Current Information:

Age-36

60, Courtfield Gardens, Earl's Court

St Nicolas British Cemetery, Arras

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, XVII Corps attacked with its right on the River Scarpe and its left directed on the Commandant’s House, south-west of Farbus Wood their objective being Fampoux in the Scarpe Valley and the southern edge of Vimy Ridge. 27 Brigade of 9th Division attacked the Black Line with the 12th Royal Scots and 6th Scottish Borderers battalions after which, 9th Scottish Rifles and 11th Royal Scots passed through to take the Blue Line and then the Brown Line. 9th Division captured all their objectives as well as over 2000 prisoners. One of the division’s casualties in this operation was Harold Thorne the commanding officer of 12th Royal Scots.