Remembering Battle of Arras
Family tribute 100 years on
A Stirling man has paid tribute to a relative killed during one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War.
The Observer reported last Wednesday 46,000 paper poppy petals are to be released from the top of the Wallace Monument to mark the centenary of the end of the Battle of Arras.
Each petal will represent one of the 46,000 Scottish soldiers killed or wounded in the battle.
Amongst the casualties was 2nd Lieutenant Malcolm Reid Walker, who was 21 when he died in battle on April 23, 1917 while serving win the Seventh Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
Lt Walker’s nephew, Malcolm Walker, from Stirling, along with his wife Rhona, originally from Bridge of Allan, son Iain and daughter Kirsty, visited his grave in Arras, Northern France, on April 23 this year to pay their respects.
Malcolm (81), who now lives in Surrey, said: “It was very emotional for me. I’m named after him so it meant a lot for me to be there on the 100th anniversary of his death.
“When a soldier would die in the First World War then the family would get a bronze memorial plaque. I still have the one presented after Malcolm died.
“I’ve been to the cemetery quite a few times, but because it was a hundred years to the day it was a bit more emotional.”
Before joining the war, Lt Walker was twice Central District tennis champion twice and following his death, his father was presented with the competition’s cup in his honour.
Malcolm had a brother and two sisters. Both sisters’ boyfriends were also killed during the war.
His role in the battle is described in the official history as the Second Battle of the Scarpe.
The 51st Division attacked on the northern side of Arras and was involved in heavy fighting on the western outskirts of Roeux and the chemical works. Lt Walker’s gravestone is situated in a small cemetery of just 450 in Arras.
The Battle of Arras took place from April 9 to May 16, 1917.
British troops attacked German defences near Arras on the Western Front. The battle became a costly stalemate for both sides and by the end of the battle the British Third and First armies had suffered about 160,000 casualties and the German 6th Army 125,000 casualties.
When the battle officially ended on May 16, British Empire troops had made significant advances but had been unable to achieve a breakthrough.
Poppy Scotland will release the paper poppy petals on Tuesday, May 16 at 11am from the top of the Wallace Monument.