Good memoirs are always worth seeking out. “A Subaltern’s Odyssey – A Memoir of the Great War 1915-1917″ is one that I would highly recommend, particularly with regard to the opening day of the Battle of Arras in 1917. Its author, R.B. (Richard Barrett) Talbot Kelly, served as a Forward Observation Officer with the 52nd Brigade, […]
Archive | Arras North
“A place where everyone is happy” – Arras North – Page 244
Although the entry in the CWGC register for Lieutenant Francis Herbert THORNDIKE, 11th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, contains no additional information, I had a very strong feeling right from the start that there was more to discover about him. It was what I now refer to as ‘my Sybil Thorndike moment’. As I left Duisans British Cemetery I couldn’t help wondering whether he […]
Native Americans in the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Throughout the three books a number of references are made to men of the Canadian Expeditionary Force who were of Native American origin. The first reference is in ‘Arras North’ and relates to Private Thomas GODCHERE, MM, a sniper who served with the 102nd Battalion, Canadian Infantry. He is buried in Givenchy Road Canadian Cemetery, Neuville-Saint-Vaast. […]
“We, the undersigned” – An unusual petition – Arras North – Page 12
There were times during the final hundred days of the war when strong opposition to the Allied advance was to be expected. The Hindenburg Line and the Canal du Nord provided the Germans with good defensive opportunities and it was always likely they would take advantage of these. On other occasions the level of enemy resistance was variable and often remained an unknown factor until the point of […]
“Death on a Dublin street” – Arras North – Page 193
One of the men buried at Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension is Lieutenant Michael Aloysius HIGGINS, 2nd Leinster Regiment, who was killed in action near Vimy Ridge on the 31st March 1917. He was one of sixteen children born to Dr. Thomas Higgins and Ann Sullivan. His brother, Kevin Christopher O’Higgins, is referred to in the […]
“Who or what was the South African Irish Horse?” – Arras North – Page 30
That was a question that came up during the editing of ‘Arras North’. It was also one that had been nagging me for some time. The entry in the CWGC register for Private James Chalmers EDMOND, 2nd South African Regiment, refers to his previous service with the ‘South African Irish Horse’ during the German South-West […]
“A sea of troubles for Major Burns” – Arras North – Page 297
In February 2011, I spent several days visiting a number of cemeteries near Arras as part of my research. Although the weather was cold and dry with a heavy frost on the ground, conditions were actually quite good for visiting the battlefields. At Écoivres Military Cemetery I came across a row of men from the […]
“There’s something rather odd about Augustus”- Arras North – Page 245
That was the title of one of three songs written by lyricist, C.H. BOVILL for Jerome Kern’s 1908 show, ‘Fluffy Ruffles’, which was played on Broadway in 1908. When I came across Bovill’s grave at Duisans British Cemetery I knew nothing of his career as a successful writer for stage musicals, or of his close […]
“A true son of Empire” – Arras North – Page 295
One of the men featured in ‘Arras North’ is Lieutenant Colonel Michael Frederic ‘Fred’ Beauchamp DENNIS, DSO & Bar. In a sense, his military career started when he was seven years old. He would often stand guard at the foot of the stairs leading to the nursery at Newacott, the family home in Devon. Dressed […]