Current Information:

Enlisted-Sun Street

On 19th May, 1916, 47th Division sidestepped to the south and took over the Berthental and Carency sector of the front line, just to the north of Arras. 7th London and 8th London of 140 Brigade moved into the trenches here just after a mine had been blown by the the British. In the subsequent infantry attack they had secured a tenuous hold on the new crater area, but by the time 140 Brigade arrived on the scene these gains had been lost to an enemy counter attack. The Germans had retaliated with an onslaught of large trench mortars or Minenwerfers, known to the British soldier as “minnies” and had largely destroyed the front line trenches. There was no respite on the following day, 20th May. The “minnies kept on coming and the casualties kept on rising. One of these was Frederick Boakes, who was killed in action on that day.