ARRAS MEMORIAL FAUBOURG D’AMIENS CEMETERY, ARRAS
At the entrance to the Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery in France stands the Arras Memorial. The memorial commemorates nearly 35,000 soldiers of the British, South African and New Zealand forces with no known grave. Most of those commemorated were killed in the Battle of Arras, fought between 9 April and 16 May 1917.
The Battle of Arras, which began on Easter Monday, 9 April 1917, and saw the four divisions of the Canadian Corps, fighting side by side for the first time. They scored a huge tactical victory in the capture of the 60 metre high Vimy Ridge.
After the war, the highest point of the ridge was chosen as the site of the great memorial to all Canadians who served their country in battle during the First World War, and particularly to the 54,000 who gave their lives in France and Belgium. It also bears the names of 11,000 Canadian servicemen who died in France – many of them in the fight for Vimy Ridge – who have no known grave.
LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS 11th BATTALION
PRIVATE FREDERICK SKELTON – Died 8 October 1916 – His final resting place is unknown, his name is listed on the Vimy Memorial ID 56683630.
PRIVATE ALBERT EASTON – 23 MARCH 1918 and was buried at The Arras Memorial at Faubourg-D´Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France MR20 ARRAS PART VII
The above heroes names are on the Cenotaph in St Marks Church yard, Mosborough, Sheffield, England.
During the First World War the Regiment raised 30 Battalions and was awarded 63 Battle Honours and 6 Victoria Crosses losing 13,640 men during the course of the war.
Sept 1914 Formed in Codford as part of the Third New Army (K3) and then moved to Boscombe to join the 74th Brigade of the 25th Division and then moved to Hursley and then on to Malplaquet Barracks.
29.09.1915 Mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne and the Division engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;
During 1916 German attack on Vimy Ridge, The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin, The Battle of Pozieres, The Battle of the Ancre Heights.
During 1917 The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Pilkem. 12.08.1918 Disbanded in France near Dieppe.
www.cwgc.org /arras–memorial –
Credit for Information collated and typed up by Linda Staton
