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Casualties in 1918

After the horrors of Passchendaele, the winter of 1917-18 was relatively quiet.  By the Spring however, it was clear that the Germans would launch a major offensive.  Tom Massam was killed while reinforcing defences in anticipation of the attack.

German Spring Offensive

On 21 March the Germans launched Operation Michael, whose objective was the capture of the towns of Arras and Amiens.  Despite significant advances over the Somme battlefield, the German army was eventually unable to make the breakthrough it needed and by 30 March the offensive was all but over.

When Operation Michael failed, the Germans attempted a new offensive, named Operation Georgette, or the Battle of the Lys, which began on 9 April.  The Germans quickly recaptured all the ground taken at such cost during the battles of Passchendaele but were ultimately unable to break the Allied lines and they called the operation off on 29 April.  Nineteen Briggers lost their lives during the German Spring Offensive.

George Spencer was killed in 'ordinary' fighting in a 'quiet' sector as both sides tried to recover from the exhaustion of the Spring Offensive.  The tentative counterattack began at Vieux Berquin in June, where John Green was killed.  In an otherwise quiet month, Ralph Cheetham was killed in an enemy gas attack on his camp.  Henry Fazackerley was killed in the Battle of the Marne 1918, he'd only been at the front a few weeks.

The Allies' final push, later to be known as the 100 Days' Offensive, began in earnest on 8 August.

John Moss died in Baghdad from complications following malaria.

Wilfred Green, James Flannigan, Tom Pearson, James Darwen, William Slater, Jasper Shovel, Cornelius Seed and John McNamara VC were all killed in the advance towards Cambrai.  In the very last action of his Division during the War, Robert Shackleton was killed during the capture of the village of Ingoyghem.  He had previously been awarded the DCM.

 

Robert Clifton was killed in a naval accident in Dover harbour.  Robert Brindle died whilst serving in India.  John Rylance died in a PoW camp in Germany having been take prisoner in May.

Influenza pandemic

James Waterhouse, Edward Hough, Robert Croskell died of the flu in Europe; William Parkinson and Richard Howcroft both died of the flu in Alexandria, Egypt

Thomas Massam, Sherwood Foresters, 3 March 1918

John Riley M.M., Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 22 March 1918

Walter Gahaghan, King's (Liverpool Regiment), 23 March 1918

Edward Bamber M.M., (King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), 23 March 1918

William Turner, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment),

23 March 1918

Alfred Bradshaw, Royal Field Artillery, 24 March 1918

Walter Wilson, King's Liverpool Regiment, 24 March 1918

Henry Blackburn, Cheshire Regiment, 27 March 1918

William Riding, East Lancashire Regiment, 27 March 1918

Peter Kirkman Stirrup, Royal Field Artillery, 29 March 1918

James Knight, Grenadier Guards, 30 March 1918

William Clarkson Nun Preston, Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment), 3 April 1918

Arthur Nuttall, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment),

9 April 1918

Robert Hardacre, Royal Field Artillery, 9 April 1918

Frank Sumner, Royal Field Artillery, 9 April 1918

James Beaver, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment,

10 April 1918

Thomas Callaghan, Lancashire Fusiliers, 12 April 1918

Francis Schultz M.M., Royal Field Artillery, 13 April 1918

Norman Grime, Royal Field Artillery, 14 April 1918

William Henry Higham, Royal Fusiliers (City of London) Regiment, 24 April 1918

Thomas Westby, Cheshire Regiment, 25 April 1918

Robert Darwen, Cheshire Regiment, 29 April 1918

Thomas Roberts, King's (Liverpool Regiment), 29 April 1918

George Spencer, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment,

23 May 1918

John Green, East Lancashire Regiment, 28 June 1918

Joseph Pearson, Royal Garrison Artillery, 4 July 1918

Ralph Cheetham, Scots Guards, 12 July 1918

Henry Fazackerley, Devonshire Regiment, 20 July 1918

Matthew Brierley, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment,

11 August 1918

George Whalley, King's (Liverpool Regiment), 21 August 1918

Charles Albert Golding, East Lancashire Regiment,

22 August 1918

John Moss, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment,

1 September 1918

Robert Stott, King's (Liverpool Regiment), 2 September 1918

Wilfred Green, Royal Field Artillery, 9 September 1918

Robert Clifton, Royal Navy, 16 September 1918

James Hunter Flannigan, Royal Welsh Fusiliers,

18 September 1918

Thomas Aloysius Pearson, Royal Field Artillery,

27 September 1918

James Anselm Darwen, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment,

28 September 1918

William Slater, Manchester Regiment, 3 October 1918

Rev. Thomas Jasper Shovel, Army Chaplains' Department,

5 October 1918

Cornelius Seed, Northumberland Fusiliers, 14 October 1918

Robert Brindle, Bedfordshire Regiment, 15 October 1918

John McNamara VC, East Surrey Regiment, 16 October 1918

John Rylance, Royal Field Artillery, 19 October 1918

Robert Shackleton D.C.M., Cameronians (Scottish Rifles),

25 October 1918

James Waterhouse, Royal Field Artillery, 30 October 1918

Edward Hough, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment,

30 October 1918

Robert Croskell, Royal Field Artillery, 11 November 1918

William Parkinson, Royal Field Artillery, 20 November 1918

Richard Howcroft, Royal Field Artillery, 24 November 1918

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