John Buchanan

Killed in Action on the 09/04/1917 at the 1st Battle of the Scarpe (opening day of the Battle of Arras)

The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 08/01/1916 and were part of the 101st Brigade, 34th Division. John was Killed in Action on the opening day of the 1st Battle of the Scarpe, 9th - 14th April 1917 (part of the successful British Offensive at Arras). The Arras Offensive 9th of April - 16th of June 1917 : 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 British effort was an assault on a relatively broad front between Vimy in the north-west and Bullecourt to the south-east. After a long preparatory bombardment, the Canadian Corps of the First Army in the north fought the Battle of Vimy Ridge, capturing the ridge. The Third Army in the centre advanced astride the Scarpe River and in the south, the Fifth Army attacked the Hindenburg Line but made few gains. The British armies then conducted smaller attacks to consolidate the new positions. Although these battles were generally successful in achieving limited aims, they came at considerable cost. SEE PHOTOS x 10 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY MARCH - APRIL 1917. John was originally buried in Blangy Military Cemetery (see Reburial photos x 4 and Headstone Reports x 3). John is also remembered on the Coatbridge Technical College and Dunbeth Parish Churches Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for John's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 3, Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, the Royal Scots Cap Badge, John's Pension Records x 2 and his Reburial Forms x 4. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 2 (Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser), another photo of John's grave, Cabaret-Rouge British taken by myself in July 2023 x 2 plus 9 Poppy Crosses placed at Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery by myself in July 2023 (John's bottom left), the 34th Division Order of Battle x 15 (the Division who he was with when he died), PHOTOS x 17 FOR THE 34th DIVISION BOOK 9th - 14th APRIL 1917. According to the book the Division casualties from the 9th - 14th April 1917 were - OFFICERS : Killed 37, Wounded 94, Missing 1, Sick 5. OTHER RANKS : Killed 304, Wounded 1980, Missing 314, Sick 32. TOTALS : OFFICERS 137, OTHER RANKS 2630 = 2767 and another Newspaper clipping from the Coatbridge Leader 21/04/1917.