The month of July 1917 was spent in preparation for the Ypres offensive: the third battle of Ypres, known as the Battle of Passchendaele.
The battle commenced on 31 July 1917.
The role of the 18th Division was to leapfrog the 30th Division after they had taken what became known as "the Black Line" through Glencorse Wood.
By mistake the 30th Division infantry wheeled to their left and assaulted Chateau Wood instead of Glencorse Wood.
The misleading information that Glencorse Wood was in British hands caused the 53rd Brigade to plunge into a fatal gap.
During 31 July and 1 August the 53rd Brigade fought against a fully prepared enemy for ground which the 30th Division should have taken.
This error caused the offensive in Glencorse Wood to be held up for several days with fierce fighting throughout this period.

Captain Nicholls in his history of the 18th Division records:
... in all that hellish turmoil, there had been one quiet figure, most heroic, most wonderful of all.
Dr Ackroyd, the 6th Berks Medical Officer, a stooping, grey haired, bespectacled man rose to the supreme heights that day.
He seemed to be everywhere; he tended and bandaged scores of men for to him fell the rush of cases around Clapham Junction and towards Hooge.
But no wounded man was treated hurriedly or unskilfully.
Ackroyd worked as stoically as if he were in the quiet of an operating theatre.
Complete absorption in his work was probably his secret.
When it was all over there were 23 separate recommendations of his name for the Victoria Cross.

Ackroyd came through 31 July unscathed but died eleven days later on 11 August in Jargon Trench on the western edge of Glencorse Wood, shot in the head by a sniper.

Ackroyd was attached to the 6th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:
For most conspicuous bravery.
During recent operations Capt.
Ackroyd displayed the greatest gallantry and devotion to duty.
Utterly regardless of danger, he worked continuously for many hours up and down and in front of the line tending the wounded and saving the lives of officers and men.
In so doing he had to move across the open under heavy machine-gun, rifle and shell fire.
He carried a wounded officer to a place of safety under very heavy fire.
On another occasion he went some way in front of our advanced line and brought in a wounded man under continuous sniping and machine-gun fire.
His heroism was the means of saving many lives, and provided a magnificent example of courage, cheerfulness, and determination to the fighting men in whose midst he was carrying out his splendid work.
This gallant officer has since been killed in action.

Private Albert Scriven wrote to Ackroyd's widow Mabel on 16 September describing what happened:
I was acting orderly corporal and on hearing the news I took a party of stretcher bearers but on arrival found he was dead.
There were six other poor fellows in the same shell hole who met the same fate, it was a perfect death trap.
He was visiting each company about 150yds ahead of us to see if there were any wounded to attend to and was shot in the head by a sniper.

Ackroyd's body was evacuated and buried in Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Zillebecke near Ypres.
His headstone reads "Believed to be buried in this cemetery."
The month of July 1917 was spent in preparation for the Ypres offensive: the third battle of Ypres, known as the Battle of Passchendaele. The battle commenced on 31 July 1917. The role of the 18th Division was to leapfrog the 30th Division after they had taken what became known as "the Black Line" through Glencorse Wood. By mistake the 30th Division infantry wheeled to their left and assaulted Chateau Wood instead of Glencorse Wood. The misleading information that Glencorse Wood was in British hands caused the 53rd Brigade to plunge into a fatal gap. During 31 July and 1 August the 53rd Brigade fought against a fully prepared enemy for ground which the 30th Division should have taken. This error caused the offensive in Glencorse Wood to be held up for several days with fierce fighting throughout this period.
Captain Nicholls in his history of the 18th Division records:
... in all that hellish turmoil, there had been one quiet figure, most heroic, most wonderful of all. Dr Ackroyd, the 6th Berks Medical Officer, a stooping, grey haired, bespectacled man rose to the supreme heights that day. He seemed to be everywhere; he tended and bandaged scores of men for to him fell the rush of cases around Clapham Junction and towards Hooge. But no wounded man was treated hurriedly or unskilfully. Ackroyd worked as stoically as if he were in the quiet of an operating theatre. Complete absorption in his work was probably his secret. When it was all over there were 23 separate recommendations of his name for the Victoria Cross.
Ackroyd came through 31 July unscathed but died eleven days later on 11 August in Jargon Trench on the western edge of Glencorse Wood, shot in the head by a sniper.
Ackroyd was attached to the 6th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:
For most conspicuous bravery. During recent operations Capt. Ackroyd displayed the greatest gallantry and devotion to duty. Utterly regardless of danger, he worked continuously for many hours up and down and in front of the line tending the wounded and saving the lives of officers and men. In so doing he had to move across the open under heavy machine-gun, rifle and shell fire. He carried a wounded officer to a place of safety under very heavy fire. On another occasion he went some way in front of our advanced line and brought in a wounded man under continuous sniping and machine-gun fire. His heroism was the means of saving many lives, and provided a magnificent example of courage, cheerfulness, and determination to the fighting men in whose midst he was carrying out his splendid work. This gallant officer has since been killed in action.
Private Albert Scriven wrote to Ackroyd's widow Mabel on 16 September describing what happened:
I was acting orderly corporal and on hearing the news I took a party of stretcher bearers but on arrival found he was dead. There were six other poor fellows in the same shell hole who met the same fate, it was a perfect death trap. He was visiting each company about 150yds ahead of us to see if there were any wounded to attend to and was shot in the head by a sniper.
Ackroyd's body was evacuated and buried in Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Zillebecke near Ypres. His headstone reads "Believed to be buried in this cemetery."
Harold Ackroyd