stiletto_33853 Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 ARRAS 3rd May 1917 the 14th Division attacked with two brigades - each with two Battalions in front line. The 41st Brigade on the right had the 8th RB's on the right and the 8th KRRC on the left, in the 42nd Brigade the 6th Oxs & Bucks L.I. on the right and the 9th RB's on the left. Two objectives, First, a line running north eastwards along the road along the road from St. Michaels Statue for fifteen hundred yards to within two hundred yards of a wood known as Triangle Wood. Second, a line running north and south one thousand yards east of St. Michaels Statue. Zero was 3.45am Heavy losses suffered but objectives taken, machine guns in Triangle wood caused severe losses as well as a very heavy enemy bombardment on the whole Divisional area as far bck as Brigade HQ's. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 3 May , 2005 Yikes, Sorry folks, was reading about this attack and realised not 90th but 88th anniversary. My apologies. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 Andy - hope im helping by adding a little extra? The 18th Division also got involved. 7th Beds War Diary records: 3-5-17 3.45 am The 18th Div. attacked CHÉRISY. The 54th Bd on R. 55th on L. 53rd Reserve. see app. The attack was supposed to take place at dawn Zero being 3.45 am. As a matter of fact it was not light enough to attack until 4.15 am. The barrage commenced badly, being irregular. the Batt. left their trenches before Zero & formed up splendidly, the advance started at Zero, they soon slightly lost direction the men being extended at about 12 paces could scarcely see each other. The Regt. on the left also lost direction & crowded to the Right, thus confusing our attack & causing a further loss of direction. Four Tanks were to be used to attack FONTAINE village. One was unable to start, another went but a short distance another one made its way down Wood Trench & then turned & came through our advancing lines, this added to the confusion & some groups retired to the first line again. They were reformed at once by their Officers & again advanced, the Barrage had however gone on & the Batt. was held up at FONTAINE Trench was [sic] was strongly defended, also the wire was thick and undamaged. They came under heavy M.G. fire from VIS en ARTOIS - CHÉRISY - FONTAINE TR. and WOOD TRENCH. Small detachments pushed forward to angle formed by FONTAINE Tr. and WOOD Tr. At this time the majority of the 55th Bd. had reached their first objective on the Left. the position of the Batt. about 10 am was in front of FONTAINE Tr. with their R. thrown back facing WOOD Trench. At this time the Leicesters on the Right had not made good WOOD Trench except a small portion at the Western end. Some groups of the 55th Bd. reached a portion of their second objective. About 11.30 the 14th Div. further to the Left commenced retiring, followed by the 55th Bd. & the Middlesex & some groups of the Bedfords, but about 1 company still remained in Shell holes in front of FONTAINE & WOOD Trenches when at mid day the troops on our left had all got back to the starting Trenches. 7.15 pm A new Barrage started, & 2 Coys NORTHANTS attacked on our frontage in which elements of the Batt. joined & which was covered by rapid fire from our advanced Troops, this however was not successful as the enemy put up an intense barrage & the wire in front could not be forced. The whole lot fell back to original front line & held that during the night being relieved early in the morning by the NORTHANTS taking over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 7 Beds casualties recorded in diary: Officers Killed 5 Wounded 8 Died of Wounds 1 Other Ranks Killed 19 Missing 48 Wounded 162 Died of Wounds 6 Missing believed Killed 4 Missing & Wounded 3 Total of 14 Officers and 242 OR's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 Not forgetting the 21, 56, 3, 4, 9, 31, 2, 1 Can & 2 Can Divs at the Scarpe and 62 & 2 Aust Div at Bullecourt! Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 3 May , 2005 Most certainly not Phil, I was just reading on one particular aspect of this battle which covered some of the 18th but primarily the 14th. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 Of course, Andy. When you read of the doings of one unit, it`s difficult to grasp or imagine that so much action was taking place simultaneously up and down the line, don`t you find? Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 3 May , 2005 Phil, I totally agree, I try to read as much as possible of the other units but when one gets wrapped up in one Regiment or unit, you tend not to see the bigger picture sometimes. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 I tend to think of Arras as the neglected battles. For some reason they don`t attract the attention that others do, despite a total of 158,000 casualties - some 3 times more than Loos - and the fact that it was an assault on the Hindenburg Line. Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 3 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 3 May , 2005 Tend to agree Phil but there are some great battlefields to visit there. First got interested in Arras after attending a talk by John Nichols and must admit I do enjoy visiting some of the battlefields there. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Robertson Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 The relegation of the Arras battles to the back pages of Great War history is a travesty. I've just found myself writing out a cheque and dating it the 3rd May, 1917 - such is the impression that this date has in my mind. Remembering all those of the 6th Bn. KOSB who perished at Greenland Hill this day 88 years ago and who remain there still. And remembering all who died at Arras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedfordyeoman Posted 5 May , 2005 Share Posted 5 May , 2005 All, Missed this thread earlier and just wanted to add my voice to those remembering the exploits of the 7th bn the Bedfordshire Regiment, which was cut to ribbons on the wire in front of Fontaine trench. Remembering in particular the deaths of Captain Wilfred Bull, only just returned to the battalion after being seriously wounded at the Somme on 1st July 1916, CSM Richard Brand who had previously earned a DCM and MM for the Somme, Sgt Frank Bayford who had previously earned a MM for the Somme and Pte Ernest Kingham who was one of the few who reached Fontaine trench and was awarded a posthumous MM for his actions on 3rd May. The medals to these chaps are held and cherished by private collectors. Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 5 May , 2005 Share Posted 5 May , 2005 All, Missed this thread earlier and just wanted to add my voice to those remembering the exploits of the 7th bn the Bedfordshire Regiment, which was cut to ribbons on the wire in front of Fontaine trench. Remembering in particular the deaths of Captain Wilfred Bull, only just returned to the battalion after being seriously wounded at the Somme on 1st July 1916, CSM Richard Brand who had previously earned a DCM and MM, Sgt Frank Bayford who had previously earned a MM and Pte Ernest Kingham who was one of the few who reached Fontaine trench and was awarded a posthumous MM for his actions on 3rd May. The medals to these chaps are held and cherished by private collectors. Regards David <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Been trying in vain to find it, but I recall reading a phrase somewhere similar to: "when they discovered the wire was too thick, the men stood on each other, or tin cans to fire over the heads of their comrades, whilst they cut they wire. Never has such utter contempt for the bosche been shown". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 5 May , 2005 Share Posted 5 May , 2005 "A DCM was more than earned by Pte Gladwish, servant to 2/Lt Kydd, of 'B' Coy, who was killed near Fontaine Trench. For three days and nights he tried to find his way back, though he could have easily given himself up to the Bosche. In spite of terrible thirst and hunger, he hid by day in shell holes and reconnoitered by night. Finally after three nights out, he found himself challenged by a British sentry, and was safe, though exhausted and looking like a hunted creature." Source; The 54th Infantry Brigade 1914-1918. Gale and Polden 1922 (Raster Scanning I believe?) DCM citation, London gazette, 26th July 1917: ”40533 H H Gladwish, Bedf. Regt. For conspicuous gallantry & devotion to duty. Having shown great gallantry in attempting unsuccessfully to rescue a fatally wounded officer, whose servant he was, he remained out three days and nights, collecting valuable information concerning the enemy, during which time he was continuously under fire and without food or water” Only 2 of the Company officers came out of the day unwounded. (Sorry Andy, not trying to hijeck mate, just to add) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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