Current Information:

Born-Reading

Enlisted-Somerset House

On 19th May, 1916, 47th Division sidestepped to the south and took over the Berthental and Carency sector of the Vimy Ridge, just to the north of Arras. Their arrival here coincided with a German onslaught against these positions which for the first 2 days took the form of a barrage of large trench mortars or Minenwerfers, known to the British soldier as “minnies”. But the full force of the German army was not felt until the next day, 21st May, 1916. The trench mortars continued to batter the British line until midday and then, at 3pm, after a lull, there began an intense artillery bombardment of the front from Royal Avenue to Momber and Love craters, the positions held by 7th London and 8th London of 140 Brigade  This bombardment not only covered the front but all the back positions too, including billeting villages 7 to 8 miles back.  All agreed that never before had such a ferocious artillery barrage been seen.  The enemy had 80 batteries with unlimited ammunition, firing on just a 1800 yard front and the agony continued for 4 hours with 70,000 shells being fired.  The smoke and dust mixed with the tear gas shells caused so much confusion that the British artillery were unaware of the infantry assault which the Germans  launched at 7.45pm when the German artillery lifted and a mine was fired at the head of Royal Avenue.  A minute later the German infantry attacked but they were not seen until they were half way across no-man’s land, advancing in lines at 3 yard intervals with other lines behind carrying wire, timber and machine guns. The trenches held by 140 Brigade were soon in their hands.

15th London of 140 Brigade were in Brigade reserve in billets in Camblain l’Abbé when the attack was launched and that evening they were moved up to the Maistre defence line and then to Cabaret Rouge to give support to the beleaguered 8th London. During the last stage of this forward movement they came under heavy artillery fire, including tear-gas shells. That night, starting at 2am, there was a counter attack, launched by the Brigade reserves including some of 15th London, to try to regain lost ground but it came to nothing, other than the deaths of a number of men. The rest of 22nd May was spent consolidating the positions they found themselves in while coming under artillery fire at regular intervals. That evening they were relieved and moved back to Camblain l’Abbé. 15th London sustained over 90 casualties during this action, one of whom was Archibald Russell, who was killed in action. His date of death is given as 23rd May by which time the battalion were out of the firing line, so it is much more likely that it was 22nd May.