Category Archives: Arras

Sidney and William Lucas. C Lucas

Army, Arras, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Royal Berkshire Regiment, St. Laurence's Church, Ypres

Sidney Lucas
Private 10471 2nd Battalion “C” Company
Royal Scots Fusiliers

 William Lucas
Corporal 201709
5th Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Division 66
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Lucas S photo Lucas W Photo Lucas C photo

Sidney and William Lucas, were the twin sons of  Henry and Jessie Lucas, of 48, Swansea Road,  Reading.  They are commemorated on the kerbs of a family grave. Jessie Lucas had borne eleven children. At the time of the 1911 census Henry is recorded as a waiter, other members of the family are working in various occupations within the printing industry. Older brothers Harry and Sidney are working as general labourers and Thomas in the Music Hall. William is not living at home. He was married to Elizabeth Lucas, of 7, Selwood Place, Slough. The 1901 census also names an older brother Charlie who could be the C.Lucas pictured above.

Sidney Lucas was killed in action at Festubert on 17th May 1915.  His body was never identified and he is recorded on the La Touret memorial to the Missing, panel 12 & 13.  He was aged 23.

William Lucas was killed in action on 27th April 1917. He is buried in the  Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras.  Location Plot V.  Row C.  Grave number 23.  He was 25.

C. Lucas Private
1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers

C. Lucas is pictured with Sidney Lucas, and his address given as 103, Great Knollys Street, Reading.  It is not clear whether they were brothers.

The Standard of January 9th 1915 gave pictures and information that Sidney Lucas had been wounded in the left hand and C. Lucas had been wounded in the forehead.

Greater detail about C. Lucas was given in the same paper of January 16th 1915 under the title “Left for Dead”.  Quoting C. Lucas the report gave detail of his wounding…“ a woollen head comforter lessened the force of the blow and saved my life”.   He had fallen unconscious and was given up for dead by comrades, who carried him to a dug out and covered him with straw.  In this condition he lay for 13 hours and then a chum tried to rouse him and shouted, “Now’s your chance”.  Lucas then commenced to stagger to an ambulance wagon, which he says was 3 miles distant, and reached without mishap.  He had been wounded on November 5th during the 1st Battle of Ypres.  After treatment at Boulogne he was sent to Norwich hospital and then home on sick leave.  He had been a Reservist and was employed at the Place Theatre as a stage hand before the war.

 

Frederick John Knott

Army, Arras, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments

Frederick John Thomas Knott
Private 31609
63rd Company Machine Gun Corps.

Division 9

KNOTT F MGC  CIMG2155CIMG2156

 

Frederick Knott is commemorated on a his family’s grave number 9931.  He was the son of Frederick and Harriet Knott who lived at 4, Fulham Road, Reading.  The 1911 census indicates that he was the eldest of seven children, he had a younger brother and five sisters. Frederick Knott was killed on 23rd April 1917, aged 19.  

 Frederick Knott has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial Panel 10.  The Arras Memorial bears the names of 35,000 casualties who died between Spring 1916 and 7th August 1918 and who have no known graves.

 The exact circumstances of his death are unknown but the Battle of Arras began on 9th April 1917 and the 23rd April 1917 was the start of the second phase, with the British attacking north and south of the River Scarpe.  The early stages involved the capture of Vimy Ridge and the village vantage point of Monchy-le-Preux.   The second stage continued the steady pressure towards the east and Cambrai with heavy fighting around Gavrelle and Oppy Wood.

Joseph Duce

Army, Arras, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments

Joseph Duce
Private G/9219 6th Battalion
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

 Division 67
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Joseph Duce was the son of  Clara Duce, of 197, High Street, Watford, Hertfordshire, and the late David Duce.   According to the 1911 census the family had a Fish Restaurant in Watford.  Joseph died on 12th May 1917, aged 37.  He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing, Bay 2.

 The Battle of Bullecourt is described in detail in “The Blood Tub” by Jonathan Walker.  The Battle of Arras began on 9th April 1917 along a twelve mile front.  Starting with the success of the taking of Vimy ridge by the Canadians the battle became more and more bloody as the British and Australians tried to break through the Hindenburg line renewing the attack with more vigour on 3rd May.  Losses were heavy and “the only remedy seemed to be to put more and more brigades into the ‘Blood tub’”. (page 163)

Walker describes the attack of  the 12th May 1917 in his chapter “Fight for the Crucifix”. In the forefront was the 2nd Queens.  This battalion had been decimated during 1st Ypres and was now made up mostly of men of “Kitchener’s Army”.  It is therefore likely that Joseph Duce was serving in this Battalion at the time of the attack and his death.   The attack was timed to begin at 3.40am on 12 May.  The men were very tired because even when out of line they were required to bring supplies forward.  They got off to a good start, with the 1st South Staffordshires on their left and the Australians on the right, advancing quickly under the German barrage.

The Queen’s reached their objectives but battle got bogged down on along the line either side of them.  True to form the battle became drawn out over the following days and although the German counter-attacks failed there were many casualties, killed, missing and wounded.  Amongst them was Joseph Duce whose body was never identified.