Henry (Harry) D Drummond

Killed in Action on the 07/04/1918 near Gentelles / Hangard, Somme (part of the German Spring Offensive)

The Royal Field Artillery 250th (1st Northumbrian) Brigade were part of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division. Henry was Killed in Action 2 weeks after the Germans began their Spring Offensive near Gentelles / Hangard. SEE PHOTOS x 14 FOR THE BRIGADE WAR DIARY MARCH - APRIL 1918. The War Diary states for the 07/04/1918 : "Australians whom we cover made a local attack to regain BOIS DE HANGARD; the attack succeeded - 68 prisoners were taken but later the Germans counter attacked and retook the ground. Remainder of the day was fairly quiet". The Division were previously involved in the Battle of St. Quentin on the 21st - 23rd March 1918, the Actions at the Somme Crossings 24th and 25th March 1918 and The Battle of Rosieres on the 26th and 27th of March 1918. These were phases of the 1st Battles of the Somme, 21st March – 5th April 1918 : After transferring very large forces from the now-collapsed Eastern Front, the German Army commits to a series of large-scale offensives. The first, Operation Michael, strikes the British Fifth and Third Armies. A deep advance is made and inflicts large losses, although the second phase, Operation Mars, at Arras on the 28th March, is soon held. In the crisis, the Allies decide at Doullens to appoint French General Foch as co-ordinator, and soon enough, as Generalissimo. Before enough French and British reserves are finally assembled to hold the German advance before it captures the critical railway junctions at Amiens. After Henry's death the Division was involved in the Battle of Estaires, 9th - 11th April 1918 and the Battle of Hazebrouck, 12th - 15th April 1918. These were phases of the Battles of the Lys, 9th April – 29th April 1918 : The third German offensive Operation Georgette takes place in Flanders with the objective of capturing key railway and supply roads and cutting off British Second Army at Ypres. After initial successes the German attack is once again held after British and French reserves are somehow found and deployed. SEE PHOTOS x 59 FOR THE 50th (NORTHUMBRIAN) DIVISION BOOK MARCH - 8th APRIL 1918. From January 1917 the Divisional Artillery only consisted of 250 and 251 Brigades and the Divisional Ammunition Column. After the fighting against three German offensives in the spring of 1918 the Division was reorganised and reconstituted. Henry was reburied in Hangard Communal Cemetery Extension (see photos). He is also remembered on the Co-Op Society Roll of Honour (see photos, listed as sausage maker). See photos for Henry's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, his Reburial Form, Henry's Pension Records x 3, another photo of Henry's grave, Hangard Communal Cemetery Extension and the Royal Field Artillery Cap Badge. Finally, see photos for the 50th (Northumbrian) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division Henry was with when he died) and Newspaper clippings from the Coatbridge Express 29/12/1915 x 4.