11/05/2019
Today, I did the sort of trip that I love; a small family group, following the last actions of a close relative, in this case, 2nd Lieutenant John Langham, 10th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters. John had originally enlisted into the Queens Westminster Rifles, but after periods of inactivity caused by illness, was offered a commission. He opted for his local Regiment, and was initially to join the 7th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters, but with the reduction of battalions in 1918, found himself allocated to the 10th.
They were to be involved in an advance against the German held village of Villers Guislain in September 1918, and after a short period of regrouping in the village of Lechelle in mid September, moved up to their jumping off positions on the night of the 17th, ready for a 5.30 am start on the 18th. The day went well, with good initial advances and the capture of prisoners and machine guns, but from about noon, the advance faultered, with vigorous defence from well sited machine positions. The troops occupied German trenches but could advance no further, and there were the inevitable German counter attacks, which were beaten off, Lt Greenway's company taking 75 prisoners and six machine guns. John Langham was still doing his duty after over 15 hours of action when he was killed, probably by machine gun fire. The following day, the 19th, saw the battalion under heavy shellfire, before finally being relieved just before midnight.
It's likely that the shellfire meant that John's body, unlike some of the casualties that day could not be identified post action, and thus, he has no known grave, but is commemorated, like many of the men killed that day, on the Memorial to the Missing at Vis en Artois.
