RIFLEMAN Frederick Jackson is just one of the 34,785 Allies soldiers’ names on the Arras Memorial in France.

They were all killed in action between spring of 1916 and August 1918, and have no known grave.

The soldiers came from the UK, South Africa and New Zealand.

In the run-up to the Spring Offensive of 1917, 25,000 men had sheltered in tunnels which had been dug by the New Zealand Division between the medieval underground quarries beneath the town of Arras.

The labyrinth of chalk caves even boasted a 700-bed hospital.

Frederick was with the 1st Battalion of the Queen Victoria’s Rifles - part of the underground army which was secretly planning its next attack from under the noses of the German frontline.

On April 9, the surprise assault saw the Allies achieve the longest advance since trench warfare had begun.

But the spectacular early success soon turned a bloody stalemate with more than 285,000 casualties on both sides.

Frederick, from Kirby, was among those killed in the carnage on April 14, 2017.

He was just 19 years old.

His name is on the roll of honour on the village war memorial and in the church.

Nephew Brian Jackson, from Walton, quietly marked the centenary of Frederick’s death recently in church.

Very little is known about his uncle, except that he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country.

He was the son of George and Emma, of Willow View, Kirby Cross.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

Brian, 71, said: “Uncle Frederick was the eldest of seven children.

“The photo I have of him was taken in 1915, so he must have joined up when he was 16 or 17 and lied about his age.

“He was a big fine lad from what my aunt told me.

“The one thing she could remember was that when he left the village to go to war, he cried.

“It wasn’t fear - it was just not knowing what to expect.”

Brian’s father Frank, who would serve in the Second World War, was just six when his eldest brother was killed in action.

When Frank passed away in 1986, Brian found a scroll saying Frederick’s name was inscribed in stone at the Arras memorial.

Four years later, he visited the memorial at Faubourg-D’Amiens Cemetery to pay tribute to his uncle.

Brian proudly wore Frederick’s war medals, which had been passed down to him.

“A standard bearer accompanied me,” he said.

“I was able to see his name on the memorial and have a minute’s silence.

“It’s a beautiful cemetery.

“Although it was very emotional, it wasn’t a sad occasion.

“I was able to take a wreath and say a last goodbye from the family.”

Brian also visited the Arras Museum in the old tunnels beneath the town.

“There were 25,000 Allied troops sheltering under the city in the chalk caves waiting for the battle to start under the noses of the Germans,” he said.

“It’s an amazing thing.”

“They got the idea after suffering huge losses at the Somme “It was the most extensive underground network in British military history to protect troops in the lead up to the new offensive at Arras.”

It is not known how Frederick was killed in the fighting.

Brian said: “I imagine that like so many he was just thrown into it.”

He remains immensely proud of his uncle, who was just a teenager when he left Kirby for the first and last time to go to war.

“He had never been out of the village but he went and signed up,” said Brian.

“Imagine a boy of 16 or 17 leaving the village of Kirby and finishing up, his body smashed, somewhere in the middle of France, aged 19.

“It’s a sobering thought.”