Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

On September 15th 1916 the 1/21st and 1/24th Battalions of the London Regiment attacked down a forward slope in broad daylight and in plain sight of something like one hundred German Forward Observation Officers, it is said that had any Senior Officer been present at the time the attack would never have been ordered’.

To close a gap between the British troops who had occupied High Wood, at great cost, the day before, the First Surreys were ordered to attack. Alone and unsupported, they captured Starfish Redoubt - a fortified German position - and part of the Starfish Line, part of the Flers-Courcelette battle,

Others watched them go in. An extract from the War Diary of 1/15th Battalion (The Civil Service Rifles) records : ‘6pm 21st London Regiment attacked from High Wood on West Half of Starfish and Cough Drop Practically annihilated by Artillery and Machine Gun fire’.

Starfish was the fifth item on their orders issued by Lt Col Kennedy,the FSR’s Commanding Officer. The Cough Drop was a secondary objective. There is no mention in the First Surreys regimental history, published Christmas Day 1927 of either. The attack is recorded as an, ‘ill-fated venture’.

In the 111 Corps ‘Summary of Operations’ for the day, ‘The 21st Battalion, after suffering heavy casualties, captured the Starfish and a small portion of the Starfish Line to the west of it, but were unable to capture the Cough Drop’. The 47th Division book published 1921 says, ‘the capture of the Starfish Line was considered essential and about 6pm the 21st and 24th Battalions attacked with this object….On the right the 21st Battalion (FSR) attacked the Starfish Line and captured Starfish Redoubt itself, but their attempt to get onto the Cough Drop did not succeed’.

The First Surreys dead, and with several hundred wounded, were eight officers and one hundred and twenty-five other ranks including Gilbert. A further nine died of wounds.

Courtesty of The Dulwich Society