18th May 1915 - Private James Turner - Age 30

[stevew101]

Private James Turner Born 1887

Son of William & Lydia Turner from Weston in Hertfordshire.

My Great Grand Uncle Private 4/6950 James Turner of the second Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was posted missing on the 18th of May 1915.

On the 11th of May 1915, the 2nd Battalion marched to Le Hamel, arriving at 3am.  At 4.20pm, they were ordered to the trenches to relieve the 21st Battalion of the London Regiment.  The Battalion continued their march and took over the front line trenches at L'Epinette at 8.45pm.

Over the next six days, a number of attacks were made against the enemy.  It was noted on the 17th and 18th of May that many serious obstacles in the way of water filled ditches broke down the cohesion of the attacks.  Several men were drowned in these ditches during the assaults as well as those killed by heavy artillery fire and bombing.

From 8pm on the 11th of May until 3pm on the 19th of May, 2 Officers were killed and 9 wounded.  Of the other ranks 45 were killed and 68 were posted missing (Including James Turner), 276 were wounded of which 4 died.

He is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.

Remembered with Pride