Page 5 - JUNE 2018 flipbbok_Neat

CENTENARY OF “BATTLE OF ARRAS” – 9 April, 1917 – 9 April, 2017

Arriving in Arras, Northern “Thank you Great Britain”;
France from the railway “Thank you New Zealand”,
station on April 5, 2017 we
were amazed to see, flying at
the entrance, flags of the
countries which had helped
France in the First World War;
100 years before. In front of us that battle. Arras became a
was our Australian flag with “Thank you Canada” plus a few pivotal point on a battlefront
words “Thank you Australia”; more all with their own stretching 20 kilometres from
turning to the left was the country’s flag. It brought tears Vimy Ridge to the Bullecourt
Union Jack with the words to our eyes and we sector.
remembered the reason we
were there. We wished to
honour Ian’s grandfather and
pay tribute to so many gallant
men and women who fell in

The dawn ceremony to commemorate the linking the massive ancient subterranean chalk
centenary was being held at 6.30 am on Sunday quarries and to where 24,000 soldiers stayed
9th April but on the Friday previously we had underground for 8 days before launching
the privilege to watch bands playing in the themselves onto the battlefield. This
Town Centre and a Sound and Light show from “underground city” had a hospital with 700
the Canadian Government showing Canada’s beds. Most of the residents of Arras were
military history and its close links to the town. evacuated as 80% of the town was destroyed. It
We returned to La Carriere Wellington museum was in when British and Commonwealth
to be reminded of the New Zealand tunnellers nationalities converged to defend the area of
who created a 20 kilometre network of passages Artois.

We noticed the many large ceremony was to be held at Another moving ceremony
posters of the soldiers from 6.30. “What a moving and followed and thankfully this
various countries displayed emotional service it was”. was all in English. Many kilts
around the town and spent Reverend Dr. Russell Barr, were worn at that place and it
time looking at a trench Moderator of the General was lovely to see Scottish
reconstruction made by the Assembly of the Church of school children there who
school children of Arras whilst Scotland opened the ceremony placed Poppy Crosses on graves
also looking at various with a call to prayer. Many after the ceremony. The next
exhibitions of photos displaying readings followed, one of a two days were taken up by
the destruction of Arras. In newspaper extract depicting visiting the various battlefields
most of the shops were the bombardment of Arras, and to visit Loos cemetery
displayed the flags of the another the fall of the Belfry, a where my uncle has his name.
nations to show their thanks to poem by a German with many
the countries which took part more readings from diaries of
in the fighting. Saturday 8th the soldiers which left no one
April at 6.00 pm saw us in the dry eyed. After the final
Cathedral attending a national anthem played Ian
ceremony commemorating the and I started the two
people of all faiths who fell as kilometres walk to the next
that was the date a religious ceremony, a “Scottish
ceremony was held Commemoration
underground before the Service” which was being held
soldiers began their battle on at the Arras Memorial where
9th April. Next day at 5.00am Ian’s grandfather has his name
we walked to where the dawn on one of the huge columns.