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ly in 1918 Russia dropped out of the war after their revolution
and this enabled the Germans to transfer 50 Divisions to the
Western Front. In anticipation of this, the British reinforced
that front, and this included bringing the 10th Surreys back to
Germany on 1st March 1918. They arrived at Mondicourt on 5th
and then trained for the next two and a half weeks.
With the Russian divisions in place the Germans were
determined to break the British before the Americans joined the
war, and they commenced a series of major offensives. This
began on the 21st March. One of those standing in the way
was Tom Little and the10th Division of the West Surreys, at the
town of Amiens.
The British were driven back several miles but did not lose their
key strategic towns and positions. The German attack could not
be sustained through lack of supplies and their offensive fizzled
out.
The Allies had 255,000 casualties and the Germans 239,000.
The statistics for the 10th Battalion West Surreys for that March
is instructive, bearing in mind that they were not involved with
the enemy until the last nine days of that month.
Original Strength – 44 officers, 558 other ranks.
Killed – 1 officer, 26 other ranks.
Wounded – 11 officers, 145 other ranks.
Missing – 4 officers, 184 other ranks.
Total casualties – 16 officers, 355 other ranks.
In a nine-day period 60% of their strength had become casualties.
Twenty-one-year-old Thomas Little was one of the 26 other
ranks, who were killed in that battle.
The Stamford & Rutland News of 17th April 1918 reports:-
“Killed in Action – Another local hero to fall in the war is Tom Little of
Kings Cliffe. Notification that he was dead has been received by his
father. Private Little had seen service in Italy. He returned there after
his furlough and was subsequently removed to France.”
He is remembered on the Arras Memorial, Bay 2.
129
and this enabled the Germans to transfer 50 Divisions to the
Western Front. In anticipation of this, the British reinforced
that front, and this included bringing the 10th Surreys back to
Germany on 1st March 1918. They arrived at Mondicourt on 5th
and then trained for the next two and a half weeks.
With the Russian divisions in place the Germans were
determined to break the British before the Americans joined the
war, and they commenced a series of major offensives. This
began on the 21st March. One of those standing in the way
was Tom Little and the10th Division of the West Surreys, at the
town of Amiens.
The British were driven back several miles but did not lose their
key strategic towns and positions. The German attack could not
be sustained through lack of supplies and their offensive fizzled
out.
The Allies had 255,000 casualties and the Germans 239,000.
The statistics for the 10th Battalion West Surreys for that March
is instructive, bearing in mind that they were not involved with
the enemy until the last nine days of that month.
Original Strength – 44 officers, 558 other ranks.
Killed – 1 officer, 26 other ranks.
Wounded – 11 officers, 145 other ranks.
Missing – 4 officers, 184 other ranks.
Total casualties – 16 officers, 355 other ranks.
In a nine-day period 60% of their strength had become casualties.
Twenty-one-year-old Thomas Little was one of the 26 other
ranks, who were killed in that battle.
The Stamford & Rutland News of 17th April 1918 reports:-
“Killed in Action – Another local hero to fall in the war is Tom Little of
Kings Cliffe. Notification that he was dead has been received by his
father. Private Little had seen service in Italy. He returned there after
his furlough and was subsequently removed to France.”
He is remembered on the Arras Memorial, Bay 2.
129
