It was not long before that too fell and the retreat continued each day amid mounting losses of men and equipment. They were firing on Agache Valley before being forced back via Fremicourt to Avesnes-les-Bapaume. They withdrew to Lebucquière as Louverval and Doignies had fallen to the enemy.
The LXXXVII Brigade was based at Beaumetz prior to the attack and progressively retreated in the face of close fighting and heavy casualties. It must have come as a nasty shock to find that at 5am on 21st March 1918 the roll was reversed and that the big guns were having to be fired in defence to try and keep the invading Germans at bay. As part of a Heavy Battery, Gunner Tasker would have fired barrages in support of the various offensives engaged upon by the 2nd Army. Their guns were 60 pounders and had a maximum range of 12,300 yards. He was sent to France with the 154th Heavy Battery which formed part of the LXXXVII Artillery Brigade and was attached to the 2nd Army.
#BENJAMIN TASKER SERIAL NUMBER#
It would appear young Hilda was baptised in Ringmer on 17th October 1917.īen Tasker transferred from the Sussex Gunners, who were on coastal defence, into the Regular Artillery and received the new serial number 128885. He left the district and moved to Catsfield near Battle to marry Nellie Bourner in 1917 and their daughter Hilda Agnes was also born that year. However, the school admission register shows that on 13th April 1912 he was exempted further education. The son of Philemon, a labourer, and Agnes Tasker who lived at Broyle Lane, Ringmer he attended the village school from 24th June 1901 until 28th October 1908. He was a Ringmer lad having been born and baptised there on 23rd April and 5th June 1898 respectively. A Territorial Gunner, Benjamin joined the Sussex Royal Garrison Artillery with the number 695 in September 1915.
0 kommentar(er)
