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Born-Chelsea

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.

6th Royal West Surrey (Queens) of 37 Brigade, 12th Division were involved in the fighting at the beginning of the Battle of Arras and then again in one of the last actions that took place  on 12th May, 1917 when 12th Division’s front ran from Rifle Farm, along Rifle and Scabbard trenches to the River Scarpe.  On their right 3^rd Division held Monchy while on their left, across the Scarpe, 4^th Division were just west of the Chemical Works and Rouex Cemetery. It was an irregular front line with opposing trenches often close to each other.  In front of 12th Division  the enemy were strong in Devil’s Trench and behind that was the equally formidable Gun Trench. On the evening of 12th May, Devil’s Trench was attacked by 76 Brigade, 3^rd Division, east of the Monchy-Pelves road and by 11th Middlesex of 36 Brigade and 6th Queens between the Monchy-Pelves and the Monchy-Pelves Mill roads. It was not a successful attack. At 6pm there was a three minute heavy artillery bombardment of Devil’s Trench after which the two battalions began their move across No-Man’s-Land only to be met by heavy machine-gun fire which stopped them in their tracks and although they were able to capture a small portion of Arrow Trench on the right, Devil’s Trench remained beyond their reach. News arrived that on their right 13th Liverpool of 3rd Division had gained their objective so at 9.45pm a second attack was launched after another short bombardment. Again they failed. Some managed to get to within forty yards of Devil’s Trench but could go no further and those who could returned to their own lines leaving their dead behind. Ernest Harper of 6th Queens was one of those who lost their lives in this operation.