In both world wars Arras proved to be a key battleground. It’s status as a rail and communications hub almost equidistant between Paris and the French frontier meant whichever side held it enjoyed a major tactical advantage. This was as true on the 9th April 1917 as it was a year later and then again in 1940.
On this day in 1917 the British, as a prelude to the French offensive scheduled for a week’s time in Aisne, launched a major offensive around Arras. The first day saw one of the major achievements of the war, from the allies’ perspective,the capture of Vimy Ridge – on the left of the Allied thrust – by crack Canadian troops. The ridge had previously frustrated the French and contained a multitude of defensive positions, likened to a honeycomb. Capturing the position cost 10,000 casualties but goes down as one of the premier feats of arms in Canadian military history. Further south the British made similarly spectacular gains – in the context of trench warfare – advancing up to 3 miles on the first day. A barrage of 3000 guns, many of them ‘heavies’ did their terrible work. But as so often happened the poor ground and frequently severed communications led to crucial delays in pressing home the advantages gained. In addition, the Germans adroitly handled their reserves and were able to stymie the allies as the battle wore on. The original idea had been to bite and hold the German positions but to stop when serious resistance was encountered. However, Field Marshall Douglas Haig, seeing the French offensive, to the south in Aisne, grind murderously to a halt chose to continue the offensive for five weeks in order to draw away German reserves from the French sector. As a result, what had been an impressive success turned once again into a bloody slog leading to close to 300,000 casualties.
My Great Uncle, Private Hough was killed on his 18th birthday at Arras and his name can be found on the Arras Memorial to the missing.
Sophie’s Great War Tours, offer bespoke tours to Arras and the other WW1 and WW2 battlefields.
If your relative fought or fell at Arras and you would like to follow in their footsteps and see the trenches of WW1 today, please contact us.
