Current Information:

Age-35

 Balvernie Grove, Southfields

Monchy British Cemetery, Monchy-le-Preux, 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 John Cooper was killed, 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 12th Highland Light Infantry battalion of 46 Brigade supported 10/11th Highland Light Infantry in their attack on Monchy and sent in parties to help clear the captured village.