Sunday WW1 Remembered...

I am a frequent visitor to the History of the Great War website and I am always fascinated in the timeline of events which are so clearly marked out for each month of the war.

The Battle of Arras took place in the spring of 1917 and was one of the principal assaults undertaken by the British Army on the Western Front. Under Allied control, but situated just a few kilometres from German lines, the town of Arras formed a significant vantage point and was a regular target for German weapons.

Due to the increased hostilities in the area, by early 1916, Arras had very little civilian population remaining. Much of the town had been destroyed and it was, to all intents and purposes, a British town, which managed its business in both French and English.

A view of devastated ground near Arras, 1917

© IWM (Q 87756)

On the 23rd April 1917 and following days of poor weather and freezing conditions, The Second battle of the Scarpe began at 04:45.Casualties were expected to be high and a field hospital had been stationed near to a quarry, an area known colloquially as 'Thompson's Cave' after Colonel A.G Thompson, the architect who designed it. It was expected to deal with hundreds of  wounded soldiers and indeed, the Battle of Arras collectively saw the worse bloodshed of the war with thousands wounded or killed.The hospital was fully functioning and was fitted out with waiting areas for the wounded, an operating theatre, and a mortuary. 

German and British wounded going to the dressing station, together. April, 1917

© IWM (Q 7801)

Despite German counter-attacks ,by the morning of 24 April, the British held the areas around Guémappe, Gavrelle and the high ground overlooking Fontaine-lez-Croisilles and Cherisy.

Battle of the Scarpe. 

British cavalry resting alongside the Arras-Cambrai road, April 1917.

© IWM (Q 2031)

Voices of the Great War

Listen to an IWM Podcast 27: Arras and Vimy Ridge

As always, I am indebted to the Imperial War Museum for the chance to read the personal accounts of the soldiers who were at Arras and Vimy Ridge and for the opportunity to share these pertinent photographs taken at the time by war photographers.

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Sunday WW1 Remembered

I am a frequent visitor to the History of the Great War website and I am always fascinated in the timeline of events which are so clearly marked out for each month of the war.

April 9th -12th, 1917

The Battle of Vimy Ridge

Today, April 9th, marks the centenary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge which was fought primarily as part of the offensive known as the Battle of Arras in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of northern France. The armies involved were four divisions of the Canadian Corps against three divisions of the German Sixth Army. The objective was to take control of the high ridge along an escarpment at the northern end of the Arras Offensive.The battle took place between the 9-12th April, 1917 and was particularly fierce resulting in much injury and loss of life.

The offensive was due to begin on Easter Sunday but was postponed at the request of the French who wouldn't contemplate beginning such a battle during a Christian festival, so the battle began on the 9th April, which was Easter Monday. The weather was cold with sleet and snow which in a way worked to the allies advantage as the snow was blown in the direction of the German troops higher along the ridge.

At exactly 05:30, the battle for Vimy Ridge began with every piece of Canadian artillery being charged along with the detonation of land mines under no man's land and under the German trench line.  Over 15,000 Canadian troops stormed the Ridge capturing most of the German positions by the end of the first day.

The battle concluded on the 12th April with the Canadians firmly in control of Vimy Ridge but it had been a painful and ferocious fight which resulted in 10,602 casualties: 3,598 killed and 7,004 wounded.The German Sixth Army suffered an unknown number of casualties with approximately 4,000 men becoming prisoners of war.

Four members of the Canadian Corps received Victoria Crosses - this was the the highest military decoration awarded to British and Commonwealth forces for bravery during the battle:

Private William Johnstone Milne of the 16th (Canadain Scottish) Barttalion 

Lance-Sergeant Ellis Wellwood Sifton of the 18th (Western Ontario) Battalion.

Private John George Pattison of the 50th (Calgary) Battalion

Captain Thain Wendell McDowell of the 39th (Ottawa) Battalion

To commemorate the  Battle of Vimy Ridge there will be a service of Remembrance held at the Vimy Ridge Memorial today and attended by representatives from Canada, United Kingdom and France.