He was taken to Mannhiem and put in a prison of war camp there. During his time there he caught pneumonia, and managed to trick the Germans into believing it was tuberculosis which back then was contagious and a killer. The Germans did not want to have some one with this illness among them so they repatriated him back home via Switzerland. He was them looked after by his wife until he recovered and then was able to re join the K.R.R.C at Winchester later being demobbed in 1919.
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Rfmn. Cristian Arthur Ungerer MM. 1st Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.27th August 1918) Christian Ungerer was born in Southwark London in March 1898. The eldest child of Charles Christian Ungerer, a German immigrant, and Frances Mary Ungerer (nee Smith). The family moved to Silver Street, Edmonton in Middlesex in or around 1903 where they owned and ran their own bakery.
Christian had 3 younger brothers and 2 younger sisters. One of his sisters died at the age of 5 when Christian was 6 years old. None of his brothers fought in the Great War as they would have been too young.
As a baker Christian found himself serving with the Army Service Corps. I am not sure how long he served with them.
He then joined the 1st Battalion, King's Royal Riffle Corps. When or why I do not know. It could have been down to a lack of front line soldiers. I know he changed his Service Number and that he was used as a runner for the Battalion. Christian also spoke German so he would have been useful to the Battalion as an interpreter.
Christian died of his wounds on the 27th of August 1918 aged 20 and was laid to rest at Etaples Military Cemetery. Christian was awarded the Military Medal for bravery.
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Rflmn William Charles Styles 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.8th October 1918) My grandfather was killed near Cambrai on 8th.Oct 1918 and was buried in the village cemetery alongside about 79 others of Rumilly-en-Cambresis.
He left a wife Edith and 3 children:Edith 9, Edward 7 and Lily 5. He was 39 years of age.
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Capt. Walter Clinton 1st Bn. attd. 2nd Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.22nd November 1918) Captain Clinton is buried in the Belgrade New Cemetery in Serbia
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Pte. Frederick Jones 1st Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps On the 6th of May 1916, while serving with 1st KRRC, Frederick Jones was "Buried by shell explosion" and "knocked unconscious for about 3 hours". The 1st KRRC War Diary notes of a bombardment probably responsible for his injuries, it says A Company had 5 killed and 2 wounded.
After X-Rays to his lower back in France, he was transferred to Epsom for further examination. After further treatment at Epsom and The Infirmary, Birmingham, Medical Board decided he was "Permanently unfit for any kind of Service."
On the 15th of Dec 1916 he was discharged, wounded and awarded Silver War Badge No 99941.
He died on 24th of May 1923.
Frederick was my wife's maternal grandfather.
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Rflmn. William Albert Watson 1st Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.27th July 1916) Rifleman William Watson, who was my grandfather, was a fatal casualty on 27th July 1916, during the Battle for Delville Wood.
Interestingly though, as far as I can tell from scrutiny of the Delville Wood, Longueval British Roll of Honour, July-September 1916, he was the only 1st Battalion KRRC soldier of their 144 fatal casualties, to be buried in the Bernafay Wood Cemetery.
(I've often wondered why.)
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Rflmn. William Phillips 1st Btn. A Company King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.17th Feb 1917) William Phillips was my Great Uncle. He was 26 when he died. A red cross representative recorded the following details of his fate.
"He came from Chelsea & was a mucking in chum of mine.
He was lying near me when he was killed. We were in shell
holes. They counter attacked and we fell back into some short
pieces of trenches. Two bodies were dragged back as we fell
back. Then I saw S/Bs taking the papers off them and I asked who they were, it was Phillips and I think Myers, or a name
like that. I knew him very well but they were so covered with
mud that I could not recognize him but I saw his pay book and
had no doubt about him. I helped to pull him through, out of
the mud. And I saw him buried in a shell hole at Miraumont
It was practically in the line and I do not suppose that I
could find the place again myself. The other man was buried
with him. He used always to be talking to me about his Mother
and Sisters. He was a very nice quiet fellow who would
share everything with you. I have shared many of his parcels
a very decent fellow. There were not many of us Londoners in
the Company so we naturally drifted together. He lived at Norman
Road, Kings, Road, Chelsea."
Informant Rfn. James 25306
On Ambulance Train.
Calais 9 xxx (page torn)
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Rflmn. William Ellett 1st Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.9th Oct 1916) William Ellett died in the Battle of the Somme in the German trenches during hand to hand combat with a number of Germans. He died of a knife to the head but put up a valiant fight.
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Capt. Walter L. Clinton 1st Btn. attchd. 2nd Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps Captain Clinton was a prisoner at Graudenz POW camp. He escaped on 4th October 1918 and walked 190 miles to freedom. Sadly, he died in Belgrade on 22nd November 1918 and is buried in Belgrade New Cemetery, Grave 179.
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Rflmn. Harold Brinley Edwards 1st Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.7th Sept 1915) Rifleman Edwards died on 7th September 1915 and is buried in Cambrin Military Cemetery.
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Pte. Thomas William Shearing 1st Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.10th March 1915) Thomas Shearing Y/1166, 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, reported killed in action at Givenchy, France.
I have a photograph of the original burial by the German Army under the name Schaering in Courrières Cemetery, France. Most of the burials in this photograph are associated with Feldlazarett 4 des IV Armee-Korps [Field Hospital 4 of the 4th Army Corps]. His body was exhumed and reburied circa 1922/1923 in Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France. His date of death was stated to be 10th March 1915 in British Army records and in the Imperial War Graves Commission document used to prepare his current headstone; other records and the original German headstone state the 15th as the day of death. The 10th March corresponds with a failed offensive on Givenchy-lés-la-Bassée by 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, after which many soldiers were missing presumed killed. However, it appears likely that Rifleman Shearing was wounded and taken by the Germans for treatment to Feldlazarett 4 des IV Armee-Korps where he died on the 15th.
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L/Cpl. John William Hornsby 1st Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps Rifleman J W Hornsby (my grandfather) joined the KRRC as a young boy soldier. He served through out the war with 1st Btn, Kings Royal Rifle Corps, being gassed, losing toes through frost bite, bayonetted under the arm pit and finally returned home unfit for service on 22nd June 1918 shell shocked.
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Pte. Thomas Wilson 1st Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.27th July 1916) Thomas Wilson was my great uncle, my grandmother's brother. Thomas was deployed on 13th August 1914, and fought in every major battle of the war. Thomas was killed in action on the 27th day of July 1916. It was also his 27th birthday, and the 27th day of the Battle of the Somme. He was killed at Delville Wood. His good friend and seargant, Albert Gill, won a VC and Thomas was with him that fatefull day.
No grave for Thomas exists. His name is on the Thiepval War Memorial.
Never forgotten Thomas, and loved and respected by all who have been told about you.
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L/Cpl. John Arthur Hornsby A coy, 1st Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps John Hornsby joined the army in 1910 at Bulford Camp. He served until 22nd June 1918 and was returned home unfit for further service with shell shock, the nurse who looked after him later became my grandmother.
He was gassed in 1915 probably at Loos, and later was bayonetted under the armpit.
He was good at cricket and was good with the mills bombs often going into action with no rifle apparently.
He tried to re-join the army in 1939 but was pulled out of the queue by his mother and wife and dragged back home.
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Rfmn. Thomas Caulfield 1st Btn King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.14th Nov 1916) Thomas Caulfield served with 1st Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps in 99th Brigade, 2nd (Regular) Division.
Born in Widnes, Lancashire, he enlisted in Warrington and resided at 46 Moss Street, Moss Bank, Widnes. A single man, he was the only son of Michael Caulfield. His mother had died sometime before he enlisted. He received his elementary education at St Marie's school in Widnes and was a parishioner at St Marie's church. For a number of years he was a member of the "Kent Pride Lodge" of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows. From leaving school until enlistment, he worked at the Muspratt Works in Widnes.
By September 1915, he was an officers' servant in France and was later posted to a Heavy Trench Mortar Battery. Posted "missing, presumed killed" after an attack by his battalion on the German line at "Munich Trench" in the closing stages of The Battle of the Somme, Thomas Caulfield was one of 142 men, from the 1st Battalion, killed or wounded that day, he was aged 38. Thomas is buried at Frankfurt Trench British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel.
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Rfmn. Arthur Shewring 1st Btn. A Company. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.10th Mar 1915) Arthur Shewring was born in 1995. He served with the King's Royal Rifle Corps, 1st Battalion, A company and died on 10th March 1915 aged 19. We have no further details. The family story is that he had an argument with his mother and ran out of the house, over the back wall and was never seen again. He was supposedly underage when he signed up.
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Sgt. Albert Gill 1st Btn King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.27th Jul 1916) Sgt. Albert Gill served with the 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps and was killed in action on 27th July1916 aged 36 years. He is buried in Delville Wood Cemetery in France.
He was the son of Harry and Sophia Gill, of Birmingham, England; and husband of Rosetta Gill (nee Smith).
An extract from "The London Gazette" dated 24th October, 1916, records the following :-"For most conspicuous bravery. The enemy made a very strong counter-attack on the right flank of the battalion, and rushed the bombing post after killing all the company bombers. Serjeant Gill at once rallied the remnants of his platoon, none of whom were skilled bombers, and reorganised his defences, a most difficult and dangerous task, the trench being very shallow and much damaged. Soon afterwards the enemy nearly surrounded his men by creeping up through the thick undergrowth, and commenced sniping at about twenty yards' range. Although it was almost certain death, Serjeant Gill stood boldly up in order to direct the fire of his men. He was killed almost at once, but not before he had shown his men where the enemy were, and thus enabled them to hold up their advance. By his supreme devotion to duty and self-sacrifice he saved a very dangerous situation."
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