Current Information:

Born-Shoreditch

Monchy British Cemetery, Monchy-le-Preux, France

On 7th July, 1917, 9th Essex of 35 Brigade, 12th Division moved into Bayonet and Long Trenches in the front line to the east of Monchy-le-Preux near Arras, where, apart from the routines of holding the line, they were also employed at night in digging new trenches in front of their existing positions. This activity was severely disrupted in the early morning of 11th July, when the enemy began a trench mortar bombardment of the front and support lines followed by a barrage of all calibres and an infantry attack on Long Trench. All of the working parties, out digging trenches managed to get back to their own lines except for No.12 platoon which was left to hold the unfinished section of the new trench. In the face of the German attack they were forced back to a small unfinished slip trench, about 100 yards in front of the regular front line. They held on here until the sheer weight of numbers eventually forced them further back and by the end of the day the enemy had control of part of Long Trench. Two factors that helped the Germans in this attack was the lack of wire in front of the British trenches and the absence of any meaningful artillery support, which was probably due to the  smoke of the German bombardment obscuring the SOS signals. One of the casualties suffered by 9th Essex in this attack on their lines was Arthur Hurd.