Lewis House was used by the Germans during the war to build some bunkers in and around it. Indeed, the small farmstead is strategically located just behind the Wilhelm fortification.
Taking Lewis House
On 26 October 1917, the British 91st Brigade must capture Geluveld. The second battalion ‘Queen’s Regiment‘ is assigned to take Lewis House. The attack begins early in the morning. The men barely get forward in the mud and are constantly bombarded by machine guns from Lewis House.
The battalion loses 288 men in the attack. One of them is 38-year-old Fred Ayres from Ealing near London. He is reported missing and his body is never identified.
Practical information:
- Part of the Geluveld walking trail
- Can be guided
