Battle of Arras and Vimy Ridge, 9-15 April 1917

The British and Canadian offensive began on Easter Monday 1917; the British attacked at Arras, the Canadians at Vimy Ridge. Both forces met with early success with the British overrunning the German front-line trenches within an hour, followed quickly by the second line, taking over 5,000 German prisoners. The Canadians also captured 4,000 prisoners in this early fighting.

The British had introduced a new artillery tactic for the offensive* - the 'rolling' or 'creeping' barrage. This required the artillery gradually to readjust their targeting, hitting deeper and deeper positions for the infantry to advance behind the barrage, in the hope of exploiting the confusion of recently bombarded troops. Its success, however, in helping to clear the forward lines was not repeated when the more heavily defended third line was attacked and here the offensive, hampered by snowfalls and fatigue after days of fighting, stalled.

The Canadians captured Vimy Ridge and heroically defended gains at the village of Monchy-le Preux but they, like the British, suffered heavy casualties. By the time Haig, the British Commander-in-Chief, called an end to the battle in the face of a mounting toll of dead and injured, the allies had gained some four miles for the loss of some 48,000 men.

The British attack was renewed on 23 April, largely because of pressure from the French, who were incurring huge losses and facing troop mutinies on the Aisne. The offensive went on into May and by the time it was called off, on 16 May, sixty-one square miles of German held land had been won and 20,000 German prisoners taken - a victory of sorts.

*The tactic was devised by Brigade Major Alan Brooke, who was to become Chief of the Imperial General Staff from 1941 to 1945.

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