Current Information:

Age-38

Enlisted-Wembley

Barlin Communal Cemetery, 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, 1917, 5th Division were attached to the Canadian Corps for their operation against Vimy Ridge, just to the north of Arras. The initial attack by Canadian troops was a great success and by 7am the entire enemy front line system from the Labyrinth salient to Gunner Crater had been captured except for a small portion around Hill 145. At 9.35am Canadian reserves and the British 13 Brigade advanced behind a creeping barrage to capture the intermediate line south of Thélus, 500 yards away. The wire had been well cut and the obliterated trench was taken by 9.55am. Two minutes later a general advance on the whole front resumed behind a renewed barrage during which the 1st Royal West Kent and 2nd Scottish Borderers battalions advanced around the northern slope of Hill 135. 2nd Scottish Borderers met with little resistance and they rushed the quarries at the lower end of the Bois de Bonval and captured 200 of the enemy along with 2 howitzers and 4 machine-guns. 1st Royal West Kent took their section of Thélus Trench and also Count’s Wood after which two of their companies swung south-east to assist 2nd Scottish Borderers in clearing the Bous du Goulot. In the Bois du Goulot, the left of 1st Royal West Kent were hit by a gun detachment firing point blank from 200 yards but with 2nd Scottish Borderers providing rifle grenade cover, a platoon of 1st Royal West Kent rushed the emplacement while other German gun detachments fled down the slope leaving behind 9 guns and howitzers which were captured. The battalion remained in these forward positions until relieved during the evening of 10th April. One of their many casualties was Percy Wheatley who died from wounds on 12th April.