211223 Capt. Jacob Andrew Norman Hessler British Army 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry from:West Hartlepool (d.27th May 1918) Both Norman Hessler and his younger brother Jackie were killed in 1918 and have no known graves. I have done considerable research into Norman's death in the Battle of the Aisne in May 1918. He was Company Commander of D Coy which was in reserve based on Centre d'Evreux nr Pontavert. They were ordered to proceed to the intermediate line but met the Germans in overwhelming on the way. They came into contact with the enemy in either Boyeau [communication trench] or Boyeau St Pol and Jackie was killed while covering his company's withdrawal with a Lewis gun [letters from Lt CD Marley and LtCol BS Robinson to Jackie's's widow].
In the British military cemetery nr La Ville aux Bois les Pontavert is the grave of an unknown DLI TA captain killed in the Battle of the Aisne. Four were killed and where the body was found was not far from where my uncle Norman was killed, however I came to the conclusion that it must be the body of one of the two 6 DLI captains killed in that action. 6 DLI was on the right of the 151 bde front
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