Current Information:

Age-29

6, Bertram Road, Hendon

Born-Stoke Newington

Faubourg d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France

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.

The First Battle of the Scarpe (9-14 April)

On 9th April, 1917,  12th Division attacked due east of Arras with 37 Brigade on the right and 36 Brigade on the left.  They emerged from the shelter of the Arras caves and at 5.30am the assault on the German line began behind an artillery and smoke barrage provided by the gunners and a machine gun barrage from 24 guns which kept the enemy firmly in their dug-outs. By midday these two brigades had overcome some stiff German resistance and captured their two objectives, the Black line and the more formidable Observation Ridge on the Blue line which ran north from Tilloy up towards Feuchy and behind which was Battery valley which concealed many of the German guns. Now it was the turn of 35 Brigade to continue the attack on to the final objective, the Brown line, which included the Wancourt-Feuchy Trench  and a strongpoint, the Feuchy Chapel Redoubt.  With 7th Norfolk on the right, 9th Essex on the left and 5th Royal Berkshire between them, they advanced from the Blue Line. 7th Norfolk captured the ‘Maison Rouge’ on the Cambrai road and some trenches north  of it with comparative ease while 9th Essex and 5th Berkshire swept down the eastern slope of Observation Ridge and came upon Battery Valley all of which was dotted with German artillery, some abandoned, some firing at point blank range. The two battalions advanced in short rushes. 9th Essex captured nine guns and 5th Berkshire took twenty two and then proceeded to turn two of the guns on the enemy on the high ground beyond the Brown Line. By the end of the afternoon the Brown line was firmly in British hands. It had been a successful day for 12th Division but it came at a cost in casualties. One of these was Harry Horsford of 5th Berkshire.