Augustus Blackburn was the 8th child of eleven born to William and Hannah Blackburn on 1st May 1896 in Fulham. Employed as a fitter’s mate, he enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry (Chatham Division) on 29th June 1915 at the age of 19 years 1 month and 28 days. He was 5 feet 3 inches tall, with fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He was given a service number of CH/861(S) On the 5th December 1915 he embarked for the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, arriving in Alexandria on 17th December 1915 then joined D Company of the 1st Royal Marine Battalion in Lemnos on 26th January 1916. With the evacuation from Gallipoli the battalion sailed for France arriving in Marseille on 19 May 1916. For the first half of June the battalion were in Hersin (near Lens) and on 11th June Augustus was wounded by shell fire in the right thigh; and sent to the 23 Casualty Clearing Station at Lozinghem (near Bethune). Whilst he was recovering from his wounds, the Battalion were in Bois de la Haie. He rejoined the battalion on 9th July 1916 whilst the battalion were occupying the front line trenches in Angres II (north of Arras) having relieved the 24th London Regiment, where they remained for the whole of July. On the 20th July the division’s name was changed from the Royal Naval Division to the 63rd (RN) Division and the brigade changed from 1st Brigade RND to 188th Brigade. Throughout August and the first half of September, the battalion were either in the front line at Angres II or being relieved by the 2nd Battalion Royal Marines every 4 to 5 days. Between the 22nd July and 15th August Augustus was part of the 255 Tunnelling Company at Pt.Sains. On the 7th November the battalion relieved the 10th Royal Dublin Fusiliers in the Hamel sector. The 7th was also designated “W” day (three days to the attack on the German trench system). On the 8th they returned to Engelbelmer, and on the 9th marched to Varennes and taking over the Hamel sector from Nelson Battalion on 10th November. The 11th November was “X” day for operations, then on the 12th “Y” day moved up to Battle positions by 1430 where they suffered further casualties. The attack commenced at 0545 on 13th November on the opening of the barrage when the Battalion advanced in four waves (1 platoon of each company in a wave). There was very thick mist and every company commander was killed before crossing the German Front Line. Enemy trenches were practically obliterated by British artillery. No Man’s Land and ground between various German lines as far as slope down to Station Road was pitted with shell holes, deep and very muddy. Ground crossed by the battalion was particularly muddy which made advance difficult. Within a minute of the barrage starting, enemy replied with artillery barrage on support lines and No Man’s Land, where they also opened a heavy machine gun fire. Augustus Blackburn was one of the first over the top where he was killed in action. It is estimated that at least 50% of casualties occurred between No Man’s Land and German 1st Line. Between 2nd & 3rd Line, ground was swept with machine gun fire. Here also were heavy casualties. Isolated parties of the Battalion followed the barrage as far as the Yellow Line and got in touch with the Honourable Artillery Company on their right flank. They were not however sufficiently strong to close gap between the HAC & battalion on left. Remnant of this battalion held dotted Blue Line during night of 13/14th November, in partially constructed trench west of Station Road. The battalion advanced on 13th November with 490 officers and men and returned 138 strong having had 47 men killed, 210 wounded and 85 missing. Of the 22 officers who took part only 2 returned, with 6 being killed, 11 wounded and 3 missing. The officers and men lost in the Chatham Division of the RMLI are commemorated in two books of remembrance (one for each war) in Rochester Cathedral.

Caroline Goodbody