Robert is listed as being killed in action on the 3 May 1917 during the battle of Arras. The battalion were involved in fighting overnight on 2nd/3rd and overnight on 3rd/4th and the war diary for both periods is transcribed below.
War Diary 2nd/3rd May
Trenches 2.5.17: The 36th Brigade were to attack Rifle Trench [NE of Monchy-le-Preux] during the night of the 1st&2nd [May 1917] with the cooperation of the 7th East Surrey Regt who had relieved ½ of the battalion of 6th Buffs in Bayonet Trench and the part of Rifle trench previously captured. The operation was unsuccessful. The trenches at this time were very bad and for the most part only consolidated shell holes. No communication trenches existed.
Preparations were being made for the general attack to be delivered on the 3rd of May.
Trenches 3.5.17: The Battn with the 6th Buffs on the right and 11th Middlesex on the left attacked the German lines at 3.45am. The objectives were two in number, the brown line (Gun Trench) and the yellow line (Cartridge trench). Maps etc attached.
The attack failed and casualties to the battalion were heavy. Killed . Officers 3 Other Ranks 26. Wounded 3 Officers and 117 Other Ranks. Missing – Officers 5 Other Ranks 89. In addition six others were gassed.
No messages came through to Battn HQ in Monchy Wood until the afternoon and that was from Lt Ayres to say that they were back in their own frontline with two officers and about 40 men. The attack was delivered during the darkest part of the night and the forming up was very difficult owing to the absence of trenches and the difficulty of getting direction. Once the attack started touch seems to have been lost and the fighting was carried out by isolated bodies of men. Their objective was reached but large bodies of the enemy were passed over in the darkness and those that did get back had to fight their way back.
The battalion on our left captured Scabbard Trench and their right was protected by a strong point of men from this battalion who had dug in on the right of Harness Lane near Devils Trench.
War Diary 3rd/4th May
3rd May: The 6th Battn R W Kent Regiment who had been in reserve for our attack were ordered to attack Gun trench and Keeling Copse in the evening. They attacked at 9.45pm and failed. Their casualties were about the same as our own. Lt Col Dawson was wounded.
Trenches 3rd - 4th: The 6th Queen relieved the 6th Buffs and the 7th E Surreys early on the morning of the 4th inst. The 6th Royal West Kent supporting the 6th Queens.
The casualties of the 37th Inf Bde from the 2nd inst to the 4th inst were very heavy, each attacking battalion losing about 250 O.R’s and most of their officers.
On relief the Buffs and East Surreys moved to Gun Pit Valley and on the night of the 4th back to the Railway Triangle. END
