Current Information:

Age-33

Flat 1, 194, Gray's Inn Road

Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty, 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.

The First Battle of the Scarpe (9-14 April)

56th Division had been involved in the attack on 9th April, 1917, the opening day of the battle, but by 11th April, 4th London of 168 Brigade found themselves in reserve positions in Neuville-Vitasse , awaiting orders to move up and renew the attack. This happened on 15th April when they relieved other battalions of the division in the front line north-east of Heninel, just in time to fight off a German counter attack on these positions on the following day, 16th April. At 4 ‘clock that afternoon they received information from Brigade HQ that the enemy were preparing to attack and at 7.30 in the evening the German artillery began a heavy bombardment of 4th London’s trenches. To disrupt the expected counter attack the Lewis gunners were sent forward to saps, probably just shell holes, 60 yards in front so that they could fire on the enemy infantry as soon as they emerged from their trenches. This they did 45 minutes later and the Lewis guns dealt effectively with the attack. The Germans retired to their trenches and maintained shelling the British lines. 4th London remained in these forward positions until finally relieved on the night 18/19th April during which time the artillery of both sides was constantly active. There were a number of  casualties for the battalion including Charles Coates who died of wounds on 19th April.