Chapter 5b – 2nd Battle of the Scarpe

Preparations were originally focused on launching another offensive on the 21st of April on a front stretching nine miles from Croisilles to Gavrelle, but high winds and poor visibility prevented the artillery and…

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Footnotes

  1. The tanks were from ‘A’ Section, ‘10’ Coy, ‘D’ Battalion, 2nd Tank Bde - ()“A” Section was attached to the 4th East Yorkshires (W21) (OH) Their orders were to be at the cross roads north-east of Héninel (N.29.a) by Zero -3 hours. At Zero – 90 minutes hours they were to proceed to the railway cutting (N.24.a.5.0) and be there at Zero hours. They were to advance with the infantry to the cutting (0.19.a). (W21) 783 was to to deal with a strongpoint (O19a.0.7) (bhs) and banks (0.19.b) while the infantry consolidated the Blue Line. Tanks were then to move to N.24.a and await the second advance. At Zero plus 7 hours tanks were to move forward with the infantry to the ‘Tangle’ (O.21.a & b), W21) south of the St Rohart Factory (OH) when the infantry had secured the red line, the tanks were to return to the rallying point in the sunken road (N.29.a.9.6). (W21) 
  2. British Tank Actions of the 1st World War ()
  3. The British Army Iron (Emergency) ration for one man consisted of 1lb preserved meat, 3oz cheese, 12oz biscuit, 5/8 oz tea, 2oz sugar, ½ oz salt and 1oz meat extract
  4.  2nd Lt Robert Johnson is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Bay 2-3 
  5.  30th Divn – Comprised of the 89th, 90th and 91st Infantry Bdes 
  6.  Pte Michael Davidson (4/167) and Pte Matthew Anderson (4/5071, 201960) were transferred from the 8th NF (8/29534) 
  7.  Believed to be John Alexander Burton ex 1/5th Seaforth Highlanders. MC citation in Hexham Courant - 22 Dec 1917 
  8.  Pte Thomas Sterling Nichol (23800) 
  9. Sgt Ralph Stobart (4/1364, 200270) (b. Newcastle) (e. Newburn) is commemorated on the Arras Memorial
  10. L/Cpl John Prudhoe (4/2258, 200667) (b. Newcastle) (e. Hexham) is commemorated on  the Arras Memorial
  11. Pte James Campbell (4/1154, 200191) (b. Winlaton) (e. Newburn) is commemorated on the Arras Memorial
  12.  Pte Archibald Betts (202052) (b. Norwich) (e. Norwich) formerly served with the East Yorkshire Regiment (7894) and the Norfolk Regt (4957). Archibald is commemorated on the Arras Memorial
  13.  Pte Stanley Coates (4/2943, 200973) (b. East Bolden) (e. Newcastle) is commemorated on the Arras Memorial 
  14.  Pte Herbert Dunn (4/2876, 200934) (b. Chester-le-Street) (e. Newcastle) was drafted from the 3/4th NF sometime after 1 Jan 16.  He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial 
  15. Pte Alfred John Edward Ling (4/4670) is commemorated on the Arras Memorial
  16.  Knife rest barricades were formed by stringing barbed wire across portable metal X- frames 
  17. 42nd Bde (14th Divn)
  18. The 5th Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) was part of the  42nd Bde, 14th Divn
  19.  Finlayson was attached from the 6th (Territorial) Highland Light Infantry (HLI) 
  20. The 2nd Northumbrian Field Coy RE was one of three in the 50th Divn. It was renumbered to the 447th Field Coy
  21. At the outbreak of the war Gen. Thomas D’Oyly Snow was the GOC 4th Divn,.  He was GOC 27th Divn during 2nd Ypres and took command of VII Corps on 15th July 1915. Snow was heavily criticised for his performance during the 1st day of the Battle of the Somme and the German counterattack at Cambrai in 1917 
  22. An Indent was a requisition order for supplies
  23. 2nd Lt R.C.Morton is thought to have been a Royal Engineer 
  24. The 32nd Infantry Base Depot was one of many situated in the sand dunes on the northern outskirts of Etaples near the infamous ‘Bull Ring’ training ground