AT least seven South Cumbrians were killed in a day as the Germans mounted a major Spring Offensive a century ago.

The men from Ambleside, Millom, Barrow, Ulverston, Langdale and Windermere all died on March 21 in 1918 - the first day of Operation Michael.

It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, near Saint-Quentin, France, and came close to splitting British and French forces on the battled-scarred ground of the Somme, which had already been fought over in 1916.

Many of the men taken by surprise as the Germans stormed forward from their dugouts have no known graves and are commemorated on memorials such Pozieres on the Somme or at Arras.

Among them is Pte Frank William Hawkrigg, who was Army number 92057 and was aged 25.

He was killed fighting with the 16th Battalion of the Sherwood Forresters.

Pte Hawkrigg is named on the Pozieres Memorial.

He was the son of William and Janet, of Hazeldene, Green Bank, Ambleside and the husband of Ruth, of 106 Victoria Road, Workington.

Pte John Carter was Army number 242061 and was aged 24. He served with the 5th Battalion of the Border Regiment and is named on the Pozieres Memorial.

He was the son of Samuel and Mary Ann Carter, of 4 Sea View, Millom.

Cpl Reveley Cavin was Army number 201101 and was aged 21. He served with the 1st Battalion of the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.

He was the son of Mary Alice, of 9 Barton Street, Barrow and was born at Ulverston.

Cpl Cavin is buried at Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras.

The Barrow News on Saturday April 6 said that his uncle lived at 15 Edmondson Street, Ulverston.

Cpl Cavin had been serving with a trench mortar crew and was killed despite behind miles from where the major fighting had started.

An officer wrote to tell the Ulverston relatives: "He was in a house a few miles behind the lines when a shell struck the house and he and his pals were instantly killed.

"I always thought a great deal of him. He was a good lad and will be greatly missed in the battery.

"He is buried in a cemetery a few miles behind the line." The article noted that the soldier was a former pupil of Pennington and Dale Street Council School, Ulverston. He had been in the Army for around two years, serving in France for the past 15 months.

Before the war he had worked at the Low Mill Tannery, Ulverston.

Sgt Sydney Herbert Minchinton was Army number 276626 and was aged 26.

He served with the 11th Battalion of the Essex Regiment and is named on the Arras Memorial.

Sgt Minchinton was the husband of Margaret Ann, of 23 Morecambe View, Ulverston.

Pte John Dockeray was Army number 241550 and is named on the Pozieres Memorial.

He served with the 5th Battalion of the Border Regiment and was the brother of Mr C. Dockeray, of 4 Marsden Street, Barrow.

Pte John Dugdale was Army number M2/032287 and was aged 35.

He served with the Army Service Corps but was attached to the 148th Field Ambulance of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Pte Dugdale was the son of Henry and Margaret, of Elton Lodge, Windermere and the husband of Selina, of Woodville, Craig Walk, Windermere.

He is named on the Arras Memorial.

Gunner Alfred Walker was Army number L /18466 and was aged 30.

He served with a gun battery which was part of the 8th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery.

Gnr Walker is named on the Pozieres Memorial and was the son of James and Jane, of Weir Cottages, Langdale, near Ambleside.