Theatre

Action/Battle/Other

Battle of Loos

Place of Death

Military Hospital, Etaples

Medals

Medal Citation (if app)

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Enlisted Date/Place

September 1914 at Rugby

Previous Regiments/Units

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Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)

It is believed that Martin was wounded on the 25th September during the Second Attack on Bellewaarde which was one of three diversionary attacks which had the aim of diverting German troops away from Loos when the British attack went in there on the same day.

At 4.20am this attack was launched on a 2000 yard front from Hooge to the Bellewaarde Ridge. On the right the 3rd Division went forward with 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers from 9 Brigade, 1st Gordon Highlanders and 4th Gordon Highlanders from 8 Brigade and 2nd South Lancashire and 2nd Royal Irish Rifles from 7 Brigade. Their advance astride the Menin road was preceded by the firing of two pairs of mines. The German front line south of the road  was taken in the first rush but no further progress could be made whilst north of the road, uncut wire and German machine guns prevented 7 Brigade from capturing Hooge Chateau and the strongpoint at south-west corner of Bellewaarde Lake. In the afternoon a  heavy German bombardment of the captured trenches followed by a strong bombing assault resulted in these positions being evacuated and 3rd Division falling back to their own front line.

42 Brigade of 14th Division attacked on the left with 5th Shropshire Light Infantry, 5th Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry and 9th Rifle Brigade in front. The German front line was taken at three separate points across the Bellewaarde ridge, but Bellewaarde Farm was not captured. There followed a number of attempts to bomb the enemy out of the intervening stretches of their front line but the inferiority of British grenades at this stage of the war meant that these were unsuccessful. Again in the afternoon  a strong German counter attack developed which fell hardest on 9th Rifle Brigade near Railway Wood. 9th King’s Royal Rifle Corps, also of 42 Brigade moved up in support but both battalions were driven back to their own line. However they did manage to keep possession of the new mine crater.  Eventually 5th Shropshire Light Infantry and 5th Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry, further south, were forced to withdraw. No ground was gained and the casualty list was long. Martins battalion suffered over 450 casualties and what was left of the battalion were taken by train to Poperinghe. Our thank for for the above to The London War Memorial website.

Bellewaarde Farm area	Etaples Military Cemetery

Birth Date & Place

Baptism Date & Place

Parents

Thomas & Elizabeth Towers of Harborough Magna

Wife & Marriage

Children

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Occupation(s)

• 1911 - Farm Labourer

Schools & Colleges

• Churchover School

Address History

• 1901 - Harborough Fields Farm, Harborough Magna
• 1911 - Bath Lane, Kings Newnham
• 1915 - The Gibbett, Churchover

Other Information

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