Firth FORREST was born in late 1898.
He enlisted into 4th (2nd Res) Batt East Lancs Regiment on 5 Jan 1915, saying that he was 19. (Army Form E501). At some point he was employed as a clerk at Coddington & Sons who were cotton spinners and manufacturers and who owned New Mill.
He may have been inspired to join up by his namesake, uncle Firth FORREST, who had served in the Loyal Lancashire Regiment between 1876 and the 1890s.
As a reservist he spent 1915 moving camps around the South Coast before being stationed at Colchester in March 1916. His record shows him receiving several minor punishments including: 2 days C.B for having dirty buttons, 3 days C.B for making improper remarks to a NCO and 3 days C.B for neglect of duty. He clearly mended his ways and was promoted to Lance Corporal (Unpaid) ratified to Paid status in May 1917.
He was in Lowestoft on Boxing Day 1917 when he was caught with a light burning at 10.15 in disobedience of Battalion Orders and was insolent to a Provost Corporal. This resulted in him losing his Corporal stripe on 29 Dec 1917.
The next day he was posted to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France. Whether this was a planned posting or the result of the Boxing Day infraction is not known.
Firth travelled to France over the New Year 1918 and was posted to 1/2 Monmouth Regt on 4 Jan 18 at Longuenesse, France. The Monmouthshire Regiment was a Territorial regiment - i.e. not Regular - and was the only one to eventually march into Germany. 1/2 Monmouth were the Pioneers for the 29th Division. This involved trench digging, wiring, road and 'hard point' construction and repair, duck boarding, tramway maintence, drainage and bringing materials to the front line.
The precise circumstances of Firth Forrest's death are unknown, however the military circumstances are well documented. The Germans under Ludendorff decided to exploit weaknesses in the Allied lines with a three pronged attack against the British lines in Spring 1918 hoping to strike a decisive blow that became known as The Battle of the Lys. Operations Mars and Michael were launched in late March and made swift progress. Operation Georgette was launched on 9 Apr 1918. Two German armies attacked, north and south of Armentières, again pushing back the British this time by over ten miles and on 11th April 1918 General Haig issued his famous special order: "There is no course open to us but to fight it out. Every position must be held to the last man; there must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause we must fight on to the end. The safety of our homes and the freedom of mankind alike depends upon the conduct of each of us at this critical moment".
First Forrest is listed as missing on Friday 12 Apr 1918, the day after Haig's special order.
The month had begun in usual fashion with the Battalion based at La Brique and engaged in construction and maintenance details. Soldiers attended training courses and there was an excellent Battalion concert at the Battalion Recreational Hut on the 5 April. On 8 April the Battalion was relieved and it paraded and rested during the next day. On 10 April a planned redeployment to Le Poy was cancelled and the Battalion was ordered into position on the Bailleul-Nieppe road near La Creche. At midday next day orders were received to move forward to occupy a new position between B9d (halfway between Nieppe and d'Achelles) and B3a (NW of De Seule, now call Le Seau) and this was achieved without difficulty by 3.30pm. This new position was deemed important and to be held at all costs.
The battalion then received orders to extend its right flank and endeavour to connect up with 2nd Hampshire Regt (at about B8a.5.4 along the road to Rabot), however the Hampshires were found to be occupying Dermot Mill (at B1d 4.5, just south of De Seule) so the connection was impossible.
The Battalion underwent "very trying conditions" as the Germans attacked through the night and following morning. A company of 1st Newfoundland Regt was sent up in support and the lines were held until 4pm on 12 April when the Germans out-flanked the position on the right (along the Rabot - d'Achelles/Papot road) and left (near Lampernisse, north of d'Achelles).
An extract from the War Diary: "The day proved to be a severe one for the Batt & the casualties were very heavy. During the morning the enemy bombarded hourly with Trench Mortars & used Machine Guns to a large extent with the result that the Batt early in the day had lost 4 officers wounded & 75 Other ranks killed & wounded. When the enemy came in on the flanks there were 8 Officers & about 400 Other ranks absolutely cut off - these people had been ordered to hold the positions at all costs." This left the Battalion with only 4 officers and 150 men remaining who rallied during the afternoon but were withdrawn to their original position south of the Bailleul-Nieppe road in the evening. They held this new line through 13th April and covered the withdrawal of the 88th Brigade through 14 April.
The casualty figures for 10th-20th April were as follows:
(a) Officers Killed - 3, Died of Wounds - 2, Wounded & Missing 2, Wounded - 4, Admitted to Hopital (NYDN) - 3 NYDN stood for "Not Yet Diagnosed Nervous" which was the medical term for suspected shell shock. Total 14
(b) Other Ranks: Killed - 29, Wounded - 187, Wounded & Missing - 11, Missing 245. Total 472
Of the Battalion's 1094 men (as at 31 Mar 1918) who went into action during this battle, 44% were killed, wounded or were missing by 20 Apr 1918.
In Firth's Statement of Services is written: "Missing - Pte - 12.4.18. To be regarded as having died on or shortly after - 12.4.18". At the bottom of Army Form B I22 - the record of punishments - there is written "No Trace".
Reinforcement of the British line and weaknesses in the over stretched German attackers, combined with Haig's plea, halted this third attempt at breakthrough. More gains were made by the Germans, but due to stiffening resistance and the long lines of supply, by the end of April Operation Georgette too was called off. The Germans were to make no more offensives.
Firth Forrest was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
He is commemorated at Arras Memorial, Pay de Calais, France. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has the following Record of Commemoration:
In Memory of Rifleman Firth Forrest, 228928, 1st Bn., Monmouthshire Regiment who died age 19 on Friday 12 April 1918.
Rifleman Forrest, son of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest, of 75, Rockcliffe St., Blackburn. Remembered with Honour, Arras Memorial