Pte
Benjamin Akroyd
General information
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Last known residence: Todmorden, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: Verenigd Koninkrijk |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 240477 |
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Enlistment place: Rochdale, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Lancashire Fusiliers, 1st/6th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 06/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Pommern Castle & Redoubt, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: VIII Row: A Grave: 17 |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Last known residence | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Benjamin Akroyd was the son of Thomas and Annie Akroyd. He spent his life in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom. He enlisted in the British Army at Rochdale, Great Manchester, England, United Kingdom. Benjamin enlisted in the 1/6th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment (125th Brigade, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division).
On 6 September 1917, the 125th Brigade attacked with the 1/7th and 1/8th in support at 7.30 am. The attack began at the positions known as Iberian Farm, Beck House and Borry Farms. A company of the 1/6th Battalion succeeded in taking Beck House, but two other companies of the same battalion came under machine gun fire from the southern slopes of Hill 35 during the attack on Iberian Farm. At 10.45 am the Germans had launched a bombing attack which recaptured Beck House, killing or capturing most of the battalion. This exposed the other companies of the 1/6th Battalion to fire from Hill 35 and forced them to withdraw to their original positions. The 1/5th Battalion therefore had their flank exposed and a German counter-attack at 7.30 pm forced them to withdraw. The right flank held 150 yards in front of their original position and consolidated.
One of the casualties on this 6th September 1917 was Benjamin Akroyd. He is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery (Plot VIII, Row A, Grave 17).
On 6 September 1917, the 125th Brigade attacked with the 1/7th and 1/8th in support at 7.30 am. The attack began at the positions known as Iberian Farm, Beck House and Borry Farms. A company of the 1/6th Battalion succeeded in taking Beck House, but two other companies of the same battalion came under machine gun fire from the southern slopes of Hill 35 during the attack on Iberian Farm. At 10.45 am the Germans had launched a bombing attack which recaptured Beck House, killing or capturing most of the battalion. This exposed the other companies of the 1/6th Battalion to fire from Hill 35 and forced them to withdraw to their original positions. The 1/5th Battalion therefore had their flank exposed and a German counter-attack at 7.30 pm forced them to withdraw. The right flank held 150 yards in front of their original position and consolidated.
One of the casualties on this 6th September 1917 was Benjamin Akroyd. He is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery (Plot VIII, Row A, Grave 17).
Sources 3
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1/6 Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2654/3). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), 72-73. Sources used |
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Soldier's Effects records (National Army Museum, Chelsea (NAM) 1901-60; NAM Accesion Number: 1991-02-333). https://www.nam.ac.uk/ Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461716 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=60dc6ce7-9d62-4bb5-be70-492cbab4176e |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/629662 |