Thomas Ingram enlisted in the NZ Rifle Brigade in January, 1917 and was in Britain by the end of that year. He was posted to A Company in October of 1917.
Almost as soon as he reached his company he was away from it - a case of tonsillitis put him in hospital for nearly a month.
The Official History of the Rifle Brigade paints this picture of their activities in the period between the end of the German Spring Offensive and the Allied reply: "After an interval spent on the defensive, every opportunity was taken to rest and train Divisions; and, while their strength and efficiency were being restored, to execute, with ever-increasing frequency and scope, such minor operations as would maintain the fighting spirit of the troops, and at the same time effect local improvements in the line in readiness for the day when the Allied Armies could once more attack in strength."
One such "minor operation" - on July 15 - was the taking of a German trench which involved an advance of 100-200 yards over a frontage of 1000 yards. Preparations were carefully made to avoid making the enemy suspicious and the two Rifles companies went in after the covering artillery barrage lifted from the trench. The Germans were caught by surprise but put up a good fight before retreating from their trench. The action last forty minutes.
A further advance was planned for the next day, beginning at 4.30am but enemy artillery opened up a heavy bombardment at 3 am and the Germans counter-attacked half an hour later "in strength and with great determination." Two hundred yards of "A" Company's position was taken. The Kiwis fought back, deploying trench mortars and retaking their 200 yards and more.
"In the subsidiary operations on the morning of the 16th, (reports the Official History of the Rifle Brigade) our casualties numbered three killed and ten wounded." It would seem that one of the three was Thomas.
The entire German position was evacuated the next month as part of a general withdrawal.
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