io8
THE YPRES TIMES
Wood, Tilloy, Bois-des-Bceufs (Bully Beef Camp of old), Feuchy Chapel with quarry
(site of a cushy dug-out) to the 12th Divisional Memorial. Then by Les Fosses Farm.
Who remembers the caves under this farm, lit by electricity, water tanks below, and an
advanced divisional canteen, during the 4th Division days Then by La Bergere, where
working parties reported to R.Es. Monchy-le-Preux, scene of bitter fighting in April,
1917, where the cavalry suffered heavily and where the Newfoundlanders and 1st Essex
had grim experiences with enemy counter-attacks. The Newfoundland Government
THE ARRAS MEMORIAL.
has erected a caribou on a ruined house in Monchy, and on the western side is a
memorial to the 37th Division. We now came to where the front line ran in '17 and
early '18 to Rouex (taken in '17) and a machine-gun emplacement in the Chateau ruins,
and the situation of the others near the Chemical Works. How those guns took toll of
our lads in the many attacks made on this position The writer remembers the Chemical
Works going up in a mass of flames as the result of heavy shelling by our artillery on
the evening of May nth, 1917. Now round to Fampoux, looking over ground well
known to the 4th, 15th and Guards Divisions. It was here that a stand was made
during the German drive of March, 1918. The pivot of the Boche attack was close
to Gavrelle near by. En route back to Arras we passed through Athies and St. Laurent
Blangymore beauty spots of '17 and '18.
The bells at the Hotel de Ville welcomed us in with God Save the King and
other airs, including Tipperary." At the Town's memorial in front of the station
Lord Trenchard had placed a wreath, and the R.A.F. Band had played selections.
After lunch we were conveyed to the Faubourg d'Amiens, for the unveiling cere
mony of the Arras Memorial to the Missing, which included the Air Services obelisk.
The ceremony was most impressivea wonderful scene. The guard of honour of young
French soldiers, the brilliant uniforms of senior officers and attaches, the R.A.F. Band,
representatives of all branches of the Services, banners of French and British ex-service
organizations, and between the rows of well-kept graves a vast throng of French and
British civilians, wives, mothers and other relatives of the missing who were com
memorated there, and those of us who had come to pay a tribute to our own comrades.
36,000 missing have their names inscribed on this Memorial.
