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Age-18

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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.

Third Battle of the Scarpe (3–4 May 1917)

The Third Battle of the Scarpe was launched in conjunction with an attack by British and Australian troops at Bullecourt to the south of Arras. Its objective was to force a German retreat further to the east and to try and reach the Wotanstellung, a strong German defensive line. This did not happen. It started badly as a result of the decision to fix zero hour at 3.45am, half an hour before sunrise which made it very difficult to see what was going on. To add to this, the nearly full moon, which set at 3.35am, silhouetted the assembling troops drawing enemy fire causing heavy loss and confusion.  During two days of fierce fighting the British and Canadians were unable to make any significant advances and the offensive was abandoned. Once again the casualty rate had been shockingly high.

On 3rd May, 1917, 14th Division attacked with 41 and 42 Brigades in the southern part of the battlefield, to the south of the River Cojeul. 9th Rifle Brigade of 42 Brigade was the left hand battalion. They advanced behind a creeping barrage of shells but veered to the right and came across a previously unknown German trench which was both wired and manned. They managed to capture this trench but very few then went on to reach the first objective, a strongpoint called ‘Hill Side Work’, let alone their second objective, Triangle Wood and the Red Line. Like many other units attacking that day, they were overwhelmed by machine-gun and shell fire from in front and from the flanks, including enemy positions the other side of the Cojeul. The second wave set out half an hour later, by which time there was some daylight and consequently became easier targets. They suffered the same fate and took cover in front of Spotted Dog Trench which was half way towards their first objective and held by the Germans. Nearly all the officers and many NCOs became casualties and as none of the runners sent back with messages made it, Battalion HQ received no news about what had happened to the attack. With enemy counter attacks pressing in a withdrawal back to the starting line was ordered and slowly the survivors made their way back. All except that is, for two small parties of men in shell holes in front of Spotted Dog Trench, who did not receive the order to withdraw. They remained there until the evening of the next day when some were able to get back. The  casualties sustained by 9th Rifle Brigade during the day’s operations were 269 killed, wounded or missing. One of these was Albert Savory.