L WHITEHEAD

L Whitehead was a private in the 6th Battalion The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). He died in France on the 9th April 1917 aged 23. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Whitehead, of High St., Syresham, Brackley, Northants.

He is buried in Feuchy Chapel British Cemetery, Wancourt, Pas de Calais. Wancourt was captured on 12 April 1917 after very heavy fighting. Given that the date of his death is given as 9th April it seems likely that he died in this attack, which was part of the Battle of Arras. The British Army launched a large-scale attack at Arras as part of a master plan by new French Commander in Chief Robert Nivelle. Although initially successful, it soon bogged down and became a terribly costly affair. The British attack was against the formidable Hindenburg Line, to which the enemy had recently made a strategic withdrawal. The battle can be considered to be composed of a number of phases: the Battle of Vimy and the First Battle of the Scarpe were the opening phases; the Second and Third Battle of the Scarpe and the final Battle of Bullecourt and other actions against the Hindenburg Line concluded the fighting.

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The Canadians attack at Vimy Ridge. Image from Library and Archives Canada