There can be no doubt that Monchy-le-Preux was a key location on the Arras battlefield. Its capture on the 11th April 1917 was an important event. The Germans certainly didn’t want to lose it, which was why they tried to retake it a few days later on the 14th April. That date rightly belongs to […]
Archive | April, 2017
Roeux – The real star of the show
Roeux was never intended as a front line defensive position, but on the afternoon of the 9th April 1917 it found itself thrust into the limelight, and immediately became the star of the show. For the next five weeks it proved to be a huge thorn in the side of the British. Its buildings, the […]
JB x 2
I can’t claim to be a ‘James Bond’ fan, nor can I claim not to be, it’s just that I’ve somehow never managed to watch a ‘007’ film from beginning to end. However, if you are a bit of a ‘Bond’ aficionado you might want to read on. It’s quite widely documented that Major Valentine […]
Faith, Hope and Charity
“The First Battle of the Scarpe had been fought in sure faith of victory, the Second in good hope of success, but the Third Battle, on the 3rd May, was mere charity.” As summaries go, this is probably as good a verdict on the Battle of Arras as you are likely to find anywhere. The […]