German attack on Vimy Ridge, 21 May 1916
In 1932, Edmonds recorded 1,344 German casualties; 615 men in the attack and 729 during British counter-attacks. British casualties in the 47th Division from 22 to 24 May were 1,571, 2nd Division casualties were 267 and the 7th Brigade (25th Division) had 637 casualties, a total of 2,475. In 1936, the official historians of "Der Weltkrieg", the German official history, recorded that 300 British prisoners had been taken.
1st Surrey Rifles
In Spring 1916 the division was moved to the Vimy Ridge sector near Arras. This was quiet to begin with, but in April intensive mining operations were begun by both sides, and on 20 May the Germans attacked and took some ground from the division. The 1/21st and 1/24th Bns counter-attacked on the evening of 23 May. The 1/24th was held up, but A Company of the First Surreys went ahead and recaptured the old line, holding it for about an hour and causing heavy casualties to the enemy. However, they were unsupported by flanking forces and were compelled to return: 'Nothing was left to show for this gallant and costly action beyond a few yards of our old front line'. To hold its position against German counter-attack at the end of the action, the battalion had to be reinforced by a company of the 1/22nd Londons, by the divisional engineers and pioneers and by the tunnelling companies. The First Surreys suffered 187 casualties of all ranks in this action.