Battle Honour ARRAS 1917
The Battle Honour ARRAS 1917 is emblazoned on the King's Colour of The Royal Irish Regiment and was awarded for actions during the Battle of Arras, 9 April - 4 May 1917.
During February 1917, the Germans conducted a planned and methodical withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. The new line had been designed as a series of zones with chains of mutually supporting strong points. The Germans deliberately laid waste to the ground they withdrew across flattening villages, poisoning wells and laying booby traps; not even orchards were spared as they felled trees and woods. Although the Allied plan for a spring offensive designed to eliminate the Somme salient was affected, the new French commander, General Nivelle, decided, nevertheless, to continue with the plan. This was despite the fact that the Germans themselves had reduced much of the salient by their withdrawal to the shorter Hindenburg Line. However, the British were to attack one week before the French and the objective was the vital ground of Vimy Ridge to the north of Arras.
(Below left; trees in an orchard felled by the withdrawing German Army (© IWM Q 2092).
The attack began on Easter Monday 9 April 1917, and left of XVII (British) Corps, the Canadian Corps captured Vimy Ridge. The 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Faughs) was in XVII Corps' 4th Division which had been in reserve until it passed through the 9th (Scottish) Division and occupied all but the east of Fampoux. By 1630 hours this British advance had penetrated 3½ miles as far as the enemy's fourth and final trench line at Fampoux. The fighting east of Fampoux on the River Scarpe went on for several days but, despite 'extraordinary gallantry and determination', 10 Brigade, including the Faughs, was unable to achieve its objectives. By nightfall of 11 April, having lost 11 officers and 307 men, the Battalion was back in Fampoux.
The Battle Honour ARRAS 1917 was awarded to and borne on The King's Colour of The Royal Irish Fusiliers. In 1968 it was carried forward by The Royal Irish Rangers, and now by its successor, The Royal Irish Regiment.
