John Douglas Halsey

Private, London Regiment

John Douglas Halsey lived at 70 East Dulwich Road and was a student at Alleyn’s until 1915. He joined the war effort after leaving school as part of the London Regiment and served overseas on the Western Front as a Private. In March 1918, John was serving with the London Regiment in France when the German Army launched their Spring Offensive. The attack initially took the British by surprise but they were quick to organise their defences, leaving strategically important areas such as Amiens well defended and insignificant battle torn land lightly manned. The British continued to defend their positions throughout April and it was during this time that John was killed in action on April 16^th 1918, at the age of 20. He was known as an ‘impulsive, warm-hearted boy’ who was ‘popular with everybody’ and he is buried at St. Pierre Cemetery, Amiens.