Sue's Great Uncle. Private - Machine Gun Corps.

On 21 March 1918 when the Germans launched their immense Operation “Michael” offensive, also often known as the “Kaiserschlacht”, Hargicourt quickly fell. The village was blanketed in thick fog and came under exceptionally heavy artillery fire with high explosive and poison gas shells. German infantry occupied the village by about 10.30 am that morning, killing and capturing large numbers of the British troops in the area. British artillery doused Hargicourt with poison gas after it had been captured by the enemy, but the continued German advance pushed the fighting front many miles to the west. Hargicourt was once again well behind the fighting sector.