Grande Place Arras (Town Hall)

Grande Place Arras (Town Hall) 1936 royal visit, Canadian pipe band.

Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery Arras

Ipswich has long been associated with Arras France. During the late 1980’s Ipswich Borough Council went into a cultural partnership (twinning).

(Soldiers from 202/158 Royal Logistics corps. Ipswich)

Annually a Ipswich civic and military party lay wreaths to remember all Commonwealth soldiers who lost their lives during both wars.

Arras liberation day 2016

Arras Flying Services Memorial

Over 36,000 names are inscribed on tablets at the Arras Memorial in the Faubourg d’Amiems Cemetery, which Viscount Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force, seen unveiling on July 31st. 1932 The cemetery arch bears the names of 1,008 missing airmen. (photos and extract from 1936 Daily Telegraph  Supplement)

Ipswich men remembered

1917

HARRY WILLIAM ALDOUS

Essex Regiment

Died: 9th August 1917; age 28; KiA

 Bay 7.

JAMES EDGAR ALDOUS

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 28th April 1917; age 21; KiA

Bay 4

CHARLES FREDERICK ARMER

Bedfordshire Regiment

Died on or since death presumed: 3rd May 1917; age 39; KiA.

Bay 5.

JOHN BACON

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 9th August 1917; age 24; KiA.

Bay 4.

ERNEST BARTLETT

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 26th April 1917; age 27; KiA.

Bay 4.

ROBERT CHARLES BROWN

Norfolk Regiment

On or since death presumed: 28th April 1917; age 25; KiA.

Bay 3.

WILLIAM BROWN

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 28th April 1917; age 23; KiA.

Bay 4.

SIDNEY CLAUDE SEAMAN BRUNNING

Suffolk Regiment

Died on or since death presumed: 28th April 1917; age 20; KiA.

Bay 4

WILLIAM GEORGE BURTON

Machine Gun Corps

Died: 3rd May 1917; age 21; Died of Wounds

V.D.14.

Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery Arras

ALAN ROBERT BUTCHER

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 28th April 1917; age 27; KiA.

Bay 4

OLIVER THOMAS BUTCHER

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 8th March 1917; age 31; KiA.

III.E.22.

Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras

GEORGE WILLIAM CLARKE

Essex Regiment

Died: 21st March 1917; age 21; KiA.

III.J.21.

Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery,Arras

GEORGE WILLIAM CLAYDON

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 4th May 1917; age 24; KiA.

Bay 4.

ARTHUR WILLIAM COCKER

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 23rd April 1917; age 19; KiA.

Bay 4.

ARTHUR COLEMAN

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 23rd April 1917; age 32; KiA.

Bay 4.

HERBERT COOPER

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 28th April 1917; age: 20.

Bay 4.

STANLEY CHARLES CURTIS

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 10th April 1917; age 21; KiA.

Bay 4.

REGINALD EDWIN DAY

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 19th October 1917; age: 33; KiA.

Bay 4.

WILLIAM LEONARD DAY

Royal Flying Corps

Died: 6th April 1917 – at Bois Bernhard, France.

Arras Flying Services Memorial

CLIFFORD MONGER ELLIS

Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Died: 4th May 1917; age 36; KiA.

Bay 3.

WILLIAM FAIRWEATHER

Suffolk Regiment

Died on or since death presumed: 28th April 1917; Died of Wounds.

Bay 4

WILLIAM THOMAS FALLA

Bedfordshire Regiment

Died: 28th June 1917; age 31; KiA.

Bay 5

WILLIAM GIBBS

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 9th August 1917; age 26; KiA.

Bay 4.

THEOPHILUS DIGBY GIBLING

Norfolk regiment

Died: 8th June 1917; age 22; KiA.

Bay 3.

GEORGE SNOWDEN GOSLING

Suffolk Regiment

Died on or since: 28th April 1917; age 20; KiA.

Bay 4.

CHARLES RICHARD HIGHAM

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 24th May 1917; age 37; KiA.

Bay 4,

ALFRED E. HOWARD

London Regiment

Died:14th April 1917; KiA

Arras Memorial (no bay number)

GEORGE WILLIAM KNIGHTS

Northumberland Fusiliers

Died: 24th February 1917; age 33; KiA.

Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery,Arras

WALTER LEWIS

Royal Field Artillery

Died: 3rd April 1917; Died of Wounds

Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery,Arras

DOUGLAS WILLIAM ARTHUR NICHOLLS

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 10th April 1917; 21; KiA

Bay 4

CHARLES RANDDOLPH NOBLE

Cameronians

Missing: 20th May 1917- Death presumed – KiA.

 Bay 6

ARTHUR CHARLES PALMER-GOWING

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 23rd April 1917; age 25; KiA.

Bay 4

STANLEY ARTHUR PECK

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 28th April 1917; age 22; Died of Wounds

Bay 4

 HERBERT STEPHEN POPPLEWELL

London Regiment

Died: 12th May 1917; age 32; KiA

Bay 10

DANIEL CHARLES POTTER

Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex) Regiment

Died: 11th April 1917; age 33; KiA

Bay 7

ARTHUR PRYKE

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 11th April 1917, age 22, KiA.

Bay 4

JOHN GEORGE RACE

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 23rd April 1917; age 36; KiA.

Bay 4

HUGH LEWIN RANCE

Canadian Infantry

Died: 9th April 1917; age 32

Vimy Memorial

HERBERT FRANK RAND

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 23rd April 1917; age 19; KiA

Bay 4

HERBERT JAMES ROPER

Bedfordshire Regiment

Died: 23rd April 1917; age 26; KiA.

Bay 5

ALFRED EDWARD SHARMAN

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 28th April 1917; age 31; KiA.

Bay 4.

PERCY REGINALD SINGLETON

Norfolk Regiment

Died: 28th June 1917; age 26; KiA.

Bay 3.

 HERBERT GOOCH SMITH

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 24th May 1917; age 24; KiA by shell

Bay 4

FREDERICK SNELLING

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 12th March 1917; age 30; KiA.

 Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery,Arras

ERNEST SYER

R.N. Division

Died: 23rd April 1917; age 41; KIA

Bay 1,

CHARLES ROBERT THORPE

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 28th April 1917; age 28; KiA.

Bay 4.

 WALTER EDWARD TILLETT

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 23rd April 1917; age 27; KiA.

Bay 4,

ROBERT WASPE

Bedfordshire Regiment

Died: 23rd April 1917; age 32; KiA.

Bay 5.

GEORGE ALBERT WADE

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 9th August 1917; age: 20; KiA

Bay 4

GEORGE ROBERT WILDING

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 16th May 1917; age 22; KiA.

Bay 4.

WILLIAM GEORGE WILLINGHAM

Suffolk Regiment

Died on or since death presumed: 28th April 1917; age 27; KiA.

Bay 4.

WILLIAM HENRY WISBY

Suffolk Regiment

Died on or since: 9th August 1917; age 21; KiA.

Bay 4.

FREDERICK WILLIAM WRIGHT

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 9th August 1917; age 36; KiA.

Bay 4.

1918

FREDERICK PERCY ADAMS

Royal Garrison Artillery

Died: 25th March 1918; KiA.

Bay 1.

GEORGE HENRY BEAUMONT

Essex Regiment

Died: 28th March 1918; age 32; KiA.

Bay 7.

GERALD EDGAR BISHOP

Suffolk Regiment

Death presumed: 28th March 1918; age 20; KiA.

Bay 4.

ALFRED EDWARD BUGG

Lancashire Regiment

Died on or since: 3rd July 1918; age 19; KiA.

Bay 5.

ERNEST REVELL BURROWS

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 28th March 1918; age 25; KiA.

Bay 4.

HERBERT CECIL CURTIS

Royal Air Force

Died: 21st August 1918; age 19

Arras Flying Services Memorial

RICHARD JOHN DOWNEY

Duke of Cambridges’ Own (Middlesex) Regiment

Died: 25th March 1918; age 35; KiA.

Bay 7.

PERCY SCOTT DRIVER

Royal Flying Corps.

Died: 26th March 1918; age 24; KiA.

Arras Flying Service’s Memorial

ARTHUR CHARLES EDWARDS

Bedfordshire Regiment

Died: 27th March 1918; KiA.

Bay 5.

ERNEST FREDERCK FENTON

Royal Garrison Artillery

Died: 22nd March 1918; age 22; KiA.

Bay 1.

HARRY FLATMAN

Middlesex Regiment

Death accepted: 22nd March 1918; age 36; KiA.

Bay 7.

BERTIE JOHN GOOD

Royal Fusiliers

Died on or since death presumed: 25th March 1918; age 22; KiA.

Bay 3.

JOHN EDWARD HAMBLIN

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 24th March 1918; age 32; KiA.

Bay 4.

STANLEY ALFRED HARVEY

Royal Naval Division.

Died: 5th March 1918; age 19; Died of Wounds

Bay 1.

BERTIE KENNELL

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 22nd March 1918; age 25; KiA.

Bay 4,

FRANK LAMBERT

Royal West Surrey Regiment

Died: 23rd March 1918; age 35; KiA.

The Arras Memorial at Faubourg-D´Amiens Cemetery

HENRY JOSEPH LAST

Cheshire Regiment

Died on or since 23rd March 1918; age 20; KiA

Bay 5 & 6.

LEONARD GEORGE MOSS

Lincolnshire Regiment

Died on or since: 21st March 1918; age 23; KiA.

Bay 3 & 4

FREDERICK CHARLES MOULL

Suffolk Regiment

Died on or since: 22nd March 1918; KiA.

Bay 4

WILLIAM GASCOIGNE OLIVER

Royal Field Artillery

Died: 21st March 1918; age 24; KiA.

Bay 1.

FRANK CHARLES QUINNEY PALMER

Royal West Kent Regiment

Death on or assumed since 23rd March 1918; age 23; KiA.

Bay 7.

HAROLD PRETTY

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 24th March 1918; age 35; KiA.

Bay 4

ALFRED ORMAN RAMSEY

London Regiment

Died: 24th March 1918; age 24; KiA.

Bay 9

FREDERICK GEORGE ROBINSON

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 28th March 1918; age 21; KiA.

Bay 4

EDGAR RICHARD SAYER

Suffolk Regiment

Died: 25th March 1918; age 31; KiA.

Bay 4

PERCY ALBERT SHUFFLEBOTHAM

Royal Fusiliers

Died on or since: 25th March 1918; age 19; KiA.

Bay 3

GEORGE RICHARD STEVENSON

The Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment)

Died: 16th May 1918; age 19; KiA.

Bay 1 & 2.

JAMES WOODS

York & Lancaster Regiment

Died on or since death presumed: 21st March 1918; age 33; KiA.

Bay 8.

FIERCEST BATTLES

A NEW BRITISH THRUST IN ARTOIS

THRILLING AIR COMBATS

EXSTRACTS :

Two notable features may be easily noted in the unparalleled battles during the past week – the velocity of the fighting and the inability of the Germans to recover ground they have lost. Indeed the dominating note in the official dispatches issued by the German Staff is that of satisfaction in holding for a while certain positions when these were assailed by the British Forces. Sir Douglas Haig launched a new thrust at dawn on Monday morning, after days of artillery preparations of unprecedented severity, the latest hours being of the character called by the German drumfire. The thrust which was made on a wide front on the River Scarpe, from the Arras region, was the prelude of the most intensely fierce battles of the campaign of this all the correspondents bear testimony; one states emphatically that the German Army is only to be defeated and broken by hard fighting, and the recent movement of the enemy had justified some doubt as to whether they would stand further hard fighting. He adds that the Kaiser’s forces have certainly been fighting hard recently they have accepted battle in the open, and the struggle has been going on day by day with intensified severity. The British are evidently aiming at Douai, and at the vital parts of the German line.

English and Scottish troops made the advance on Monday morning on either side of the Scarpe, east of Arras, to attack the lines into which the Germans had been given in the battle of Easter Monday and the following days. The attack was over a front of about 12,000 yards from a point near Gavrelle, east of the Vimy Ridge, in the north, to the intricate defences of Fontaine-lez-Croiselles in the south. No definite trench system faced the troops, but a rolling country dotted everywhere with isolated posts and short trenches. So great had been the artillery fire that the advancing troops met with little resistance at first, though the German barrage was heavier than in the former battle. Farther on, however, the defence was stubborn, and the positions were held in great strength. Sir Douglas Haig announced late at night that to the north of the Scarpe the British had captured the village of Gavrelle and the defences for two and a half miles to the south, and that to the south of the river the troops had fought their way forward on a wide front, and had taken Guémappe.

Fighting was resumed on Tuesday, the Germans are bringing up Guards and other picked troops to arrest the advance. The extremes of ebb and flow (says Mr. W. Beach Thomas, of the “Daily Mail”), were seen in the southern fighting near Fontaine-lez-Croiselles and the Hindenburg line. The fortune of the day inclined this way and that ever since we drove back the enemy a mile or so in the attack of Monday morning. By noon on Monday the British appeared to have gained all we wished, but the ground hereabouts is without definition. There is no village, no wood, no regular trench. Straight and continuous lines are unthinkable We had not been able to search all the shell-holes and dug-outs. One of the few clearly-marked places was a little patch of trenches dug months ago by the enemy as a practice ground for his storming troops. By seven o’clock in the evening the enemy had collected in the neighbourhood of Chérisy and Fontaine-lez-Croiselles a strong force of reserves, who charged in overwhelming volume from two pockets of Germans, whose lairs had been overrun, and who rose up with rifles behind our troops. The fighting was hot, but when night fell the British marched back to the original line in their area, laboriously taking with them quite a number of prisoners captured in the morning. The whole day’s fighting had yielded not an inch of ground to either side, though the honours lay with the British. The prisoners included a battalion commander, a pale, polite little man about five feet in height, who spoke with appalled admiration of our artillery fire. But the fight was too much like a drawn battle for the temper of the British troops, and early on Tuesday morning the battalions, full of dash and zeal in spite of their labours, charged down the ridge, drove the enemy back at a canter and clearing the ground more thoroughly, at last secured the position.

The part played by the airmen in these fierce battles is held to be of the greatest importance. In his report issued on Tuesday evening Sir Douglas Haig stated:- “On Monday there was a greater amount of fighting in the air than has before taken place in a single day. Our aeroplanes attacked the enemy’s machines, wherever they could be found, with striking success, going far behind the German lines and bombing his railways, dumps, and aerodromes, and compelling him to give battle. In the course of the fighting 15 German machines were brought down and destroyed, and 24 others were driven down out of control, the majority of which probably crashed. A large twin-engine three seater German machine was brought down in our lines and its occupants made prisoners. Only two of our machines were missing. Mr. H. Perry Robinson, in the “Daily News,” amplifies the official statement. He says:- “All day, unceasingly, the British machines are patrolling the battle held, observing, photographing, reporting, and assisting the guns. The enemy machines are not doing so. Far away on the other side of the line our fighting machines are engaging the German fighters. We necessarily lose some machines. Sometimes one of their fighting machines reaches the battlefield and attacks one of our observation aeroplanes, when the odds are necessarily largely against our men. All these things, however, are only details compared with the great essential fact of the battlefield, and the result is seen in the deadly work of our artillery and the success of our attacks.

“Andre Tudesq, writing in the Paris “Journal,” relates the following episode of the fighting on the British front:- On the right bank a factory of chemical products lay concealed in a hollow, carefully entrenched behind its own machinery, with many armoured cellars, and fortified with a natural rampart. This counter fort formed a formidable corner. The Germans had made it a hornet’s nest of machine-guns. A number of shells had hit the factory, and a shed was burning. The enemy profited by these appearances to sham death. However, machine-gunners were watching. They let a number of men who were reconnoitring approach. The men, installing themselves on the ruins and hearing and seeing nothing, signalled to their companions that they might advance. When the bulk of the party had approached within a hundred metres, holes in the cellars from which protruded the muzzles of machine-gunners were unmasked. The guns were so ingeniously disposed that under the hail of their bullets the attack ar first wavered. But only for a little time, for two tanks held in reserve took up the human assault. With the affected grace of elderly Gretchen, they crashed through barbed-wire entanglements, crossed a brook, then a thread a trench, plunged through a garden, then deliberately fell upon the smoking ruins. Point-blank their guns searched the holes of the machine-guns. This incursion of the two monsters did not last even a quarter of an hour. The nest was purged.

On Wednesday Sir Douglas Haig was in a position to announce that further progress had been made by the British troops on the Scarpe, and that the prisoners taken in three days exceeded 3,000. At other parts of the line too, ground had been gained, especially in the locality of St. Quentin. The French forces have also made gains in this quarter; the first stage of their great offensive in Champagne and on the Aisne last week gave promise of notable results. The Crown Prince is in command in this sector, and duly received a pat on the back from the Kaiser; nevertheless it became apparent that the Germans could hardly hold St. Quentin, or the steep height of Laon, or keep the French from carrying the plateaux above the Aisne, and from pressing on into the downward-lying country to the north. The latest news from this part of the battle line is that the intense artillery fire has re-commenced a certain prelude of further attacks on the Germans.