Memorial at Monchy-le-Preux

Nine kilometres east of Arras on the main road to Cambrai (D 939) lies the village of Monchy-le-Preux. The monument is well signposted (and not the only one in the village by the way). The bronze caribou stands upon the ruins of a German bunker facing towards a point known as Infantry Hill.

14 April 1917

At 0530 hours on the morning of 14 April 1917 under the cover of a thin barrage the Newfoundland Regiment advanced into a salient to the east of the village.

This was the first time that the Allies had encountered the German's new system of using an elastic defence. At the Somme the Germans had been ordered to stand fast and retake all territory as soon as it had been taken. This tactic had led to casualties as high as those of the British attackers.

Now they would have a front line which would be allowed to give under pressure, but backed by counter-attack units waiting in the rear.

The Newfoundland's 88th Brigade were attacking on a two battalion front behind a creeping artillery barrage. The Newfoundland Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Forbes-Robertson, was on the right and the 1st Battalion Essex Regiment on the left.

The Caribou faces towards a hill known at the time as Infantry Hill, and having reached that point the attacking units found themselves pinned down by the German counter attack. The Essex Regiment had taken part of the objective but the Newfoundlanders were being badly hit by machine gun fire.

Although the Newfoundlanders pressed on, German counter-attack battalions were swiftly deployed against them and soon the battalion found itself being attacked from three sides.

By 1000 hours there wasn't a single unwounded Newfoundlander east of Monchy.

The only troops available to prevent the Germans from taking the village were those manning the Battalion Headquarters - about twenty men. Of these, only ten managed to avoid the German bombardment and took up positions for the defence of the village.

For the next four hours these ten men were

...all that stood between the Germans and Monchy, one of the most vital positions on the whole battlefield.

British Official History

From the edge of the village the Newfoundlanders kept up their fire against the German front line until they were finally relieved. The Germans did not succeed in mounting an attack on the village.

166 Newfoundlanders were killed that day, with a further 141 wounded, and 153 captured.

The experience put off all thoughts of mounting a small scale offensive in the area.

The Battle of Arras 1917

The village of Monchy le Preux had been taken a few days earlier by the 37th Division and their memorial is within a short walk of the caribou. Continue along the street to the left of the caribou. As the road bends sharply to the right - there is no parking area at all - you will see the 37th's memorial on a bank to your right.

The 37th Division Memorial