Current Information:

Age-32

75, Rodney Court, Maida Vale

Tilloy British Cemetery, Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, 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.

On 9th April 3rd Division attacked at Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, just to the south of the Cambrai road. At 5.30am 76 Brigade advanced behind a hurricane bombardment by Stokes mortars and a machine-gun  barrage and the 1st Gordon Highlanders took their first objective. At 6.45pm they renewed the attack after a further barrage and although they made some initial progress, heavy fire from Feuchy Chapel forced them back to the Neuville-Feuchy Chapel road where they dug in. One of their casualties was William Fraser.