A group of students from the University of Suffolk and high schools in Ipswich are to visit France next month to help mark the centenary of one of the crucial battles of the First World War.

Ipswich Star: A postcard showing the damage caused to the French town of Arras during The Great WarA postcard showing the damage caused to the French town of Arras during The Great War (Image: Archant)

They will be visiting the sites of the Battle of Arras that centred on Ipswich’s twin town in the north of France and lasted from April 6 to May 16.

The battle claimed 160,000 British casualties and 125,000 German dead. The allies made significant gains – but did not achieve the breakthrough that they had hoped.

The visit is officially being announced on Friday and is being funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Students from the University, Stoke Academy and St Albans High School have been taking part in a project looking at the battle and will be exhibiting their work at the University before 21 of them set off on their visit to the Arras area to see the battlefields at the end of April.