At 5.45 a.m. on 22nd December 1914 the three 1st Battalion companies in the forward trenches attacked the German trench along the road leading from Givenchy to Chapelle St. Roche, they took it but, being without any support on their flanks, they were bombed out of it about 8 a.m. and retired to the North of the ruins of the church in Givenchy having lost over 50% of their strength.

With the Scots Guards and the London Scottish holding the remaining parts of Givenchy so began the daily routine of siege warfare in this area of Givenchy. At 9 p.m. on the 22nd December the Battalion was relieved by the Black Watch and marched back to billets in a village south of the canal at Pont Fixe, billets being farm buildings around a dirty midden, the weather being wet and cold. John was killed during the days actions