Walking Arras

[brownegaz]

I have just ordered this book online hopefully it will give me some idea of where my grandfather served during WW1 with 302 Bde and 15 Bde Royal Field Artillery around Arras has anyone read this book and have any comments or perhaps there are other books that also cover the Arras area battlefields.One of these days I would like to take a walk around some of these areas so want to do some research first.

[nigelcave]

Generally speaking, the artillery units are not particularly well served by guide books (though you will find Paul's to be an excellent book, I hasten to add).

When did he serve at Arras? In the major battle there in 1917 (ie April and May), the 5th Division of which XV Brigade RFA formed a part, was engaged in the opening part of the offensive under the command of the Canadian Corps, First Army, in the Vimy Ridge area; the 60th (2/London) Division [CCCII Brigade] was not involved in that battle.

Your best bet would be to consult the relevant War Diaries: IIRC not too many of these are yet on line but I am sure that someone will come along and set you on the right course. Pin pointing the relevant dates would help.

[RobertBr]

I have traced my Grandfathers footsteps around Arras in 1918.

To do so meant accessing:

His RFA Brigades War Diary, which provided a lot of details

The War Diaries of the other RFA Brigade in the Division

The Division CRAs War Dairy.

The War Diaries of the Infantry Brigades, one of which contained very useful original Trench Map.

and many other sources including Divisional Histories, attached Army Brigade War Diaries, etc

It is a "Long Long Trail"

Good Luck

Bob

[brownegaz]

Thanks for your replies I have downloaded 300 Bde war diaries for June 1915 to August 1916 and 15Bde diaries for the whole of 1914 to 1917 so hopefully this will shed some light on where he served.

[nigelcave]

Now you have the WDs the next stage would be to get hold of some of the relevant trench maps. A lot of these are available gratis to view on the McMaster site (spelling?); the Linesman maps for France and for Belgium as stand alones and are available on DVD from Pen and Sword (possibly Great War Digital, which produces Linesman as well and also sells the trench maps as stand alones) and possibly the IWM is still selling their DVD. This does not include all trench maps, of course, but they do provide good coverage of the British sectors. Good luck!