The Battalion arrived in France on the 18/07/1915 and were part of the 57th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. Christopher was formerly with the Royal Engineers (3546) and enlisted on the 17/05/1915. He previously served for 6 years as a Corporal in the 4th Royal Dublin Fusiliers. He fell along with 5 of his comrades on the 30/12/1917 at the action of Welsh Ridge and they are buried alongside each other. This was part of the Cambrai operations (Battle of Cambrai), 20th November - 30th December 1917 : A British attack, originally conceived as a very large scale raid, that employed new artillery techniques and massed tanks. Initially very successful with large gains of ground being made, but German reserves brought the advance to a halt. Ten days later, a counter-attack regained much of the ground. Ultimately a disappointing and costly outcome, but Cambrai is now seen by historians as the blueprint for the successful "Hundred Days" offensives of 1918. From the 8th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment War Diary 30/12/1917 : "At 9.30am enemy put down a very heavy barrage on our right and our right and centre Companies were very heavily shelled. The enemy launched a strong attack on our right with the object of capturing Welsh Ridge. In this he was unsuccessful although he had some success in three places, entering front of the 63rd (Naval Division). This barrage lasted for about one and a half hours and was again repeated twice during the morning. Heavy fire was kept up during the whole of the day. Casualties were heavy". Christopher was 1 of these casualties. Grave photo kindly donated by Mick McCann at the British War Graves website who supply photos FREE OF CHARGE
here. Christopher is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour and on the online Dublin Roll of Honour. See photos for Christopher's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his listing in the Ireland Casualties WW1, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, Christopher's Pension Records x 3, Ribecourt British Cemetery, his previous Regiments the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and the Royal Engineers Cap Badges, and the North Staffordshire Regiment Cap Badge. Finally, I have the 8th (Service) Battalion War Diary from July 1915 to January 1918. Please contact me if required.
