Current Information:

306, Merton Road, Southfields

Born-Leith, Scotland

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.

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

On 9th April, 1917, IV Corps attacked with 3rd, 12th and 15th Divisions between Tilloy les Mofflaines and the Scarpe with their main objective being the Wancourt-Feuchy line. They all reached the first objective, the Black line without too much trouble but progress after that was more problematic. 15th Division attacked with 44 Brigade and 45 Brigade protected by a barrage of 22 machine-guns and with 46 Brigade in reserve. By 5.30pm and after some heavy fighting 15th Division had captured the Brown Line along its whole length.

On 11th April, the day on which Andrew Law lost his life, 15th Division co-operated with 111 Brigade of 37th Division in the capture of Monchy, considered to be the outstanding feat of the battle. On the division’s front, the 10/11th Highland Light Infantry battalion of 46 Brigade inclined considerably to the right as they swung round to face the guns firing from Monchy after which the two leading companies passed south of the village and were on their way to Boiry when they were held up by heavy fire. The rear companies entered Monchy and cleared some houses and then left from the north of the village to proceed to their original objective but were checked by machine-gun fire and were forced to dig in.