Private John Cassidy

Private John Cassidy, 1st/7th ( Territorial ) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action in Belgium on 26th October 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres, aged 25. He was the son of Mrs Ann Cassidy of Lucker Cottage, Belford, Northumberland and is buried in Poelcapelle British Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium. He fell in the attack on the German strongpoints of “Angle Point” and “Aden House” which were defended by numerous pillboxes. Artillery and machine gun fire were heavy and snipers very active. The immediate objectives were captured but casualties were heavy and the temporary gains had to be given up by a retirement back to the jump off trenches. 9 Officers and 96 Other Ranks were killed and 1 Officer and 150 Other Ranks were wounded. At nightfall the Battalion was relieved by the 5th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment. The photographs give an idea of the state of the Flanders battlefield where the incessant shelling had destroyed the drainage systems. His Headstone is inscribed ” R.I.P. The Souls Of The Righteous Are In The Hands Of God “. The final photo shows the impressive Memorial raised to commemorate the 50th ( Northumbrian ) Division of which the Battalion was part until February 1918. It was erected near the village of Weiltje where nearby the Division had fought its first action of the War on 26th April 1915 during the Battle of St. Julien only days after landing on the Continent.

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