Chapter XXVII: Appendix: VI

SUMMARY OF WORK DONE BY SAPPERS AND PIONEERS IN PREPARATION FOR THE
BATTLE OF ARRAS, 9TH APRIL 1917

1. 3500 yards of new communication trenches.

2. New artillery trench (1600 yards) dug for advanced positions
of three brigades.

3. 4300 yards of old communications cleared at least once; trench
boards raised in part on “A” frames, and berms cleared back.

4. 2800 yards of tramway cleared and track raised 18 feet in
places; a very successful job, enabling large quantities of
ammunition for trench mortars, etc., to be run up. 1000 yards of
new tramway laid, including tramways to gun positions.

5. 10 heavy trench mortar emplacements with at least 10 feet
overhead cover, and mined magazines holding 200 rounds; these
proved very successful and saved many casualties.

6. 38 medium emplacements proof against 4·2 H.E. shells.

7. 7 artillery observation posts in Arras and 7 trench
observation posts with mined dug-outs; also telephone exchange at
sewer exit in Arras.

8. 1500 yards of roads cleared and repaired, and 3 subways made
for passage under roads.

9. 4500 yards of infantry tracks made, with a small amount of
assistance from infantry of the Fourth Division. 3000 artillery
tracks made, including 35 bridges. Overland tracks made along
4500 yards of communication trenches. Pontoon bridge over the
Scarpe repaired for pack transport.

10. Additional water storage for 1500 gallons, and about 2000
yards of piped supply to battery positions.

11. 74 cellars and a cave in St. Nicholas strutted, and 15
dug-outs extended or improved. 3 brigade H.Q. made, one of which
was made sufficiently large for advanced D.H.Q.

12. 4013 bunks erected in Etrun, Laresset, and Haute Avesnes. 518
bunks repaired, 8 Nissen huts and 13 cookhouse shelters erected.
A billet for 44 officers made in a French Adrian hut. Brigade
H.Q. made in St. Catherine for the Thirty-fourth Division, also
dug-outs for the 50th Brigade R.F.A. and signals in St. Nicholas.

13. The large quantity of articles turned out by divisional
workshops included:—

70 camouflaged targets for marking of objectives when captured.
143 water-carriers for pack transport.
350 infantry track posts.
138 trench bridges.
260 printed notice boards.
30 direction posts.
100 artillery track posts.
20 stretchers.

In addition, the Sappers made entrances for the 27th Brigade to
the craters in its front line, and exploded craters (for assembly
purposes) in front of the South African sector.

All this work took about two months.