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Age-19

35, Talgarth Road, West Kensington

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.

On 9th April, 1917, 34th Division attacked with all three brigades in line their objective being the Point du Jour line and then a Green Line some 300 yards beyond it. 101 Brigade attacked with the 16th Royal Scots battalion on the right and 11th Suffolk on the left with their final objective being the Arras-Lille railway, mostly a cutting here. The Black Line was easily taken after which enemy resistance grew stronger but eventually the final objective was reached despite the loss of a large number of men. One of these was Erik Thurburn.