Historical Information

The memorial commemorates the part played by the 9th Scottish Division in the Battle of Arras on 9 April 1917. The division was serving in the XVII Corps in the British Third Army. The 9th (Scottish) Division was on the right wing of the XVII Corps attack, with the 4th, 34th, 51st Divisions to its left. The Canadian Corps was over on the far left of these British divisions at the Vimy Ridge. The VI Corps was on the right of the 9th Division on the southern side of the the Scarpe river.

Point du Jour was the name of a house on the road between St. Laurent-Blangy and Gavrelle. In German occupied ground it had been fortified into a redoubt by the time the British attacked the area in April 1917. On 9 April 1917 the house called Point du Jour was captured by the 34th Division.