Current Information:

Born-Mortlake

During the first three weeks of August 1918, 4th Division had been involved in the fighting in Flanders near Merville before being sent south to join the Canadian Corps and add their weight to the Battle of the Scarpe which was being fought east of Arras. On 28th August the 1st Rifle Brigade battalion of 11 Brigade arrived at Blangy lock and then moved in artillery formation across the Monchy plateau, with the ruined village of Monchy on their left, to the old British front line of March 1918. The following day, 10 Brigade and 11 Brigade crossed the River Sensée at 10am and captured the villages of Rémy and Haucourt. That evening 1st Rifle Brigade relieved 1st Somerset, on the banks of the River Sensée, facing the village of Éterpigny. On 30th August 4th Division attacked at 4pm but the enemy had seen the centre battalions moving to their assembly positions and as a result there were many casualties from shell fire even before the attack began. 1st Rifle Brigade also had the misfortune to be hit by their own artillery barrage as they crossed the swampy ground that separated them from their objective but this did not prevent them from capturing Éterpigny. They were assisted in this operation by troops of the 1st Somerset battalion working their way through Éterpigny Wood on their left. That evening 1st Rifle Brigade were relieved and moved into trenches on the western side of Seventy Ridge and on the following day they occupied communication trenches running east-west over the ridge. They remained here for the next two days under continuous shellfire, adding further to the casualty list. Overall it had been a successful operation but it had come at a cost. Among the casualties was Stanley Francis of 1st Rifle Brigade, who was killed on 1st September.