9 April -16 June 1917: the Arras offensive. Once again the British are called upon to launch an attack in support to a larger French offensive: the battles of the Chemin des Dames and the hills of Champagne. The opening Battle of Vimy and the First Battle of the Scarpe are very encouraging, but once again the offensive – often known as the Battle of Arras – bogs down into an attritional slog. Final attempts to outflank the German lines at Bullecourt prove terribly costly.

The shaded area on the map above shows the ground captured during the Arras offensive.

Phase: the Battle of Vimy, 9 – 14 April 1917

First Army (Horne)

I Corps (Holland)

24th Division.

Canadian Corps (Byng)

5th Division

1st Canadian Division

2nd Canadian Division

3rd Canadian Division

4th Canadian Division.

Parallel phase: the First Battle of the Scarpe, 9 – 14 April 1917

First Army (Horne)

XIII Corps (Congreve) (came into the line on 12 April when 2nd Division relieved 51st Division of XVII Corps)

2nd Division.

Third Army (Allenby)

Cavalry Corps (Kavanagh)

1st Cavalry Division

2nd Cavalry Division

3rd Cavalry Division, which captured Monchy le Preux.

VI Corps (Haldane)

3rd Division

12th (Eastern) Division

15th (Scottish) Division

17th (Northern) Division

29th Division

37th Division, which also captured Monchy le Preux.

VII Corps (Snow)

14th (Light) Division

21st Division

30th Division

50th (Northumbrian) Division, which captured the Wancourt Ridge

56th (1st London) Division.

XVII Corps (Fergusson)

4th Division

9th (Scottish) Division

34th Division

51st (Highland) Division.

Flanking operation: the first attack on Bullecourt, 11 April 1917

Fifth Army (Gough)

V Corps (Fanshawe)

62nd (2nd West Riding) Division.

I ANZAC Corps (Birdwood)

4th Australian Division.

Flanking operation: the German attack on Lagnicourt, 15 April 1917

Fifth Army (Gough)

V Corps (Fanshawe)

62nd (2nd West Riding) Division.

I ANZAC Corps (Birdwood)

1st Australian Division

2nd Australian Division.

Phase: the Second Battle of the Scarpe, 23 – 24 April 1917

First Army (Horne)

XIII Corps (Congreve)

63rd (Royal Naval) Division, which captured Gavrelle.

Third Army (Allenby)

VI Corps (Haldane)

15th (Scottish) Division, which captured Guemappe

17th (Northern) Division

29th Division

8th Brigade of 3rd Division.

VII Corps (Snow)

30th Division

33rd Division

50th (Northumbrian) Division.

XVII Corps (Fergusson)

37th Division

51st (Highland) Division

103rd Brigade of 34th Division.

Subsidiary: the attack on La Coulotte, 23 April 1917

First Army (Horne)

Canadian Corps (Byng)

5th Division

2nd Canadian Division

3rd Canadian Division.

Phase: the Battle of Arleux, 28 – 29 April 1917

First Army (Horne)

XIII Corps (Congreve)

2nd Division

63rd (Royal Naval) Division.

Third Army (Allenby)

VI Corps (Haldane)

3rd Division

12th (Eastern) Division.

XVII Corps (Fergusson)

34th Division

37th Division.

Phase: the Third Battle of the Scarpe, 3 – 4 May 1917

First Army (Horne)

XIII Corps (Congreve)

2nd Division

5th Division

31st Division.

Canadian Corps (Byng)

1st Canadian Division, which captured Fresnoy

2nd Canadian Division

3rd Canadian Division.

Third Army (Allenby)

VI Corps (Haldane)

3rd Division

12th (Eastern) Division

56th (1st London) Division.

VII Corps (Snow)

14th (Light) Division

18th (Eastern) Division

21st Division.

XVII Corps (Fergusson)

4th Division

9th (Scottish) Division.

Flanking operation: the Battle of Bullecourt, 3 – 17 May 1917

Fifth Army (Gough)

V Corps (Fanshawe)

7th Division

58th (2/1st London) Division

62nd (2nd West Riding) Division.

I ANZAC Corps (Birdwood)

1st Australian Division

2nd Australian Division

5th Australian Division.

Subsequent: the capture of Roeux, 13 – 14 May 1917

Third Army (Allenby)

VI Corps (Haldane)

3rd Division

12th (Eastern) Division.

XVII Corps (Fergusson)

17th (Northern) Division

51st (Highland) Division.

Flanking operation: the actions on the Hindenburg Line, 20 May – 16 June 1917

Third Army (Allenby)

VII Corps (Snow)

21st Division

33rd Division

Fifth Army (Gough)

IV Corps (Woollcombe)

20th (Light) Division.

V Corps (Fanshawe)

7th Division

58th (2/1st London) Division

62nd (2nd West Riding) Division.

I ANZAC Corps (Birdwood)

5th Australian Division.

Flanking operation: towards Lens, 3 June – 26 August 1917

including the affairs south of the Souchez River 3-25 June 1917 and the capture of Avion 26-29 June 1917, both by 3rd and 4th Canadian Divisions

First Army (Horne)

I Corps (Holland)

6th Division

46th (North Midland) Division.

Canadian Corps (Byng)

1st Canadian Division

2nd Canadian Division

3rd Canadian Division

4th Canadian Division.

Subsequent: the capture of Oppy Wood, 28 June 1917

First Army (Horne)

XIII Corps (Congreve)

5th Division

31st Division.

Subsequent: the Battle of Hill 70, 15 – 25 August 1917

First Army (Horne)

I Corps (Holland)

6th Division

46th (North Midland) Division.

Canadian Corps (Byng)

1st Canadian Division

2nd Canadian Division

3rd Canadian Division

4th Canadian Division.

Links

Battles of the Western Front in France and Flanders

Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch describing the Battle of Arras, 1917

Gazetteer of the Western Front : Bullecourt

Gazetteer of the Western Front : Oppy

Guide to touring the Arras battlefields

Books