Current Information:

Age-23

41A, Milton Road, West Hendon

Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, France

Artillery men faced many dangers and during the course of the war nearly 50,000 of them were killed. Their gun batteries were targeted by the enemy’s guns which accounted for many of their casualties. Others were sent forward to act as ‘spotters’ which meant going forward to the front line and signalling back to the guns necessary changes in target and other vital information. Keeping the batteries supplied with ammunition was a dangerous task as the enemy guns would target the known supply routes, especially at night. Brigade Diaries rarely shine any light on casualties sustained, unless of course they were officers and even then information is sparse.

The Battle of Arras was a series of offensives by the British Army between 9th April 1917 and 16th May 1917. It had been planned in conjunction with the French who would attack in Artois and between them the Allies would force the Germans out of the large salient they had held since the line of trenches was first established. But the Germans had spoiled this plan by falling back to the new and very strong Hindenburg Line in January 1917 and the salient no longer existed.  For the want of an alternative plan the attack went ahead anyway. It all started well for the British who made substantial gains on the first two days but then the offensive ground to a halt and by the end their losses amounted to over 150,000.

162 Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery was attached to 33rd Division and on 9th April, 1917, at the start of the Battle of Arras, the guns had moved forward to positions half way between Arras and Blangy. During the morning of 13th April, the day on which Lawrence Eveleigh was killed, the batteries and wagon line were heavily shelled and again during the night when the enemy fired gas shells.