Current Information:

Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, 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.

After their involvement at the beginning of the Battle of Arras, which cost them dear, 14th London (London Scottish) of 168 Brigade, 56th (London) Division did not return to the front line there until May 5th, 1917, when they took over the line just north of the Arras-Cambrai road. They relieved battalions from the other two brigades of 56th Division who had been part of the 3rd Battle of the Scarpe on the previous two days, an offensive that had been both unsuccessful and costly in terms of human life. By the time 14th London arrived on the scene, the infantry action was over but the guns still kept up their murderous fire and it is very likely that it was this shell fire that caused the death of John McLachlan who died from wounds on 8th May.