Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William and Elizabeth Russell of Blaby, Leics., and the husband of Annie Sabina Russell. Other sources show his place of residence as Blaby, Leics. The War Diary for today records that the Battalion were in the Holnon sector close to the Strong Point known as the Quadrilateral. At 1.10am Brigade Operational Order number 353 received advising that the Brigade would attack the Quadrilateral and Selency with 9th Norfolk Regiment on left, 1st Leicestershire Regiment in the centre and 1st West Yorkshire Regiment on the right. Company Commanders summoned to HQ’s and verbal orders issued to them regarding the assembly and delivery of the attack. Company’s were disposed as follows:- A Company (right front company) S.2.d. 90.20 to S.3.c. 85.80 Lieutenant S. M. Geddes in Command. C Company (left front company) S.3.c. 85.80 to S.3.b. 30.85 Captain J. Herring Cooper in Command. B Company (supporting A and 300 yards behind A) Captain P. R. Milner M.C. in Command. D Company (supporting C and 300 yards behind C) Captain H. H. Duvall in Command. Objective of Battalion, enemy line S.9.b. 60.95 Epicure Valley and Etrecat Trench S.4.a. 30.60. Owing to very short notice all preparations were hurriedly made, but company’s had all moved off to positions of assembly by 4.45am. At 5.30am the barrage opened and the attack launched, enemy barrage was put down at 5.31am. At 7.10am message (timed 6.00am) from Officer Commanding C Company advising first line of objectives captured, but he was unable to advance further owing to uncut wire. At 7.40am Officer Commanding C Company confirmed previous message, and asked for bombs to enable him to stave off a bombing attack which was threatening on his left. Bombs were sent for. At 10.05 message received from 2nd Lieutenant A. W. Paterson who had taken over command of B Company, Captain Milner being missing, to the effect that 3 platoons of the Company with him were digging in along Bank from S.3.a. 5.0 to S.3.c. 7.8 unable to move forward owing to heavy Machine Gun fire from the right. Orders sent to him to maintain his position and to try to get into trench with A Company. At 11.20am report (timed 9.25am) received from Officer Commanding C Company stating that he was unable to move forward owing to the strength of the wire obstacle between the trench he held and the enemy line 80 yards away, he was unable to get touch on flanks, wire being practically untouched. Strength of Company approximately 1 officer and 60 other ranks. From this message it was gathered that C Company were in C.T. running parallel with road in S.3.a., c. and d. and not in Douai Trench and Quadrilateral. At 12.40pm C Company advised several casualties from aerial darts. Up to now no news whatever had been received from A or D Company’s. At 4.20pm Officer Commanding B Company reported (timed 3.45pm) that he was in touch with C Company on his left and 1st West Yorkshire Regiment on his right. His approximate strength 2 officers and 52 other ranks. Situation remained unchanged for some -?-. Still no news of the bulk of A and D Company’s. Parts of 2 platoons of A Company joined up with C Company during the evening but all trace had been lost of Officer Commanding A Company and 2 platoons. Officer Commanding D Company was wounded shortly after -?- and could give no information about his Company. Remnants from D Company began to come in and about 30 men were finally collected and attached to B Company. Captain Milner rejoined at dusk having been held up in a shell hole all day. At 9.00pm Brigade Operational Order number 354 received advising that Brigade front would be reorganised and would be held by 9th Norfolk Regiment on left, 1st Leicestershire Regiment in the centre and the 2nd Durham Light Infantry on the right. Arrangements made with 9th Norfolk Regiment and 1st West Yorkshire Regiment. Relief was completed at 3.00am on the 20th. Reinforcements of 6 officers and 53 other ranks came up to join the Battalion on the night of 19th/20th Transport came under heavy shell fire when within 50 yards of Battalion HQ’s and sustained casualties. 3 out of 6 horses killed and 1 wounded. Sergeant Camp who was in charge of Transport managed to deliver the rations, then got his three limbers away using 2 -?- in the shafts and towing one of the limbers. The reinforcements sustained several casualties and eventually 6 officers and 34 other ranks sent up to the Battalion. This made the strength of the Battalion about 16 officers and 300 other ranks. Casualties to date being approximately 10 officers and 280 other ranks. Casualties, other ranks A Company 9 killed, 29 wounded, 8 missing. B Company 1 killed, 48 wounded. C Company 4 killed, 39 wounded, 6 missing. D Company 7 killed, 68 wounded, 14 missing. Officers wounded were Captain H. H. Duvall, Lieutenant G. C. Colman, 2nd Lieutenant R. J. Croker, 2nd Lieutenant G. Clark D.C.M., 2nd Lieutenant F. W. Sisson and 2nd Lieutenant R. Shaw. Officers killed were Lieutenant S. M. Geddes. Officers missing were 2nd Lieutenant C. A. Smith D.C.M.