; ':if' .' .:l.. . \. ..' . '. - \' , \, \. ". If,iI ,'I: ;.'. . 7 . ". . . # - . . , J . . (p- (1 "L / THE 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES 1914 - 1919 ! VCa1TUr& e Pass hertda ___!...of i s!,e 3 res Nkwl'!&.. ;:-' - --ir...,-- f4v. 6fl':- - .;K ia.befti Mffl" C nVDD"de " nVt' _........, , -; (______ h ass 1. iÙitd'" (:/j/ \ "/ Ð ':'J ' Haze rouc/\../ 4 .':'t ._: .' / (/lrmenlims . . . : .I..L ire. ; : 1Yú[les /,L/ß. 5t.venant . : &.jaudlJMi", 1IJ'Frtcourt " i\ -' ..: "\. co ' / . { f!\ .' ':: IPeronne r... yo &L /sen;be':j :- Hef1Ffftes 1 jJ\ . WL1tet'wõ" {: \ !f Gflùhi ft f)j.i) .... t' , J .. I . : "I / Qhap!J. i . m rrI , S;t;:jert .. l jsieUf .'. :lDurn -- tIi & apPí! . " L / l t' I ..-..\ sWiJislain Å ns ft.;!!' ,/ .>>{Utlrt S " ( Conde. "\rhu{;n JÐí " -'" -s:' - /' ltUiMDrflln Welx \ , . l\.J i '&i mes-fEiJ- . .' \ '. .. uÙYre . c6af1t y HDrfUllIUJ . " 11 (", " en . . . "\.Ul J '... ' Ya tLCtentle.s arleroi ' 'Zu \.. !'..-....,.. /" -_., ..!' ' 0 ' : :, J \ . -.. , "' ,:J í ..,.' " y lYlau6eUJe_ (e ,....: ..) r. i s ./. f/lJ c/) I . , , . . i ,- : .-!!..veSlleS ':.c.' r /e .. ... ,;. THE 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES 1914 -1919 BY CAPTAIN S. G. BENNETT, M.C. (Late Royal Engineers) With a Foreword by MAJOR-GENERAL J. H. ELMSLEY C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. TORONTO MURRAY PRINTING COMPANY LIMITED 1926 COPYRIGHT, CANADA, 1926 PRINTED IN CANADA DEDICATED TO THE OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR CONTENTS PREFACE Page xi FOREWORD xiii CHAPTER I CANADA AKD ENGLAND 1 9 16 26 44 72 90 CHAPTER II FRANCE Al\"D THE TREKCHES CHAPTER III SANCTUARY WOOD CHAPTER IV THE OMME CHAPTER V VIMY RIDGE CHAPTER VI PASSCHEXDAELE CHAPTER VII DURING THE LAST GER}IAX ÛFFEXSIVE CHAPTER VIII THE LAST HUNDRED DAYS 115 (Amiens, Arras, Cambrai, The Final Advance) CHAPTER IX ARMISTICE TO DEMOBILIZATION ApPENDIX I N OMIX AL ROLL 149 160 338 330 ApPENDIX II GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS INDEX LIST OF ILLUSTRA TIONS LIECTEN ANT-COLONEL \\T. C. V ACX CHADWICK Facing page 2 LIECTENANT-COLONEL SANDFORD SMITH, D.S.O. " " 5 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL J. F. H. UBSHER " u 13 LILLE GATE, Y PRES " 15 SANCTUARY 'VOOD AFTER JUNE 2, 1916 " 19 LIEUTEXANT-COLONEL H. D. LOCKHART GORDON, D.S.O. H u 21 ZILLEBEKE LAKE AND YPRES IN FAR DIBTANCE H H 23 IXFANTRY ADVAXCING 'WITH A TANK H 31 LOOKING OVER CREST OF VIMY RIDGE TOWARD VILLAGE OF VIMY H H 54 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL W. R. PATTERSON, D.S.O. u u 63 PASSCHEXDAELE-CONSOLIDATING IN THE MUD H u 79 PRIVATE T. 'V. HOLMES, V.C. u H 84 COMING OUT OF THE LINE H u 97 CAPTAIN W. H. DAVIS, M.C. H u 123 ARRAB u 126 ENTERING CAMBRAI, OCTOBER 9, 1918 H 139 CIVILIANS RELEASED BY 4TH C. M. R., AFTER FOUR YEARS IN OCCUPIED TERRITORY H H 142 PRESENTATION OF COLOURS TO 4TH C. L R. AT BRAMSHOTT, MARCH 7, 1919 u H 154 LIST OF 1\lAPS ITINERARY 4TH C.M.R. BATTALION JULY, 1918-FEBRUARY, 1919 INCLUDING THE LAST HUNDRED DAYS SAXCTUARY \\T OOD , JUNE 2, 1916 THE SOMME VIMY RIDGE, 1917 PA8SCHENDAELE, OCTOBER, 1917 Frontispiece Facing page 18 u 42 u 70 H 88 H PREFA CE W HEN I was commissioned to write this book I found it necessary to adhere rigidly to a definite policyon account of the limits of space. Primarily the book was written for the men and the satisfaction of the next of kin. The Regiment ,vas raised to fight the enemy; those things which helped to advance that cause and ",Tere a means to that end were given preference. Despite the necessity of condensation, no time has been omitted or glossed over ,vithout some reference to it, so that no man, no matter how short his association with the Regiment, will find a void where his interests centred. All the commanding officers kindly read those chap- ters of the book which included the time under their command. To them the author is especially grateful and in particular to Lieutenant-Colonel H. D. Lockhart Gordon D.S.O., who originally proposed this history and throughout its preparation gave, generously, many hours of his days and evenings in helping with various details. Also Lieutenant-Colonel W. R. Patterson D.S.O., whose long service ",-ith the Regiment cOlnbined ,vith his prodig- ious memory, was of the greatest assistance. Captain R. Innes-Taylor, formerly Adjutant of the Battalion, gathered together a large amount of informa- tion and prepared material which was of the greatest assistance. The Regimental \Var Diary was my guide; all dates, names and movements were taken from it and I was particularly fortunate in having one of the best Diaries of any Regiment in the Great 'Var, to consult. This is verified by the reference to it in the Army Quarterly, October, 192-1, which printed extracts and commented that, "one Adjutant of an overseas battalion possessed a bright style and used particularly crisp phraseology in compiling his Diary." The Adjutant referred to was xi xii 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES Captain Gregory Clark, l\1.C., to whom I am indebted, not only for his work on the Diary, but for his many courtesies to me during the writing of the book. Captain G. D. Fleming, who succeeded Captain Clark in August, 1918, maintained the high standard of the Diary. Ser- geant-Major Featherstonhaugh, \vho was orderly-room sergeant, with the Regiment from the first and respon- sible for the safe-keeping of the records, was of invalu- able assistance in checking the proofs. Lieutenant- Colonel G. F. McFarland lent me his excellent personal Diary and read the manuscript. The Historical Section of the General Staff, Ottawa, kindly provided copies of various documents and pre- pared other material and were at all times ready to pro- vide assistance. The page-proofs of the book were read by the Section and numerous suggestions and minor inaccuracies pointed out. For the assistance afforded, the author is greatly indebted to the Director and Staff of the Historical Section. The maps were inspired by l\Ir. Emery Walker and dra\vn in the style of the cartographers of the seventeenth century by Mr. I. H. Kerr, a student attending the Ontario College of Art. I am indebted to Mr. Kerr for his faithful execution and meticulous adherence to detail and also for his artistic page-ends \vhich embellish the book. To the many Officers and men who helped me in various ways I tender my thanks and appreciation, only a few of whom I have space to mention; Major W. E. L. Coleman, l\1.C., Major M. M. Hart, M.C., and Major Victor Sifton, D.S.O., impartially advised me. I have tried to give the correct weight and perspec- tive throughout. To the best of my ability I have been, I trust, unbiased, neutral and just. S. G. BENNETT FORE WORD AFTER the operations in the area of Festubert and La Bassée Canal in 1915 where our casualties had been heavy, the Canadian Troops were mot'ed North to the JI essines Front and remained there during the winter of 1915--1916. All who were on this front well remember the numerical weakness of our Battalion. , reduced by casualties to half their normal strength and holding against attack frontages proportional to a Battalion at full strength. They will recall all the general disheartening conditions; the incessant German shelling and discouraging silence of our guns due to the scarcity of ammunition; the never- ending demands for worl{ing parties to construct at night new trenches or recondition the old; the continual rains, increasing at times to such t'olume and violence that the worl. of one month would be washed away in one night; and the futility of our efforts to drive mines in this quagmire of a front. Fighting did not lower the morale of our men, in fact it improt'ed it, but this unending struggle against the forces of J.Vature, the lack of warlnth and dry clothing, want of sleep and a dry place to sleep in, all began to hat'e an adverse effect on the spirits and courage of our gallant mud-caked fighters and diggers. EffectÚ'e censorship had dropped an im,penetrable curtain behind us, cutting off our view and knowledge xiii xiv 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES of. any possible reinforcements to relieve us in our gral)e needs. We really began to wonder whether our people at home had forgotten us, or whether in sending one Division and one Cavalry Brigade to the Front Canada had made her one and only stake in this World's TV ar. Our minds assured us that such a situation could not exist; but our weary bodies reminded us that it did exist. Standing one day at a respectful distance from an unhealthy cross-Toad the censor's curtain suddenly lifted and we saw a column of men approaching, tall, well-built, clean of clothes and equipment, clean of face and hands-":'" something quite foreign to us in our surroundings. JVho were they) Our reinforcements at last, the C. M. R. Brigades, and of them the future 4th C. }'f. R. Battalion, the familiar faces of the men of Toronto, my home, and of whose deeds and sacrifices you read about in this book. The distant skirl of the pipes brought no greater relief to the besieged Garrison of Lucknow than did the sight of these men to us-the Advance Guard of the greater Canadian Forces to come. I n this n anner I made my second acquaintance with the C. .JI. R.-my first during the South African TVar over twenty-five years ago. A mysterious organization, these C. 111. R., non-existent in Peace but cOlning to life in TVar, with territorial associations stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific and embodying men of every walk in life, 'l'oluntarily tendering their services during a National peril and willing to sacrifice their all in their Country's service-the Canadian Fascisti. And as they arrived in South Africa years ago during the dark weeks FOREWORD xv of that campaign where they brought material a.fJsistance and consolation to their distressed comrades, so they arrived in France bringing messages of hope and encouragement from our far-distant Canada. Later I had the honour to succeed General V. A. S. Williams as the Commander of the C. .J/. R. Brigade, composed of the 1st, gnd, 4th and 5th Battalions, which were subsequently embodied in the Srd Canadian Division as the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade. Whilst under my Command as a Brigade in this Division, we fought the major offensive operations of the Somme, Vimy, and Passchendæle and the very costly defensive operations of the Y pre. Salient. In all these and other operations the C. M. R. contributed their full share towards General Sir Arthur Currie's proud claim at the termination of the war that "the Canadian Corps had never failed to gain t/zeir objectit'e in the attack, or permanently lost one yard of territory in the defence," and though I may be accused of prejudice I feel that during my Command of two years no other Brigadier was as f onunate as I in hat,ing such loyal and gallant Officers and men under him as the old C. M. R. j/ y best wishes to myoId comrades now living: and to those dead, may they rest in peace. c7 "1 THE 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES CHAPTER I CANADA AND ENGLAND T HE Fourth Canadian l\Iounted Rifles undera uthoritv of the Department of l\filitia and Defence becam"'e a unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force on November 5th, 1914.l\-Iajor-General F. L. Lessard, C.B., commanding l\lilitary District No.2 issued instructions that the personnel was to be drafted from four cavalry militia regiments of Ontario, a quota to be taken from the Goyernor-General's Body Guard, 2nd Dragoons, 9th l\Iississauga Horse and 25th Brant Dragoons. The command ,vas given to Lieut.-Colonel Vaux Chadwick, of the Reserve of Officers, a fonner commanding officer of the 9th l\Iississauga Horse. The establishment called for twenty-eight officers and five hundred and seventy-seven non-commissioned officers and men. At the outbreak of war in August, 1914, cavalrymen 'were among the first to volunteer their services and \vere disappointed when they learned that they 'would not be called up with the first contingent. They \vere told by the Government, ho-wever, that they ,vould be required eventually and the Governor-General, H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught, intimated that cavalry ,vould probably be needed in Egypt. \Vith this encouragement the Governor- General's Body Guard, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Sandford Smith and the 9th MississaugaHorsecommanded bv Lieut.-Colonel H. D. Lockhart Gordon on their own i:rÎitiative opened voluntary training camps, the former at Aurora, Ontario, and the latter on the shore of Lake 1 ] Aug. 1914 Aug. 1914 Nov. 16, 1914 2 4TH CANADIAN l\fOUNTED RIFLES Ontario, near Long Branch. These rival camps, work- ing toward the same goal, were soon training men, acquir- ing equipment and preparing for the future without any official authority, but with general approval. The City of Toronto and Lieut.-Colonel H. C. Cox, Honorary Colonel of the l\fississauga Horse, kindly purchased about two hundred horses to mount these regiments, which enabled them to commence their eques- trian training. As soon as authority was given, Lieut.-Colonel Vaux Chadwick began to organize the new regiment, which was first known as the Ontario l\founted Rifles. Subse- quently it became the 4th Canadian l\Iounted Rifles and was brigaded with the 5th and 6th Canadian l\:founted Rifles in the 2nd Canadian Mounted Brigade, the 5th and 6th C. M. R. being raised in the Eastern Townships of Quebec and the Maritime Provinces. The quota from the Mississauga Horse and the Body Guard was avail- able at once and moved to the Exhibition Grounds on November 16th, followed by the Brant Dragoons on the 21st and the 2nd Dragoons on the 23rd. In order to assimilate the different units, each Squadron was com- posed of one troop from each regiment. The new regiment was first billeted in buildings of the Canadian National Exhibition. These buildings, erected to display the prize crafts and stock of the land, now did service in sheltering the officers and men and their horses. The men were of the first and best that Canada offered to the l\fother Country. They came from every ,valk of life and were of the same Inettle as those who pierced the Red River country or went to South Africa. Endo"Ted with native ability and characteristic ingenuity, they were soon to be trained and drilled into an efficient fighting force to stand beside the brawn of Britain and honourably acquit themselves. Material sacrifices made by this apparently care-free multitude were small compared to what was probably the greatest decision of their lives; namely, to give up the dut T to their loved ones and accept the duty to their country. Once they had made the momentous decision .....,...... Lieutenant-C%nel W. C. Vaux Chadwick CANADA AND ENGLAKD to answer the call to arms, the men took unto themselves the contagious cavalry spirit. They faced the rigorous and embarrassing physical examination and went on their first parade with mingled feelings of pride and ignorance. The old soldier felt the superiority of his experience, but he, too, was not without his emotions. Training commen- ced. with a vigour and enthusiasm which could be felt and sho,vn only by men physically fit and carefully chosen, who had volunteered with all the eagerness of :youth anxious to serve. In addition to the two hundred horses turned over to the Regiment about five hundred more were received. Unfortunately, or, perhaps, in a ,yay fortunately, no bridles or saddles ,vere available for some considerable time and in consequence this necessary equipment was borrowed from the l\Iississaugua Horse for the use of officers and troop guides. The men, of necessity, were trained to ride bareback, Indian fashion, ,vith improvised bridles and rope-bits and on one occasion attracted attention by going on a nine-mile route-march through the streets of Toronto, the entire regiment riding bare- back. They turned out for their first review by Iajor- General Sam Hughes, R.C.B., !\Iinister of l\lilitia, before the equipment arrived. Happily, however, the men wore great-coats to cover the deficiency in saddles and they handled their horses so ,veIl that the lack was barely noticeable. They trained for the first three months in this ,vay, which probably accounted for the excellent riding displayed, and for the number of prizes the original men ,yon in overseas tournaments. All equipment was slow in coming and the men would have suffered considerably from lack of sufficient winter clothing had it not been for the kindness of many people in Toronto who provided felt boots and other urgent necessities so that it was possible to carry on training even in the coldest weather. Those days 'vere long, because they ,yere new. They are remembered because of the impressions which are vivid when not too dulled by tedium. How short in actual time they ,vere, compared with the days to follo,v! The life at the Exhibition 3 Nov. 1914 Jan. 1915 May 1915 4 4TH CAKADIAN l\10UNTED RIFLES Jan. 1915 Grounds ,viII be recalled ,vith outstanding freshness because of its novelty; the unusually early rising, the ablutions, the cook house, the stables, the business of grooming, feeding and watering the obstreperous horses, all unaccustomed 'features of a new existence. l\lusketry practice, which gave some so much pleasure on the ranges at L?ng Branch, was to others a great trial. The use of a rifle was not a new thing to the many militiamen in the unit, but there were a few who nursed a painful shoulder for the first time. Early in the spring of 1915 the Governor-General, H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught, came from Ottawa for an inspection of the unit and commented in the most glowing terms upon its efficiency and splendid appearance. He remarked that he had rarely seen a regiment so well mounted. This was not surprising, as some of the most valuable hunters in the country ,vere amongst the uni- formly splendid mounts. There was a persistent rumour that the Regiment was for Egypt, to be brigaded under General Maxwell, and after the inspection everyone felt that it was the last thing preparatory to leaving. There was great disappointment when this proposal was not carried out. Following this shattered hope caIne an order which was even more disheartening. The Regiment ,vas called upon to supply horses as chargers 'for the officers 01 the Second Canadian Division, then leaving for overseas. No order could have been more discouraging. To be given a strange horse, to get acquainted with him by feeding, grooming, learning to ride hiIn and caring for him, and then suddenly to lose him, was a bitter pill. l\Iany a man, as he toiled over his horse or cleaned his saddlery, dreamed of the day when he \\Tould ride him in France ,vhere he ,vould have to rely upon his stamina and training to carry him in action. In l\fay, 1915, the Regiment was asked to volunteer for overseas' service as a dismounted unit. There 'were many regrets, naturally, in abandoning the horses; never- theless, the men were eager to get to the field of action and so, rather than kick their heels forever in a training- camp, three thousand miles from the guns, they accepted Lieutenant-Colonel Sandford Smith, D.S.D. CANADA A D ENGLA D the inevitable as gracefully as possible. Shortly after- wards all were moved to Kiagara-on-the-Lake, where training ,vas pursued under continued difficulties. The Regiment was over-strength in officers and men, but only half-strength in horses. This unhappy condition ,vas accentuated when orders were received to proceed to V alcartier, with only enough horses to bring the estab- lishment to that of an infantry unit. Thus a second parting with horses was made. Regrets at this time had some compensation, as it meant a move nearer the theatre of war. The Regiment arrived at V' alcartier in June and at once joined with the 5th and 6th Canadian l\Iounted Rifles to form the flnd Canadian l\Iounted Rifles Brigade, under Colonel C. A. Smart. A.t Yalcartier, the command changed. Lieut.-Colonel Vaux Chadwick, who had never become reconciled to the Regiment being a dismounted unit, ,vas transferred to Headquarters on June 23rd and appointed Brigade l\Iajor of the 7th Overseas Infantry Brigade, composed of French Canadians and units fron1 the l\Iaritime Provinces. Later on he raised and trained the 124th Overseas Battalion, which was another unit recruited from the Governor-General's Body Guard and l\Iississauga Horse. This Battalion he commanded in France. The \vonderful training in discipline and the determination shown by Lieut.-Colonel Vaux Chadwick tha t nothing should be left undone in the way of prepara- tion' bore fruit in the noble stand made by the Fourth C. l\I. R. in its first action on June 2nd, 1916. In succes- sion to Lieut.-Colonel Chadwick came Lieut.-Colonel Sandford F. Smith, \vith Lieut.-Colonel H. D. Lockhart Gordon as Second-in-Comlnand. The Regilnent carried out cavalry drill on foot and did brigade manæuvres. The Inen found their month's drilling rather trying after the loss of their horses, but many pleasant escapades can be recalled which helped to pass the time. The famous drag hunts of the Canadian l\lounted Rifles will be relnembered with mixed feelings. They \vould start with an innocent canter which would develop into a mad gallop through a ,, ood followed by wonderful 5 May 1915 June 1915 June 1915 July 17, 1915 6 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES "fencing" on the flat. Then Lieut. D. l\IacKay would invariably challenge an unsuspecting officer to join in a race to the finish. By the time they were going too hard to pull up they .would come suddenly to a creek too wide to jump that ran into the Valcartier River. The first plunge would land the horses up to their chests; the next moment they had to swim and when attempting to climb up the opposite bank the majority of the riders would lose their seats and roll backwards into the water. Captain W. V. Sifton swears he had to swim the river to save his life and Captain Allan Taylor claimed that he received the marks of a horse's hoof in the middle of his back when he was at the bottom of the creek. The repeated rumours of sailings and getting prepared to leave Canada kept everyone in a state of hopeful enthusiasm. Speculations as to the future, rumours and conjectures were soon consummated in definite orders. The long eight months of training in Canada ,vere near their end. An increasing zeal prior to the expected embark- ation was apparent, and when, on the 9th of July, 1915, a party of one officer and forty men sailed for England with the horses of the 2nd Canadian l\Iounted Rifles Brigade, the men realized that it would not be long before they, too, ,vould take the journey to 'which they had so long looked forward. Early in July, H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught made his last inspection of the Regiment and on July 18th the brigade ,vent aboard the transport awaiting them at Quebec. The S. S. Hesperian carried the 4th and 5th Canadian l\Iounted Rifles and the Brigade Headquarters Staff. At last they ,vere on their ,yay to England. The transport stole noiselessly down the river past the Isle d'Orleans and into widening banks, leaving behind on the horizon the historic Citadel; its mystic charm and mediæval atmosphere became lost in the rolling purple crests of the Laurentians. The twinkling lights in the white cottages nestling on the river's edge beaconed the troops along the winding shores of this ancient river whose restless waters for three centuries had borne armies to and from Europe. The embracing mountains .were CAKADA AND EKGLAND illuminated in turn by a gorgeous sunrise or an incom- parable sunset until dank depressing fogs rose from the Banks. For several days the mist delayed the voyage, but \vhen it lifted the desolate mysterious landscape soon faded into the hazy horizon of the Atlantic. Submarines were active, but even though these men had lmown that the very boat * on which they felt so secure was doomed to be torpedoed by the Germans they would have treated this latent menace in their usual frivolous manner. As a precaution against submarines extra watches \vere kept. All portholes were closed and darkened at night. No lights were allowed which lent a mysterious and eerie atmosphere as the ShIP ploughed through the darkness of the night. Even though there were fatigues, guards and ,va tches t perfonn, the passage was a gay climax after months on land. 1\' evertheless, it was \vith feelings of interest and excite- ment that they came into view of the shores of old England. The transport steamed into the roadstead of Plymouth Sound, ,vhich was receiving back younger generations of forbears who, a century before, had sailed from it. Romance ,vas developing rapidly in the lives of these young grandsons of the l\lotherland. On July 29th the Regirnent disernbarked and entrained for Shorncliffe. The interest of the men was absorbed in the new and strange things which confronted them at every turn; the trains, the railway carriages, the hedges, the green fields and winding lanes. The troops detrained that night and marched into tent billets at Dibgate Hill. Training recommenced; route marches were Inade along the macadam roads of Kent; manæuvres were carried out on the beautiful green downs overlooking the English Channel; musketry was practised at Hythe, \vhere the regirnent Inade the highest average of all Canadian regiments that shot there. This intensive training was punctuated with the inevitable "leave" to London. l{ecreation was found in regimental sports and concerts, or in the much frequented canteens. * The S. S. Hesperian was aftenmrds torpedoed and sunk by the Germans, while returning on her second voyage after conveying the 4th 0.11.R. to England. 7 July 1915 July 29, 1915 Sept. 23, 1915 Oct. 24, 1915 8 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES After t\yO months at Dibgate the Regiment, on September 23rd, moved to Cæsar's Camp. Here the men received their 'Yebb equipment, ammunition and all the essentials of actual \varfare. Probably nothing was so significant in all these young soldiers' preparation as receiving their identification discs. Not even the field dressing or the rifle and its bayonet had the same sobering effect or was so indicative of the seriousness of the conflict in which they \vere about to participate as the reception of these little metal discs. The last days of final preparation were calm and serious days, camouflaged under a veneer of cheery conviviality. Thus, after three very full months spent in England, the Regiment found itself on the eve of departure fit and ready for active service. On Sunday evening, tbe 24th of October, 1915, the men, in full marching order, proceeded to Folkestone on their way to France. A band played them along the road over which thousands had already tramped. The cheery songs, the witty quips and jocular drollery lightened the bulging packs and heavy equip- ment. The church bells were ringing in the channel port. The people from the roadside offered encouraging fare- \vells and cheered them until they disappeared along the quay and crowded on board the waiting packet-boat. Another great moment had arrived. The long months since enlistment were forgotten in the excitement of embarkation. The endless labyrinth of thoughts that crowded the minds of these men were confused by their strong emotions; memories of families, sweethearts and old associations were mingled with efforts to visualize the uncertain future; cheerful optimism was disturbed by solemn reflections; Spartan-like stoicism was blended \vith philosophical fatalislll. In the \vaning light of this October Sunday evening the ship, \vith its living cargo, slipped away from the gull- swept jetty into the s\yell of the channel, and sped for the chalky cliffs of France. " CHAPTER II FRANCE AND THE TRENCHES D ARKKESS had fallen ,vhen the transport glided into the old port of Boulogne, which had become one of the great funnels into which men and materials were poured for the British front. Disembarking at ten o'clock the Regiment marched through the old-fashioned fishing town to St. l\fartin's Camp, a large base-depot on the hills overlooking the town. Here the troops resteà for thirty- six hours, becoming acquainted with the estaminet and café, tasting the raw cider, mild beer and wines of the country. l\Iany saw for the first time the weather- beaten Frenchman in his baggy corduroy trousers and heavy clogs, or the fisher-woman in her quaint white bonnet a"nd wooden shoes, or the teamster walking beside his enormous two-wheeled cart drawn by a splendid tandem of native dappled Boulonnais. On October 26th the Regiment entrained at Boulogne and went "up the line." The men had their first experience of a French troop-train with its little trucks, their capacity plainly marked on the outside: "40 Iwmrnes, 8 chet'aux. " .A. few first-class carriages provided for the officers bore the marks of a year's campaigning. At every stop men were out of the trucks to stretch their legs or to boil water for tea. The short shrill whistle of the engine or a piercing blast on the guard's cowhorn sent thelll scrambling reluctantly back to discolnfort. At Bailleul the Regiment detrained and marched to rest billets three miles from the town, ,vithin ear-shot of the guns. This short train journey marked a third mOlnen- tous move. It ,vas more tl]rilling than the last and was surpassed only by the final great stage-the file through the communication trench into the front line. 9 Oct. 1915 Oct. 26, 1915 Nov. 2, 1915 10 4TH CANADIAN l\fOUNTED RIFLES Oct. 1915 The First Canadian Division had been in France nearly a year and the Second Division a month, 'while the Third 'was not yet formed. Its nucleus, ho,vever, ,vas in the form of corps troops composed of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, ,vhich had been recently withdrawn from the 27th Imperial Division, the Royal Canadian Regiment, the 42nd Royal Highlanders of Canada and the 49th Battalion. The 1st and 2nd C. 1\1. R. Brigades also became corps troops, and subse- quently "yith the Canadian Cavalry Brigade (dismounted) caIne under command of Brig.-General J. E. B. Seely, 1\1.P., late Secretary of State for \Yar, and 'were known as "Seely's Force." The Transport, \vhich had been sent on seyeral days in advance of the rest of the unit by ,yay of Southampton and Ie Havre, joined at Bailleul, having had an uneventful and tedious journey. On the 2nd of November the Regiment moved to the east of Bailleul and went into Aldershot Huts, which were located a little to the south-west of Neuve Eglise in Belgium. They were attached to the First Canadian Division for final lessons on trench ,varfare, and for a week the squadrons alternately went into the trenches south of Iessines, looking into the little village of St. Yves. Each squadron had a forty-eight hour tour. 1\lemories of the first time "in" vary with each indi- vidual; curiosity, attraction or repulsion, fear or indiffer- ence ,vere SOlne of the emotions. On the first tour many things 'v ere stamped strongly on the lnind of the recruit; the long winding communication trenches with their uncertain "duck-boards," the endless traverses, the pretty V erey lights, the dug-outs and shelters, the machine gun emplacements and silent sentries, the whine of bullets and explosion of shells. ow those vivid scenes are hazy in the memory; one relnembers only the sunny days, with bright poppies and blue cornflowers peeping over the para dos, while the mud and filth are forgotten. After returning to Bailleul for a few days' rest, ,vhich included bath-parades and regimental sports, the Regi- FRANCE A D THE TRENCHES ment moved on November 22nd to Bulford Camp, and the Transport to English FarIn, half a mile a \vay. On the follo'wing day, Seely's Force relieved the 2nd Brigade of the First Canadian Diyision in the trenches at Hill 63, near Ploegsteert. This relief marked the first time the Regiment had assumed responsibility for the defence of a part of the British line in Flanders. The men spent four days in the front line and four in Divisional Reserve. The Unit moved back on December 9th to Corps Reserve, ÌInmediately east of the much-used tow'n of Bailleul, 'where it remained until the end of the month. 'Yith this tour the Regiment began to experience its first serious casualties. On Decelnber 1st, ,vhile in the forward area a shell burst over "A" squadron billets killing Private ,Yo I. Fulford and wounding five men. L.-Corporal H. B. Hodge died of ,vounds and was buried at St. Orner. He had been acting as Chaplain to the Regiment and "Tas one of fourteen clergymen ,vho served in the ranks of the 4th C.l\f. R. The Regiment had just taken over the front line "Then Private R. J. Craig was killed by a bomb while on duty in a listening-post in a for,vard sap. On December Srd a patrol discovered a German working party on the 'Vulverghem- Iessines Road beyond the lo,v ground in the rather wide No-l\Ian's-Land on this sector. The next day it was discovered that a barrier had been erected across the road. The weather ,vas un- fa vourable, it had been raining for several days, visibility was poor and the artillery ,vas unsuccessful in an attempt to remove it. Consequently General Seely came into the lines and asked for volunteers to raid the barrier. The raiding party was to get prisoners for identification purposes, if possible; find out the reasons for such a barrier; make a reconnaissance and return "Tithin an hour. Lieutenant G. W. Rutter, a Sergeant, a Corporal and ten men of "C" Squadron volunteered. The party started about 10.00 p.m. and were supported by another party located in front of the trench and also by one in the trenches under Captain Donald )IacKay. The raid was to take place behind the screen of an artillery bom..; 11 Nov. 22, 1915 Dec. 9, 1915 Dec. 1915 Dec. 31 1915 12 4TH CANADIAN IVIOUNTED RIFLES bardment but unfortunately this dre,v the enemy's fire in a counter-bombardment and put the opposing troops on the alert. Lieutenant Rutter scattered his party, took one man and crossed the marshy ground to the barrier, making a complete reconnaissance, although entirely exposed to the enemy by flares and rockets which lighted the whole ground. Due to the bombard- ment there were several casualties. Captain J\;IacKay, Privates B. Tracey and R. Sears were killed and four men \vounded. The killed were buried in the Canadian Cemetery near Hill 63. Captain 'V. V. Sifton, ",-ho was at that time on the Brigade Staff ,vas also seriously wounded during the bombardment. Lieutenant Rutter was not long \vith the Battalion; he Iniraculously lived through the terrible bombardment of June 2nd, 1916, but ,vas so badly \vounded that he was permanently disabled and invalided out of the service. The first Christmas at the front ,vas passed in rest billets, the day being only slightly different from other days. The men made as much as possible of their Christ- mas dinner, comforts from home \vere distributed and in the afternoon a football match and other sports bright- ned this great day, the celebration of which seemed so Incongruous. On the last day of the year, Lieut.-General E. A. H. Alderson, C.B., Commander of the Canadian Corps, spoke to the officers on the re-organization*of thelVIounted Rifles. 'Vith the formation, on December 22nd, of the Third Canadian Division, commanded by l\Iajor-General l\Ialcohn l\Iercer, C. B., the six regiments of l\Iounted Rifles were converted into four battalions of infantry, Inaking the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Battalions of the 8th Brigade under Brigadier-General 'Tictor A. S. \Yillialns. The other two Brigades of the Division were the 7th, composed of the P. P. C. L. I., the R. C. R., the 42nd and 49th Battalions, and the 9th Brigade, constituting the 43rd, 52nd, 58th and 60th Battalions. The command of the new 4th C. 1\1. R. Battalion was given to Lieut.-Colonel * The C. M. R. Regiment. though dismounted and acting as infantry, had continued on a cavalry establishment until the reorganization. .., \., -. Lieutenant-Colonel J. F. H. Ussher " . . FRANCE AND THE TRENCHES 13 Saftdford F. Smith. In February Lieut.-Colonel Smith left to take command of the 3rd Divisional l\Iounted Troops and was succeeded by l\Iajor J. F. H. Ussher, who ,vas gazetted Lieut.-Colonel a few weeks later. The month of January, 1916, ,vas spent in learning infantry drill under instructors from the 7th Brigade. A visit by H. R. H. the Prince of 'Vales on the 27th enliv- eried this irksome month of drilling. In his shy and unassuming manner he was always enquiring of the com- manding officers if there ,vas anything that he could do " unofficially" for them. On February 1st, the 8th Brigade relieved the 3rd Brigade in trenches ".hich lay parallel to and south of the 'Yulverghem-Messines road. After three ,veeks spent in rebuilding, revetting and draining trenches in one of the most disagreeable months the men" came out" to rest- billets ,vhere they remained until l\Iarch 18th and then moved north to a large encampment of army huts known as "B" Camp, three miles to the east of Poperinghe and equidistant from the arc of the Ypres Salient. The transport lines were in an open field half a mile to the west. On l\lãrch 19th, the Regiment took over trenches in front of Zillebeke. Throughout the army they ,vere old and known as most unpleasant habitations, and bore the scars of many assaults in the efforts of the Germans to reach Ypres. The very name of the Salient was a night- mare to every man who knew it. Going in, the 9th East Surrey Regiment was relieved in Zillebeke-Bund, ,vhere safe dug-outs existed in the heavy earthworks which formed the ,vesterly shore on Lake Zillebeke and the 8th Queens were relieved in Sanctuary 'Vood on the night of Iarch 20th. The weather ,vas cold and ra,v; it had been sno,ving. Added to these unpleasant conditions were the discomforts of the sodden trenches. Everyone lived a rodent life; in the daytime, nothing stirred but at night the Salient 'vas a hive of moving troops and transports, entering in small groups to relieve and ration the men in the front line. l\Iachine guns raked the roads, shells of all descriptions enfiladed this strategic death-trap, high Dec. 1915 Jan. 1916 Feb. 1916 Mar. 19. 1916 Mar. 1916 April 6, 1916 May 4, 1916 14 4TH CANADIAN 1\10UNTED RIFLES explosives crashed on the pavé or fell in the tnwn of Y pres. The night was made more unreal by the flares and V'erey lights \vhich seemed to surround the mysteri- ous darkness. During the days in the front line, the men's lives were menaced by bombs and grenades. Dodging minnenwerfers and repairing their damage occu- pied many hours on duty. After four days, in "yhich four men were killed and five wounded,. the Battalion was relieved by the 5th C. 1\1. R., and moved to "Belgian Chateau" in Brigade Reserve, where they remained until the 28th, returning and doing another tour both in the front line and Brigade Reserve, until April 6th, when they ,vent back to "B" Camp. After a ,veek of rest in Divisional Reserve the Battalion took over from the 52nd Battalion in the right sub-sector of the same area. The next three weeks were equally divided between the front line, local support and Divi- sional Reserve. The Brigades of the Third Division ,vere shifted to different parts of this Sector, probably to familiarize them with the area, consequently on l\lay 7th the 4th C. 1\1. R. went into ne,y trenches the most northerly they had yet occupied. They were again in front of Zillebeke and in Sanctuary 'Vood, but looking up to\vard Stirling Castle. On their left was the" Gap" and" Appen- dix" and the village of IIooge and the Ypres-1\lenin Road, dividing the Third Canadian Division from the Guards Div- ision. The ,vater-logged soil did not permit of deep dug- outs in this low undulating country. The trenches ,vere built up above the surrounding ground and even then in many places the men crouched in water up to their knees. The weather was cold and wet and except for the ,vel- come braziers, improvised frolu oil-drums, life ,vould have been unbearable. Toward the end of the month the temperature suddenly became ,varmer, and the men, instead of being chilled to the marrow and grovelling in slime, ,vere now sweltering in the brilliant sunshine. The weather probably more than any other thing, affected the spirits and outlook of the luen; good "yeather enormously diminished their discomforts, though floods of sunshine "; . .... \\ I \ - ... ' ........ .... ! t t . - t,:- , . ). ; << . f . "!O". . , 'J , . .. . ..I.' .or J==- .- ... . . ... t . ., "J . , r.-;;:- i ., ,. ", 1t' 4 /: 4,'" · _1' -- . - . .. -. " t. , -=- ",. <:,.) ð ....,J ( .L . . <:: '-: FRANCE AXD THE TRENCHES did not extinguish their irresistible tendency and privi- lege to "grouse" at the elements. For no apparent reason in the early hours of the morning of the 11th, the enemy bombarded the front line, support and communication trenches. It had the semblance of an impending attack but it dwindled into a d . " t f " T f " A " d " B " spora IC s ra e. wo men rom an Companies and three men from "C" Company were killed. Such a concentrated shelling was unusual at this time, except as a form of retaliation. The enelny seemed to be expending his ammunition registering on trenches and batteries and was not silenced when our guns raised their voices in protest to the unequal weight of ordnance. On l\fay 16th the Battalion left the protective foliage of Sanctuary 'Y ood. The leaves had come out again shading the men from the strong l\fay sun and from the thunder sho\vers, but happiest of all, hiding them from the man high up over the ridge, in his linen-white captive balloon. The relief was accomplished during the night \vithout casualties, an unusually fortunate relief. On nearing Y pres the trenches were left and the paths by the sides of the open roads taken to the town. Hellfire Corner and Shrapnel Corner were particularly unpleasant cross-roads. The Lille Gate and :\Ienin Gate 'vere equally unsafe. It was not until the hollow, haunted tnwn of Ypres, ,vith its crumbled masonry of St. Pierre and St. J\iartin and the battered remains of the scarred tracery of the Cloth Hall were left behind, that the men felt the temporary relief from the dangers of the Salient. For two weeks the Battalion relnained in Divisional Reserve and enjoyed the bright sunlight. They had drill and bath parades and prepared themselves for their next ove. Little did they know for what they ,vere preparIng. 15 May 1916 May 16, 1916 May 1916 May 31, 1916 CHAPTER III SANCTUARY WOOD A BRIEF explanation of the situation on the 'Yes tern Front may help to explain the reason for the unprecedented bombardment and assault 'which almost annihilated the Battalion on its next tour in the front line. The great theatre of activity 'vas at 'T erdun, where the tenacious, gallant French \vere holding back insistent masses of Germans. To relieve the pressure on our sorely tried Ally, the British Higher Command began preparations for an offensive, ,vhich developed into the famous Battles of the Somme. The British took over more line; the newly formed British Fourth Army relieving many French troops from the Arras sector for the support of Le l\lort Homme. The enemy had two large con- centrations of reserves, one at Verdun and the other in the north. 'Vith the latter he launched another battle for Ypres on June 2nd, 1916. 'Vhether or not the Germans intended to make a further effort to reach the Channel or merely to engage in a counter-offensiye to employ the British, was not then known. From inform- ation subsequently received the operation 'vas not believed to be part of the general plans of the German Higher Command but rather the ambitious scheme of a Corps Commander anxious to regain favourable distinc- tion. The Battalion had finished one of its longest rests in Divisional Reserve. On l\Iay 31st it paraded after the evening meal in full marching order with gas-masks and iron rations. For the first time the men were taken to Ypres on a well-oiled train, showing no lights and making Ii ttle noise. They detrained outside Y pres and recog- nized again its un,yholesome odours; after reaching 16 SAKCTUARY WOOD Shrapnel Corner they turned east, past Railway Dug- Outs to Transport Farm south of Zillebeke. Here the guides of the 52nd Battalion appeared and led each com- pany into the trenches. The night ,vas quiet, except for an occasional flash of the guns; and dark but for the encircling flares which exposed the grizzled terrain or silhouetted a deserted ruin. " A" Company relieved the right Company, "D" Company the centre and "C" Company the left Company of the 52nd Battalion. "B " Company was in local support at Ypres near the Lille Gate. The line taken over that night, was in an old and familiar district. In the latter part of l\::Iarch the Bat- talion held the trenches which were no,v on their immed- iate left. They found themselves skirting the south- easterly edge of Armagh 'Vood and holding that strategic elevation, :\Iount Sorrel. On their right, separated by a gap in front of Hill 60, was the 2nd Brigade of the First Division and on their left the 1st C.1\I. R. Battalion straddled Observatory Ridge and at the depression near the southerly end of Sanctuary 'Vood came in touch with the P. P. C. L. I. of the 7th Brigade; the other battalion in the front line of this Brigade was the R. C. R., whose line was separated from the P. P. C. L. I. by the" Gap" a t the "Appendix" and ran north across the l\Ienin road through Hooge to join the 60th Imperial Division. Of the rest of the 8th Brigade the 5th C. 1\1. R., were in support in :1Iaple Copse and Railway Dug-Outs at Zillebeke-Bund and the 2nd C. 1\1. R. in Brigade Reserve. The 9th Brigade remained in Divisional Reserve. Daylight on June 1st disclosed clean and dry trenches which afforded the best cover and most comfort of any heretofore occupied. There were good fire-bays and many elephant-shelters with gas curtains protecting the spirit, if not the flesh. It was an unusually beautiful, clear, early-summer day and except for some definite shelling on Sanctuary 'Vood and the appearance of several captive-balloons, there was nothing to foreshadow an iInpending blow. Ijeut-General Sir Julian Byng, K.C.B., 1\I.V.O., had 2 17 l\Iay 1916 June I, 1916 June 1916 June 2. 1916 18 4TH CAKADIAN l\IOUNTED RIFLES just taken over from General Alderson the command o( the Canadian Corps. The large concentration of enemy troops, the amount of artillery which had been "register- ing" on vulnerable points for days past and the activity of the Germans in building ne,v trenches and saps were menacing, and had been worrying the Staff for some time. Visibility had been poor. Heavy mists had covered the industrious enemy for several days. Preparation against possible attack had been made, ne,v trenches and machine gun emplacements had been vigorously pushed fonvard; but despite a increasing vigilance no definite indications appeared as to the exact point of attack, or when it would be launched. On June 2nd, which at sunrise promised to be as other days, everyone ,vas about early preparing for a visit from the Divisional Commander, l\Iajor-General l\Iercer. About 6 o'clock, Lieut.-Colonel Ussher went around the front line, making a preparatory inspection and had returned down the communication trench to Battalion Headquarters to meet General l\Iercer and his A.D.C. Captain L. E. Gooderham, who were accompanied by Brigadier-General Williams, and the Brigade Orderly Officer, Captain Fraser. All left Brigade Headquarters shortly after dawn and arrived at Battalion Headquarters about 8 o'clock. Lieut.-Colonel Ussher met them there and escorted them at once towards the front line. It was a calm, beautiful and noticeably quiet morning. Suddenly, ,vithout warning, from a heavenly, peaceful sk '" broke a deafening detonation and cloud of steel which had no precedent for weight and violence. Every conceivable type of gun, howitzer and trench-mortar around Ypres poured everything it had upon the Third Divisional front. The most extravagant imagination cannot picture such a downpour of destruction. Even those ,vho had tasted the bitterest in modern \\Tarfare ,vere staggered by the violence of this onslaught. Nothing like it had been experienced heretofore and it is doubtful if its fierceness ,vas exceeded by any later bom- bardment. It continued in fullest intensity for four- and-a-half hours. The greatest concentration ,vas direc- '.:-.+ :-, - to MenitL ,. " .MÑ' - - '-- lfJ j ,,/ \ q; f iìl; 2?':;;: " " \"j- c:! é IJ';' IIIIII;:,;; II) : --a I \ -I Q ,\ ___ ;3 c...... " - I Æ - ':E ;\\: -Q J '. .. 0' I .';;. "Vi ....r.. : vr. J \\ E 9 ft1 1 ' \$'j\ ....". ._ '(1 ). . . n 'lclL l s:::t :1: r . r 'rtr 'c" . :., Þ I l ,. \ : ù:=t3 l ,, 1:" .. !! %"'11, r:tr -;:; ;r M -....I t:; !l10I ----,--- (ùl '" :J 121 ' '-. '"{ R=- 'J; '11Ir( ... ); < \ J ' .11.- "IS/Il. "II S,! ;:;'I ,lr\' ' : I ç.."" 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I .H · rz - ) t ;'}ð.J-l1.l1 "0, , 0 '. _:.__I'llll'I!., '. . 00 of tg i I . ' pro . ..:-rJ/_ 41 IV' - VJ.æ \ ...M 1ii .." . "/ I '1rl. ' \nøN04 ' ....", , 1 " , .. t , J. + ( . '. " ' ...i; 011 \ t. "i 1 ' t. ... -- P. . >.J' ," ,.. A .. r '0 - I ... !: 0\ -- - I , , t . r-; ... ,4 'I i ' s::: ::s j .... . \ II '"" . . fJ I . .:;::. ,'" ..; It (, .. ; C) ; \,1\- Ii' . t', .. '" - .. , oS J{-1. u r:: " !;:S ...." r,. ." 'i t' \ :.1' . -!w, ':"..:1 \. 'O! t . ,- A .' " . r ) \ . ,J. \ /1 ,. .td.... \ þ f . . , ., 4- , '. '. . . .. .t S- ] " -= . , '. J '. >,' r I \ 'J -- .....- \4 . -t. ---=- ... t . .. , "':S g <:s " SANCTUARY '\VÜOD ted against the 8th Brigade, but even the trenches ,vhich were shelled the least becanle mere jagged scars, unfit for defence. That anyone lived through it is a miracle. Trenches were soon demolished, shelters caved in, the ground over ,vhich tall weeds and long grass had grown was ploughed, beaten and pock-marked by shells. Sanctuary 'Yood, Armagh 'Vood and l\Iaple Copse ,vhich a fe,v hours before were verdant woods were transformed into charred, jagged stumps. At 1 o'clock the bombardment ceased, but only as a signal for the prepara tion of further violence. The ground quivered and gently heaved and then came the volcanic roar of a mine. It hurled into the air a large part of the front line and its defenders. Sandbags, wire, machine guns, bits of corrugated iron and bits of men 'were slung sky,vard. After this final eruption all was quiet, even our o,vn guns. Inlmediately the German infantrymen appeared in full equipnlent, with long spades slung over their backs. They advanced in large numbers with an air of assurance and confidence that all resistance had been removed by their artillery. As soon as the bonlbardment commenced, all realized that this ,vas an affair of prime importance. The men manned the fire-bays until blown out or buried under the debris; some searched for cover to save their lives for the attack they kne,v ,vould follo,v. A few ,vent to the "Tunnel," only to be buried or taken prisoner in the defenceless trap. A very fe,v survived to tell ,vhat happened on that terrible morning. * Space will not permit of a detailed account of what happened to those who survived or perished, nor can the lnany acts of individual heroism and self-sacrifice be narrated in this short historical outline. Of the tactics and changing dispositions of the various units of the Division in its defence of this sacred ground, much has been written. For the 4th C. 1\1. R. it was a day of obliter ation. Only three officers out of twenty-hvo came *Lieutenant J. Harvey Douglas, who was injured by a flying missile when the mine went up and later badly wounded, subsequently falling into the hands of,the enemy, has vividly described his own experiences in his interesting book "Captured." 19 June 1916 June 1916 June 4, 1916 20 4TH CANADIAN MOUKTED RIFLES back from the trenches. Seventy-three men out of 680 answered to their nalnes on June 4th. Generall\lercer's body "yas afterwards found in Armagh 'V ood and buried at Poperinghe. Brig.-General Victor "'ïlliams, who was very seriously wounded, and Lieut.-Colonel U ssher were trapped in the "Tunnel" and fell into the enemy's hands. The 1st C. 1\1. R. on the left had an equally bad time and their casualties were almost as heavy. The 5th C. 1\1. R. ,vhich so nobly supported the Brigade in 1\Iaple Copse, was also cut up. Both of these Battalions lost their commanding officers. Lieut.-Colonel A. E. Shaw of the 1st C. 1\1. R., and Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Baker of the 5th C. 1\1. R. fell in action. The Germans penetrated the front line and some of the support trenches of the Brigade, but considering their preparatory bombardment and weight of numbers, their advance was small when one renlembers that they had seven hours of daylight in ,vhich to fight. Major-General L. J. Lipsett, C.l\I.G., after succeeding General Mercer in command of the Third Division, wrote to the 8th Brigade in very complilnentary ,vords: "Though on the 2nd June the Division was unfortunate enough to lose some of its Front Line Trenches I think the Battalions which held them and checked the German advance immediately behind fought in a ,yay that Canada has ever y" reason to be proud. The Army Commander in his address testified to this, and I think it well that the facts of the case should be thoroughly realized. The 1st and 4th C. 1\1. R. Battalions had the brunt of the bombardment and an analysis of their losses speaks for itself. " During the following day, survivors of the battalion acted as guides and carrying parties to the front line. They ,vent back on June 4th to Divisional Reserve at "B" Camp, which they had left but a few days. This handful of ,veary, grimy, unshaven lnen ""as all that remained of a healthy, vivacious force ,vhich had departed but a short time before for ,vhat ,vas expected would be a normal tour in the line. Seven lorry loads trans- .. "'" Lieutenant-Colonel H. D. Lockhart Cordon. D.S.O. SANCTUARY WOOD ported all that ,vas left of that picked body of men, who left Valcartier a year before full of hope and splendid virility, fretting under the restraint which kept them back, fearing they would be too late. An interesting sequel to this terrible battle was the number of men of the Battalion ,vho were wounded and taken prisoners and subsequently escaped from German prison camps. Nineteen are kno\vn to have gained their liberty; many of them had not recovered fully from wounds and physical disabilities when they made attempts to obtain their freedom. Several tried more than three times to get a way and although severely punished when recaptured they 'were not discouraged or their determin- ation subdued by the brutal chastisement meted out to them. They went through the most thrilling experiences, suffering great physical hardships, travelling by night through unknown and closely guarded country, until they reached Holland. By a curious coincidence six men of the Battalion who fell into the hands of the enemy escaped within a month of one another and met in London in the autumn of 1917.. Hardly had the battalion settled in its new billets at the little village of Steenvoorde when the mysterious army-machine began to move. The empty ranks were at once refilled. Reinforcements commenced to arrive before the dead \vere buried. Lieut.-Colonel H. D. Lock- hart Gordon, \vho had been attached to the Third Can- adian Division, returned on the 7th and was appointed Commanding Officer. He found his battalion, \vith which he had shared all the trials and tribulations of training and \vhich he had kno'wn so \vell, to be but the size of a platoon. Under his command a new organiz- ation was born. Captain \V. R. Patterson, who had been attached to the 8th Brigade Headquarters, \vas recalled to beconle Second-in-Comnland. By the 9th, · Corporal F. McMullen and Private J. Evans of the 4th C. M. R., in their book "Out of the Jaws of Hunland," have written an interesting account of their life in Gennany and of their several attempts and subsequent escape. They have described also their experiences in the battle on June 2nd, 1916. The other four were, Private J. Hocking, Private F. W. Boyd, Private R. Howitt, Private 'V. L. ,Masters. 21 June 1916 June 7, 1916 July 1916 22 4TH CA ADIAN IVIOUNTED RIFLES June 1916 fixe hundred and sixty-three reinforcements had arrived. They ,vere soon folIo-wed by smaller drafts, 'which brought the battalion up to strength. A week later ten officers reported and in a few days t,velve more arrived, wondering where they ,vere and where they should go. Several Inen from the ranks ,vere granted comlnissions, which helped to swell the already full quota of officers. The ne,v menlbers of the Battalion soon found them- selves doing infantry drill. Sergeants from the Grenadier and Cold stream Guards were posted to the Regiment as instructors. These splendid soldiers were adn1Ïred but not ,velconle. l\Iany of the freshly joined officers and men had been doing such drill in England for months and had expected that once in France they ,vould nlerely practise ,,,hat they had learned. The disappointment was only tenlporary. Soon the Battalion ,vas rounded again into a fighting machine and after being thoroughly in- spected by the ,ArnlY Conlmander, General Sir Herbert Plumer, G.C.l\I.G., by the Corps and Divisional Conl- mandel's and also by Brigadier-General J. H. Elmsley, D.S.a., 'who had succeeded Brigadier-General 'Villianls, the Battalion went in parties by bus to Ypres, ,vhere it lived in the Cavalry Barracks, ,vent into the front line for a few days instructional work, and supplied large working-parties for the 7th Brigade. For many men of the new Battalion those days "Till be remelnbered as their first experience under fire. The ,vorking parties would leave at dusk> laboriously tramp over the uneven duck-boards up the long communication trenches in unknown directions, do their task, and be back be'fore daylight. The Battalion had been sending parties in turn to Ypres and to ,york in the line but after another round of inspection the ,vhole Battalion moved by route march on July 13th to Camp St. Lawrence and the following day went to Ypres Asylum and thence to the Cavalry Barracks and other billets in Y pres. These consisted of reinforced cellars and improved shelters in the mediæval ramparts which encircled the city. Fe,v buildings were standing, and none had been léft untouched; their pointed gable- ends still supported by the open fire-places and chimneys .. } 1 , , , . "\' -t.." I " . ... \ . '. ! \ .. " .. f , . " ,. ...4. !A . . ... .It , -4 , \ \ .. 1.'"1. , '\ <;, , , . ...... ' ' · '1Ir ....", '. " .... t "'"\. , '.. . ..' " . ... ' .*' , \. & 't .t.. ,.\. .. ,\. ......... ',., -'<< ' :.t " '. :" \"'t'.\ j,'... .J ,'\1. ,\ ." . "... :\:-.: \. . ... . ;. \ 't.,-, _\ \ . \: . t.. "',, - :. .!I.....,. 1/ . \ \.. . " '" ' '. .. ' " ,. I ' \\i .... \ t' ." J , " 't . .. A I .' ,f \ '\ "2 \:h...\, . 1...," \ .s. ... . ' , .'. : !: t , <:iI , , ... .\ " " " ... '. \. u t:: oS ") .. 10. ,5 ") cu 10. t:: ...Q: a...J ...Q:' ...c:> N .'- .t: ;:., c r;j ,I. SAKCTUARY \YOOD marked the skeletons of fOrIner hOlnes and shops of this. ancient town. For several nights large working parties of 500 men or more went to the trenches. One of these parties ,vith Lieut. R. Innes-Taylor in charge was digging a fresh sap in "Ko-l\Ian's-Land" under the direction of a C.E. officer when a flare dropped with parabolic grace behind, outlining the men sufficiently Ifor the Germans to dis- tinguish the party against the inky blackness. Bombs and rifle grenades heralded their discovery and before they could get to cover one man was killed and two ,vounded. On July 23rd the new Battalion for the first time took over part of the front line, relieving the 5th C. 1\1. R. in Sanctuary ',,"ood on the old battle line of June 2nd. The tenancy of the GenTIans had been short. They had moved their guns forward preparatory to exploiting their temporary success but ,vere driven out by the counter- attacks of the First Division and after two weeks of the most bitter fighting in mud and rain the Canadians 'vere again in possession of their old 'front line. The Irish Guards ,,"'ho entered this sector on June 18th, 1916, occupied the recaptured trenches froln the l\Ienin Road south into the north end of Sanctuary '\Vood. ::\Ir. Rudyard Kipling describes, * "their right line for nearly half a mile, was absolutely unrecognizable save in a few isola ted spots. The shredded ground was full of buried iron and timber which made digging difficult, and, in spite of a lot of cleaning up by predecessors, dead Can- adians lay in every corner. It ran through what had beena wood and was now a dreary collection of charred and splintered stakes, 'to the top of which, blown there by shells, hung tatters of khaki uniform and equipment.' There was no trace of any communication trenches." To the 4th C. 11. R. this shattered ,vood was indeed a sanctuary. In the early hours of the 24th the enemy threw several rifle grenades into one of the saps, killing Lieut. F. P. H. Layton and one nlan and wounding severely Lieut. C. K. *In his book, The Irish Guards in the Great War. 23 July 1916 July 23, 1916 July 1916 July 27. 1916 24 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES Hoag, D.C.l\I. The enemy ,vas very active during the 'whole of this time. His artillery was not idle and his snipers were most alert. One of them on the 26th killed Lieut. A. H. Bostock who had been with the Battalion only a month. The day before a German sniper had been accounted for while pulling rations into a tree to 'which he 'was tied and from which he hung until cut down in the night. The Battalion ,vas relieved on the 27th and arrived back at Steenvoorde on the 31st. The first week of August was spent in drilling and route-marches. In their spare time the men ,yith characteristic cleanliness ,vashed their clothes and took the opportunity to attack the ever present vermin ,vhich so often got the upper hand in the trenches. By the 8th the Battalion had finished its share of rest billets and moved again for the trenches. This time it 'went to a more southerly sector of the salient. After relieving the 14th Battalion at "Swan Château" it provided working parties for a week and then moved into the front line. The Battalion frontage ran six hundred yards north -east from the Y pres-Comines canal a part known as "The Bluff." This was an exceptionally inter- esting tour, partly because of the enemy's artillery but chiefly because of the industry of the men in wiring craters, building dug-outs and digging trenches. The warm mid-summer sun cheered the men in their task of burrowing. Those days 'would have been pleasant days if the enemy's guns had been silent but their activity caused daily losses. They continued to take their toll and on the 19th the Battalion lost four men killed and two ,vounded. There had been indications that the enemy was tunnel- ling under the front line and listening posts were made to try and detect the ominous sounds of distant tappings which meant that men \vere 'picking their way gradually under "No-l\lan's-Land." So long as the gentle noise continued the men were happy and they found great interest in the daily reports that came from the posts. All doubts as to the enemy's intentions were removed one day when a large area caved in behind the front line, SANCTUARY WOOD revealing the location of a tunnel and checking his mining operations. There were several very large mine- craters in this sector; the Battalion held the lip of an enormous irregular crater which measured over five hun- dred feet across at its widest part and was over one hun- dred feet deep. On the night of the 22nd the Battalion was relieved. They left the bone-dry trenches which could change so rapidly ,vith the ,veather and which offered such a con- trast in the 'winter. By comparison July and August ,vere not unpleasant, the soil ,vas ,vorkable, the dugouts ,vere dry and when the day's "fatigue" 'vas over, or the period of vigilance completed, such men as were not detailed for dutv would sit in the trenches and follow the course of an ae oplane soaring in the sky by the fleecy- white bursts of smoke, which gleamed against the deep-blue hea vens. In these long evenings the birdmen and the skylarks in their lonely altitude were the only living things above the ground. Such dry "'"arm days passed more quickly than the cold wet ones of ,,'"inter and spring. Nevertheless the men were delighted to be relieved. They cheerfully glued themselves to the sides of the trenches to allow the incoming heavily-laden troops more freedom to pass. This tour was the last the Battalion had in the Salient for many months. It returned in 1918 to Passchendaele but not to the old Salient it kne,v so well. It was with little regret that the Battalion left thispestilential:crescent. The enemy threw a few shells into the departing troops, a little souvenir, an unnecessary reminder of this horrible charnel-house. 25 Aug. 1916 Aug. 23, 1916 Sept. 1916 CHAPTER IV THE SOMME I F the Germans, by their activity around Ypres, intend- ed to check the preparations of the British Army for the impending offensive on the Somme, they were un- successful. The general plan of the Allies 'vas to at- tack simultaneously on all fronts and thus pin do,vn the enemy, preventing him from moving his troops from one theatre to another. It also ,vas intended to relieve the pressure at Verdun and gradually 'wear do,vn the resistance of the Central Powers. 'Vhile the struggle ,vas called the Battles of the Somme, it ,vas for the British the battle of the .A.ncre. The river Somme subsequently divided the British and French; the advance by both armies ran par- allel to the river. The first objectives of the left flank of the British 'vere along the eastern bank of the river Ancre which proved almost impregnable. Enormous preparations had been made. A Reserve ...L\..rmy under General Gough had been formed especially for this offensive. Every Division in the Army was to take in turn its share in the assaults. As a result of the great activity of the Ministry of l\lunitions, guns and shells had been pouring into the country for months. A pre- paratory bombardment of unheard of proportions was planned. Instead of the usual intensive shelling on a small front for a few hours this final word in modern warfare was to be a concentration on a large front for a fortnight. In the first bombardment the individual booming of gun or howitzer was lost in the endless roar of innumerable pieces of all calibre. It was like a con- tinuous peal of thunder. At night thousands of over- lapping flashes illuminated the sky for miles. The many coloured rockets , vhich flared into this blazing firmament lingered at the peak of their flight to signal a garrison's 26 THE SOl\HviE distress or mark the positions of advancing troops. The Germans, in anticipation of an attack in force, had n1ade their positions renlarkably strong. Every ,vood and village was conyerted into a strong-point, garrisoned and rationed with food and amlnunition to ,vithstand the most formidable assault. . The nature of the ground aided enonnously in their defence along the Ancre and they were fortunate also ,vhen rain came and mired our arI ies when they,vere on the point of breaking through. After the great preparator:y bombardment the offensiye was launched on July 1st in conjunction with the French. The attack developed in stages, the first resulted in the capture of the Gennan first line of defences in the southern sector which included the villages of Fricourt, :\lametz, l\Iontauban and Contahnaison but in the northern sector ,ve had practically no success. There ,vas a slight lull for further preparations until July 14th when another big assault was launched increasing the indentation in the southern sector and extending our line to Delville \Yood. On July 18th a third stage lnarked the capture of Guille- mont, Ginchy, Delville \Yood and Pozières. The salient ,vas pushed yet farther but the northern sector was hardly penetrated. The enemy still held Thiepval which seemed invulnerable. It had a strategic position on high ground overlooking the low yalley of the ...-\ncre, and ,vas not reduced until October. 1\ evertheless, its flank was being turned slowly but surely and when the next big push came it was almost surrounded. The Canadian Corps entered this colossal struggle on September 4th relieying the .A,ustralians, who, in brilliant fashion t,vo w'eeks preyiously, had taken Pozières, on the ,A..lbert-Bapaume Road. 'Yhile there w"as contin- uous fighting to straighten the line and consolidate it, these were minor actions in prepar"a tion for th next grea t stage w hích commenced in the middle of Sep- teluber. This ,vas another move along the whole front to threaten further the German flanks and to turn the strong positions at Thiepval. The Canadian Divisions ,vent to the Somme in turn, keeping up a vigorous offensive and joining on September 15th in the general 27 Sept. 1916 Sept. 4, 1916 Sept. 1916 Sept. 7, 1916 28 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES advance on the next objectives. They took Courcelette, ,vh:Ie the Guards took Flers and other Divisions captured High 'Vood and l\Iartinpuich. For the first time the mysterious "Tanks" of the Machine Gun Corps, Heavy Section, went into action. These successes were followed ten days later by another advance when the French took COlubles, ,vhile l\Iorval, Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs fell to the British. This great battle had been raging bvo months when the Battalion went into rest billets near Steenvoorde and commenced training for the Somme. Although the Battalion had been reorganized only three months and was practically a new unit it only had a week of prepar- ation for the new offensive. Imaginary trenches were taped out on the ground and attacked in the new ",vave" formation introduced and already used by the French. They would assault these fictitious defences behind an illusionary "creeping" barrage and go through all the motions of the latest form of attack. They did route- marches and had musketry and bayonet practice. It was a busy week in a quiet, verdant country side. On the 7th September the Battalion started on its journey to the Somme. It moved partly by motor-bus and partly on foot to Cassel ,vhere it entrained at 6 o'clock that night; a pleasant change to be again on a train although t.be great discomfort of a night's journey did not justify any great enthusiasm. The men knew approximately their destination but the mystery as to their exact movements added spice to the journey. That night they travelled fast and far, for a troop-train; da wn found them many miles south, in Pi cardy . They detrained at 5.30 in the morning at Candas and marched west through a beautiful, cultivated country to Franque- ville. They rested a day and a half in this little hamlet which nestled beside a well kept wood far a way from the ruined zone and were billeted in the farm buildings \vhich were grouped along the road to Domart. They enjoyed seeing again the children in their black smocks, the zinc-covered bar in the estaminet, the picturesque Town Crier, and the Picardy farms with their manured quad- THE SO nvfE rangles and community centres so t:ypical of billets in the back area. On the 10th, which was an ideal summer morning, they trekked east again across charming, un travelled roads, past green ,yoods and fenceless fields of stubble and tall lucerne still damp with dew. They were bound for Vert-Galand Farm on the Doullens- Amiens road. Half-,vay there they received orders to billet at l\Iontrelet. The men found themselves in the next village to Candas and ,vondered if they had been lost and travelling in circles. They did not realize, perhaps, that they were only one of hundreds of battalions which ,vere kept moving all through this area on the way to the Somme. On the morning of the 11 th motor buses lined the village road and conveyed the Battalion thirty miles to ...-\lbert. The dusty convoy rolled over the flint and chalk roads, through little villages with their steepled churches, public ponds and hUlnble school houses, past farms and hutments crowded ,vith troops and out again along the high road with its rows of tall, trimmed poplars. By noon they were entering Albert through the congested hive behind the battle fields. The Battalion de-bused outside Albert and moved by platoons to the brick-fields at the north of the town. Coming from the Salient, where nothing moved on the surface, to this comparatively open ,varfare ,vas at first incomprehensible to the men. They never dreamed of such a contrast. All had tried to visualize this great battle-ground to which they knew it ,vould probably be their fate to go. It was ,vhat they felt, rather than what they sa'v that ilnpressed them most; the freedom, the unguarded movements, the disregard for protection. They 'vere stunned by the vastness of the operations; tracks led everywhere across the country, processions of endless traffic moved in all directions, horse-lines covered every flat piece of land, canvas troughs ,yatered thousands of anilnals, hosts of tents ,vere pitched on the open hill sides. Guns were everywhere, some crudely camouflaged, others without any cover; large naval guns mounted on railway trucks fired regularly from the valleys rocking the whole country-side. Ammunition dUlnps ,vhich 29 Sept. 10, 1916 Sept 1916 Sept. 11, 1916 30 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES covered acres ,vere depleted and replenished ,vith only an occasional hindrance. One enormous dump near Fricourt "went up" for daY's but was a mere incident in the turmoil and noise. Innumerable troops billeted themselves in tents, lean-to's and old German dugouts. Noisy, high-spirited battalions laden with rations, am- munition, sand bags, and gas masks were passed by unshaven, tired and worn cOlnpanies silently coming out. The brick-fields ,vere congested ,vith bell-tents and transport lines. An occasional shell ,vould frighten a horse from the picket line and start him careering through the tented area followed by an irate groom and cursed by the inmates of the tents. l\Iost of the men of the Battalion did not have a chance to get initiated into this new life beca use of the sudden orders ,vhich reached them on their arrival. They ,vere told that they had to go into the line that night. This came as a surprise to the officers who had not had an opportunity to orient them- selves or make any kind of reconnaissance. By 6.30 p.m. the Battalion less a reserve' of Officers, N.C.O.'s and details ,vas on the move along the main Albert- Bapaume road through la Boisselle to Pozières to relieve the 5th Battalion. The men saw for the first time on either side of this congested road the devastation of the Somme battlefields. Not a tree ,vas standing, la Boisselle ,vas a heap of rubble and the remains of its buildings had been used to fill the shell holes in the road. Shell cases were strewn along the roadside or Inarked old battery positions. Tangled ,vire and mutilated trenches covered the barren 'waste as far as one could see. From the high ground beyond Albert the gilded Virgin could be seen hanging at a perilous angle oyer the ruined Cam- panile of the Eglise Notre-Dame de Brebières. She seemed to be clinging to her tower that the folk -prophecy of victory might be fulfilled. Colulnns of dust could be seen rising from the to,vn when a shell found its mark in the clay-plaster and brick of the ruins. It was dark ,vhen the Battalion left Pozières. The relief was difficult and unpleasant, the guides getting lost in the maze of trenches in the darkness. During . '" ." .. ...t;-' t:: 1:::1 s '1:>0 t:: 'ü t:: 1:::1 -;;;, 1:::1 t: ..;; t:: ...... . .... . :::- ,}. . THE SONLME the relief the Germans bombarded .with gas-shells causing a number of casualties. Lieutenant J. U. Garrow was gassed and subsequently died. Captain A. S. Hamil- ton * finding his men overcome in a gas-saturated trench jumped into it, with utter disregard for his o\vn life, and dragged them to safety. Alt ough so badly gassed that his health was permanently injured, he refused to leave the line and it was not kno\vn until later that he carried on throughout this and a subsequent action in great personal distress. For this devotion to duty he was recommended for the 1\Iilitary Cross. Two days \vere spent in trenches \vhich ran east from )Iouquet Farm, 2,000 yards to the north of Pozières. Here "T" saps were constructed as jumping-off points for the 5th C. 1\1. R. which relieved the 4th on the night of the 13th-14th attacking from these positions on the 15th. The general attack .which \vas launched all along the line on September 15th was preceded by a heavy bom- bardment for several days. The tanks, then new mys- terious machines of \var, were used for the first time. Rumours of their existence had filtered through the army but the knowledge of their whereabouts and appearance \vas obscure. These lumbering caterpillars made their début before the masses of troops on this eventful morning. The previous night some of the Battalion saw them crawling into position. They \vere spinning out \vhite direction tapes under the command of an officer who \valked ahead semaphoring with his arms to the opera tor inside. At that time there were t\VO kinds of Tanks, the female with her trailer being more a,vkward than the male. Five Divisions of Cavalry were concentrated behind the lines to seize any opportunity of a break- through. Great things were expected. It ,vas a red- letter day in the Somme offensive. The 1st and 5th C. 1\1. R. battalions of the 8th Brigade took part in the attack in the early morning and success- fully reached their objectives. The 1st C. 1\1. R. was * Captain HamiUon died on April 20th, 1926, at Port Credit, Ontario, after a long illness, a direct result of gas-poisoning. 31 Sept. 1916 Sept. 15, 1916 Sept. 1916 Sept. 15, 1916 32 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES on the extreme left of the Canadian Corps in front of Mouquet Farm. The 2nd Division had pushed well up to Courcelette while on its right the Fourth Army attack had also gone well. By 8 a.m. it was apparent that the enemy had been thoroughly shaken and the Corps Com- mander decided to push home his advantage, ordering up the 7th Brigade and also the 4th C. 1\1. R. of the 8th Brigade. It was a ,varm, dry autumn day. The enemy's artillery ,vas quiet but his machine-gunners and snipers were still fighting. They were in fairly good trenches behind wire, their targets silhouetted against the afternoon sun. The Battalion, ,vhich ,vas in the chalk-pits, having come out of the line the night before, suddenly received orders that it was to take part in the attack which was planned to start at 5.00 p.m. There was neither time to issue orders nor, in fact, to consider the plan of attack, if the jlunping off point ,vas to be reached in time for "zero hour." Colonel Gordon sent the Battalion forward whilst he galloped to Headquarters to discuss the plan of action ,vith the Brigadier and l\Iajor 1\foore Cosgrave, the artilJery officer. It 'vas decided that as the 4th C. M. R. ,vas to be the pivot it should start half an hour after the main attack and a special barrage was immedi- ately worked out to protect them. Orders \vere then written and sent after the Battalion. This change in plan subsequently proved to be the salvation of "B" Company as other,vise they ,vould have reached their objective before the troops on their right and would have walked into the barrage which was laid down as soon as the attack started and which caught "C" Company. The Battalion was ordered to assemble in a trench two hundred yards in advance of the line held on the 11th and to attack at 5.30 p.m. in a northerly direction advanc- ing in two .waves on a three hundred yard frontage. The first ,vave ,vas to capture a trench t\VO hundred and seventy-five yards in front of the jumping-off point and the second wave to go through the first and occupy a part of Fabeck Graben trench, one hundred yards in advance of the first objective, keeping in touch ,vith the 42nd Battalion on the right. THE SOl\IME l\Iajor ,Yo Coleman, l\I.C., commanding" B" Company was detailed by Colonel Gordon to attack on the left and Captain Hamilton with "C" Company, on the right. l\lajor Patterson was placed in charge of the operations "yith a forward headquarters in the assembly trench. "B" COlnpany arrived at its "jumping off" position ten minutes in advance of "zero hour." "C" Company was not so fortunate, the communication trench at Tom's Cut was blown-in and when Captain Hamilton attempted to take his men across the open they came under a ,vithering machine-gun fire which wiped out the most of two platoons. Captain Hamilton re-organized his COlnpany, reported back to Battalion Headquarters that a further advance ,vould be suicidal and receiyed permission to dribble his men across country by another route to the assembly trench. Iajor Patterson not knowing what had happened to "C" Company, ordered "B" Company to attack alone. l\Iajor Coleman rose to the unequal task, swinging his right flank forward until the men were so close to the barrage that many became casualties from our own fire. Immediately the barrage lifted the men charged the enemy and although the ,yire had not been completely cut and the Germans from the direction of l\louquet Farm kept up an enfilade fire, they attacked ,yith such spirit that they ,vere quickly in possession of the first objective. The second 'va ve followed in perfect order passing over the first line and pushing forward in the face of heavy shelling to the objective, the Fabeck Graben. They found this trench full of Germans who at first put up a stubborn resistance which soon wilted under the determined assault of l\Iajor Coleman's lnen. As soon as a footing had been gained in the enemy's trench the Battalion Bombers worked their way down either flank. They soon came in contact ,vith the 42nd Battalion on their right and ,vere ahle to establish t,vo blocks in the system on the left. The Germans could not withstand the relentless pressure of the Bombers under Lieut. H. E. l\Ioore. Some of them fled down the trench toward louquet Farm and others broke cover and 3 33 Sept. 1916 Sept. 1916 Sept. 16, 1916 34 4TH CANADIAN l'vIüUNTED RIFLES scuttled across the open to Zollern Redoubt, five hundred yards to the north. Before dark "B" Company was in command of the situation. It was a remarkable achievement for one company and much of the credit 'vas due to the splendid example of leadership set by l\Iajor Coleman and Lieut- enant l\Ioore. The fOTce was not strong enough to hold its gains if the enemy counter-attacked but help 'was on the way; Lieutenant l\Ioore, \vho was wounded after lead- ing his Bombers so bravely, successfully reported the situation at 11 p.m. to Colonel Gordon who had already sent "c" Company to help consolidate the newly-won position. Also, a composite company under Captain Gale, after considerable difficulty made its way through the dark and unfamiliar ground laden \vith water, sand- bags, bombs and ammunition to assist in consolidating and help "B" Company in case of a counter attack. At daylight, contact aeroplanes passed over and the ne\v positions .,vere signalled to them. During the morning information was received at Headquarters that further operations were contemplated but 'when orders arrived later in the day it was found that the Battalion Bombers under Lieutenant l\loore had already done all that was expected. For his tireless, unflinching energy and splendid example of bravery, Lieutenant l\Ioore \vas recommended for the l\Iilitary Cross, but unfortunately was killed before he received it. Rumours of further attacks had filtered through the trenches, but the Battalion did not move. It ,vas subse- quently learned that the Higher Command had decided to strike again while the Prussians were disorganized. At 5 p.m. on the 16th a surprise attack by the 9th and 7th Brigades \vas opened in an effort to take the Zollern Redoubt and extend the advantage to Zollern Trench on the right. This famous redoubt was in front of the 4th C. 1\1. R. and as the men stood in their trenches under a gentle rain they sa,v the troops of the 7th Brigade follo\v- ing the barrage over the gentle slope toward Zollern Graben. It was a remarkable privilege to witness another regiment going for\vard in perfect formation to THE SOMME attack. They advanced at a steady walk in extended order "Tith bayonets fixed and rifles at the trail, following under the bursts of high-explosives into the smoke and din of the bombardment. It was a rare, magnificent and inspiring sight. .A, flushed, corpulent Sergeant of the attacking troops, ,vho had lost direction, bounded into the trench occupied by the 4th C. 1\1. R. thinking he had reached his objective. After mopping his bro\v, adjusting his "tin" hat and cursing his luck, he rejoined his comrades. That evening the Battalion 'vas relieved by the Lancashire Fusiliers. The Battalion had reason to be proud of its part in this historic battle for Courcelette. It was due to their coolness and steadiness that they were able to march for t,vo hours through heavy fire to their assembly point and be in a position in less than four hours after receiving orders. They accomplished in soldierly fashion their difficult task as pivot troops for the larger flanking movement. Even after their objec- tive had been reached they carried on the ,vork of con- solidating under heavy rifle and machine gun fire and were not checked bv the trench-mortar bombardment which assailed them" from 1\Iouquet Farm. They com- pleted a long communication trench ",ith the help of a pioneer battalion and when relief came Colonel Gordon was able to hand over a finished svstem of defensible trenches. Their booty ,vas big; fifty men, including three officers, were taken prisoner and t,vo machine guns were captured. The severity of the struggle ,vas evident from the casual- ties; two officers and thirty-t\vO men killed and four officers and fifty-two wounded. The Battalion returned to Albert on the 17th, rested until the morning of the 19th and then marched back to '" arJoy ,,,here it was billeted for a day. The men were in high spirits. Their first adventure on the SomIne had been a great success; they had Inany mental and material souvenirs. On the following day they cleaned and cleared billets, marching back to,vard the front to Bouzincourt. They had a week in this little village of 35 Sept. 1916 Sept. 17, 1916 36 4TH CANADIAN l\10UNTED RIFLES Sept. 1916 many and varied smells and were able to visit again that pleasant oasis, the Expeditionary Force Canteen. l\Iajor-General Lipsett, C.l\I.G., commanding the Third Division, addressed the Regiment on September 23rd, after the successful attack on September 15th. His remarks were taken down in the field: What I wish to say is how pleased I am with the work the Brigade -and especially this Battalion-did during the big attack that was pulled off last week. Both the Corps Commander and Army Com- mander have expressed their great appreciation, and are entirely satisfied with what you did. The attack that is going on down here is extended over a large frontage, so that the enemy cannot concentrate his artillery on any particular point as would be the case if the ad- vance was only on a small frontage. It was on September 15th, that the Brigade got orders to attack ann in the morning the 5th C.:M.R. were ordered to attack and successfully accomplished their task. Later, the Brigade got orders from Divisional headquarters that we had to make an attack on a large frontage, taking the German trenches before they had time to settle down after their morning set- back. The 9th Brigade had to be moved up, they taking up a position on the right, the 8th Brigade, which was represented by the 4th C.M.R. only, were given the left position. We know now how well they did their work, and how one company practically did the whole Brigade work. At first we had reports that the HC" Company could not get into position, and had been nearly cut to pieces by machine gun fire. Had we known then what the 4th C.M.R. could do we would not have been so dubious about their success, as shortly afterwards word came that the Company on the left had gone on and had taken and cleared aU the trenches allotted to the Brigade. Not only did you take your objective, but successfully bombarded a considerable way down the enemy's trench to the left and erected some very good blocks. The remainder of "C" Company arrived later, and the con- solidating work done was wonderful. Later, Colonel Gordon sent up another Company which took over another part of the old German Front Line and did some very good work consolidating under heavy fire. The work of Major Patterson, Major Coleman, Sergeant Layton and a dozen others, I know deserve special recommendations, and I only regret that an cannot get decorations; but a soldier should always remember that he should find his reward for his work in the fact that he is held in high esteem by his comrades. I am glad that the 4th C.M.R. have had this opportunity of wiping off an old SCore-- that of the pounding they got on the 2nd of June. This Brigade now need have no fear of ever having to take second place to any Brigade in the whole of the Canadian Contingent. Sept. 27, 1916 On the 27th a hurried move was ordered and the Regiment marched a\vay at 2.00 p.m. do\vn the same road to Albert that it had travelled by bus a month before. The men passed through the outskirts of the town and the brickfields and up the Bapaume Road to Tara HilI behind Pozières, where they had tea and pushed THE SO lME on through the congested traffic to relieve the 8th and lOth Battalions and support the 1st and 2nd C. 1\1. R., who occupied the front line. Three days were spent in carrying up supplies, ammunition, petrol tins of water and in clearing the battlefields of their dead and debris. On the last day of the month they commenced to take over at 7.00 p.m. from the 2nd C. 1\1. R. in the front line and by 2.00 a.m. the relief was completed. Their tem- porary abode in the support trenches was wet, cold and costly; ten men \vere killed and thirty-four wounded. Practically all óf these numerous casualties resulted from the heavy shelling. In the early morning of the first day of October, the Battalion was about a thousand yards in front of the ground they had captured in the middle of September. Since that time the troops had been inces- santly hammering the German defences until ZoIIern Trench and Hessian Trench had fallen; the next line of defence \vas Regina Trench. The Somme offensive had developed into one of attrition. One attack was followed closely by another until bit bv bit the razed defences were nibbled from the enemy. The ridge commanding Thiepval, Grandcourt and 1\Iiraumont had been taken. Regina Trench was on the reverse slope and formed a defensive flank, which was gradually being thrust back until Thiepval was almost surrounded. The Germans fully realizing the danger of losing Regina Trench made one of the most outstanding and determined attempts to retain it. It was difficult for our guns to reach it as it was just over the crest of the hill. The enemy had the advantage of a deep ravine and several sunken roads which led into Regina Trench from the rear and which enabled him to rush up supplies and provisions to the garrison. It was densely manned with picked troops. A great quantity of concertina barbed-\vire had been thrown out to supplement the existing uninviting entanglements. It was a strong position prepared to resist a strong attack. The 5th and 8th Brigades were ordered to storm the bulwarks of this crowning position, and the 4th C. 1. .R. 37 Sept. 1916 Oct. 1, 1916 Oct. 1916 Oct. 1, 1916 38 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES with their usual luck 'were on the left flank and had to attack on a six hundred yard frontage with two cOlnpanies plus one platoon in two waves fifty yards apart. Colonel Gordon ordered "D" Company under Captain L. F. Bishop to attack on the right and "A" Company com- manded by Captain B. R. Gale to attack on the left. One pia toon of " C" had a small frontage and was detailed to place a block in Regina Trench on the extreme left of the Battalion's objective. l\Iajor Patterson established a forward headquarters in Gun Pit Trench behind Hessian Trench; machine gunners and bombers were detailed to follow on the flanks of the second \va ve. " D" Company assembled in Gun Pit Trench, "A" Compan y" collected in a trench running north from Hessian Trench and the platoon of "C" Company had to find the best available place still nearer Regina Trench. The remainder of " C" Company were to garrison Hessian Trench and the communication trench running from it and thereby form a defensive flank. Before the attack took place scouts had reported that the wire 'was very thick and that it appeared untouched by the artillery. Only one small gap existed on the left of "D" Company's frontage. This information was reported to the Brigade at 7.05 a.m. and explained to the 6th Artillery Brigade at 7.30 p.m. It 'was decided to pound the wire until 10.30 a.m. and then cease fire for an hour to allow the scouts to examine it again. 'Yord was received at 9.55 a.m. that it was imperative for the attack to take place even though all the wire was not cut. Due to the position of Regina Trench the Artillery had great difficulty in finding the \yire. At 11.30 a.m. when the hammering was finished Captain A. A. l\IacKenzie went out ,vith a few scouts in broad day- light and found the wire still a formidable obstacle. " A" Company was ordered to crawl out and creep around the first band of entanglements preparatory to the attack and thus avoid the apparent necessity of finding a \vay through it. The men 'waited in the drizzling rain for the barrage to lift. They knew exactly ".hat they were expected to THE SOl\1:\1E do and looked forward to the same success that had accompanied their enterprise of hvo weeks before. They itched for the word to go. The unbearable suspense made the minutes seem hours. The tension ,vas not relieved until the two-minute barrage lifted and the attack 'was launched. " A" Company which had got into position as intended went forward into a blizzard of machine gun bullets ,vhich checked them in their first stride. The barrage ,vhich ,vas supposed to have been laid down a hundred yards in front of the enemy's trench had gone too far and the Germans without hindrance manned their parapets and ,viped out practic- ally the entire Company as it struggled to get through. Captain l\lacKenzie and his men were forced to take refuge in shell holes. The right platoon of the first · 'wave of "D" Company also met the heavy 'wire and never got through it. However, one officer and the remainder of the Company, found, as anticipated, the gap in the entanglements which lay on the left of its front and between that of "A" Company. and fought their way into Regina Trench and held it until the last man of them was killed. The platoon of "C" Company made an equally disastrous attempt. As soon as the men left the communication trench they ,vere brought to their knees. Captain Gale gathered the fragments of "A" Company and made another attempt to get to Regina Trench without success.. Part of the second wave of his Company went to the assistance of " C" Company's platoon and tried to bomb their ,yay down the communi- cation trench into Regina Trench. Captain lVlacKenzie and a few men supported them by sniping from shell holes. By 5.00 p.m. the attack had developed into a bombing mêlée. l\Iore grenades were ordered up and the fusillade continued until the ranks ,vere so diminished and the men so ,vorn that they were ordered to retire into the" block" in the communication trench. It ,vas here that Lieutenant l\foore was killed. He fought with his Bombers all day, advancing and retreating do,vn the communication trench and at one time obtained a temporary footing in Regina Trench. l\Ian after man 39 Oct. 1916 Oct. 1916 40 4TH CANADIAN l\10UNTED RIFLES was killed beside him but he seemed to bear a charmed life. As the evening approached the sound of exploding bombs ceased and it was known that he had shared the fate of so many of his brave Bombers. This officer was recommended again for the 1\Iilitary Cross but owing to the regulations in force it was not possible to make a posthumous award. The Germans had been more than prepared for such an attack. They were heavily reinforced during the action and would have been even better supported if the over-reaching barrage had not effectively found those who were coming up the sunken roads. The enemy signalled by red and green lights to his gunners 'who responded accurately to the detriment of the assault. The Germans organized a counter-attack with a view to cutting off the thinned line. About 4.80 p.m. they were seen to leave their trenches but they were driven back with telling effect, Captain MacKenzie and his In en in- flicting enormous casualties. Finally the enemy made repeated attempts to dislodge the courageous defenders from the communication trench but never succeeded. At 6.80 p.m. two platoons of "B" Compan were sent to reinforce the front line and the balance of the company carried up supplies. - This attack was not successful, but only in that Regina Trench was not completely captured and held. The Brigade had upheld the established reputation of the Canadian Corps as shock-troops. Even had the wire been cut and the barrage accurately placed on the enemy trenches it is most doubtful if two companies and one platoon could have carried out the ambitious programme. The 5th Brigade and the rest of the 8th Brigade met the same fate as the 4th C. 1\1. R. This was the first attempt to subdue Regina Trench. It proved to be no ordinary line of defence. A week later the 7th and 9th Brigades profiting by the experiences of the rest of the Division) also attacked this stronghold, but with similar results. The 49th Battalion, 'which relieved the 4th C. 1\1. R. on the night of 2nd /8rd October, made a gallant but unsuccessful attempt a few days later to get a foot- THE SOMl\IE hold in it. The wire and weather ,vere more formidable antagonists than the enemy. The ground, while not a sea of mud as it later became, was a foe in itself, and the entanglements, ,vhich were not sufficiently destroyed by artillery, remained as an inanimate adversary too strong for the success of any troops, no matter how indomitable. The Battalion went back to Albert for five days, then returned and did three days in support trenches, sending up working parties at night. One of these parties on the night of the lOth was met by an Engineer officer and escorted toward the front line to dig jumping-off trenches for an attack of the 4th Division. Unfortunately, on the way up he was badly wounded and his runner killed by a "crump." Lieut. A. P. l\Ienzies, .who was in charge of the right party, is mentioned in the Diary as "showing great courage and devotion to duty under exceptionally trying circumstances" by leading the party himself, without a guide, through the dark to the dan- gerous task. It was a typical night's work, a pattern of hundreds of such nocturnal horrors. At the time it was serious and tragic, but no,v through the haze of pa thos can be seen a grimly humorous side 'which was not evident then. The work lay in the open under a brilliant full-moon. It was approached by a shallow sunken road, running in the 'wrong direction to give cover to the party, which became a prey to sniping and enfilade fire. This road faded into a fiat, bankless track and as the men reached the open they were sniped and their chances of getting out to their ,vork unscathed were poor. The men had been told before they started that they 'would not be relieved in the line until the work ,vas completed. If this was a genuine threat, it ,vas quite unnecessary. The trench was to be dug five feet deep, but long before the "yaning moon had disappeared their linear task was cOlnpleted and the trench had re ched an incredible depth. The enemy's machine guns had infin- itely more influence on the digging than the orders of a Divisional Commander. The next tour in the line made the fifth and last effort of the 4th C. 1\1. R. in this Gargantuan struggle. 41 Oct. 1916 Oct. 10, 1916 Oct. 14, 1916 Oct. 20, 1916 Oct. 1916 42 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLES The discipline displayed by the officers and men was exceptionaHy good, especialJy \vhen one remembers that the Battalion was practically ne\v after the battle of Sanctuary Vrood, and with only a few weeks' training \vas thrown into the line five times and took part in two major attacks. Captain R. Innes-Taylor, the Adjutant, gave invaluable assistance to Colonel Gordon during the difficult period of reorganization and preparation for the Somme. The Regiment entered twelve hundred strong and received some two hundred reinforcements. The casualties were greater than the average strength of a battalion; over one thousand men killed, wounded or missing was the contribution of the 4th C. 1\1. R. to that great phalanx of British soldiers which marched into the Battle of the Somme and fell. On October 14th, 1916, the Battalion turned its back for ever on that sector of the front and started on a cir- cuitous route to Vimy. The men marched in easy stages by Albert and 'Varloy to Antheux, where they halted for three days. Anyone who had seen this band of exhausted troops as they laboured from billet to billet over the flint and chalk roads, would have recognized them as a depleted unit from the Somme. A platoon commander had the significant opportunity of riding his Company Com- mander's horse at the head of his batman, t\VO stretcher- bearers and one other rank. The unequal platoons bore sad testimony to the cost of a month's sojourn on the Somme; and only a portion of the time on a few hundred yards of that long front. On the 20th the Battalion went about fifteen kilometres north to Barly and the following day resumed its trek for ten miles north and west to Berlencourt on the River Canche. It left at 10.00 o'clock in the morning and arrived in billets in time for tea. These hamlets were a marked change from the ruins and devastation of the Somme. Berlencourt, a peaceful, straggling little place on the side of a clear stream in a \vooded country, was one of those pastoral centres maintaining rural activities within earshot of the heavy guns. On the 22nd the Battalion completed the last leg of the journey, a fifteen mile route Miraumont I! r:.. f) ===;:= ,lÅ..,' -' ):" .. _ /'\ n (.H n' ,j\ .L 0 = m.' " ,"= _ (J-cf O ' Mi , ìpttit f. I . "- II H b p' MA '- I J .1VIu.aumon ..r, -"- . .d : _ - tr.;t'anäcout't \ ) . t I\ ;A :V'1IJI rill, f ; "". \1 '-:Ú'6 l" ' 'J - "" ....). ..;:i] 'B auÙ1Uf1 ' ":5J/ - 'f ,' ,ifl",J/I,'..,;.... ::1: SUfi .Jno 1 e I' J' 1-1 tz. - I/!k.. "I/III/I! I f ::;.; c :o.J'. 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THE SOl\I:\IE march to l\Iaræuil over a slight watershed of rolling agricultural country, dotted ,vith little villages and old châteaux with ,vooded parks, and bearing, still, the feudal ear-marks of the Royalist régime. l\{aræuil lies about four miles north-west from Arras. It had a more evident atmosphere of active ,varfare about it. It was occasionally shelled but except for the railway station, a supply train every night and an Engineer's Dump, it 'vas a comparatively safe place. Billets were scarce and only one estaminet proprietor braved the dangers of residence. It ,vas a Divisional Reserve area for the '\"'ïmy front, a quiet contrast to the Somme. The Battal- ion remained two days prior to entering new trenches on a fresh and dissin1ilar sector where the Canadian Corps ,vithin six n10nths took part in one of the most brilliant exploi ts of the war. 43 Oct. 1916 Oct. 1916 CHAPTER V VIMY RIDGE V 1l\IY RIDGE, one of the key positions in the defence of the German '''''estern Front, was con- sidered by the enemy to be invulnerable and its possession imperative. It commanded a large area to its west and south, and protected the admirable billeting district around the congested mining country of Lens. By November, 1916, the Canadian Corps held that part of the line which ran north from the outskirts of Arras to a point east of Souchez. The elaborate trench system traversed a shallo,v valley dominated on the east by Vimy Ridge and by a lesser rise on the west. The westerly elevation shielded the troops billeted in the back areas along the River Scarpe. Although separated by a few score miles from the Somme this region seemed as if in a different country. It was a quiet front, in fact it had seen only ordinary trench warfare since 1915 when the French Zouaves had heavy losses attempting to maintain their temporary foot-hold on the Ridge. An immense chalk formation underlay the soil which, in many places, ,vas so thin as to show chalky outcrops. Fresh trenches were like bleached strips on the land and naturally were diffi- cult to conceal. The comparative solidity of the chalk, and the ease of working it, encouraged tunnelling, with the consequence that t4e whole front was pock-marked by mine-craters. l\Iany large dug-outs and caves were constructed to harbour troops, and some existing sub- terranean passages \vere enlarged and improved and played an important part in concentrating troops for the assault on Yimy Ridge. One of the largest tunnels, of mediæval or ancient origin, was over seven hundred yards in length and t,venty-five feet in height, and had all the 44 VI IY RIDGE conveniences that modern engineering could provide; electric light, ,vater-supply, light-raihvay, dressing-sta- tions and telephonic comlnunications. On October 24th the 4th C. I. R. relieved a London Regiment of one of the ne,ve t Imperial Divisions in front of Ecurie, which was ahnost on the extreme right of the Corps Front and adjacent to that maze of interlocking trenches and old craters kno,vn to the French as "The Labyrinth" and "rhich ranked in their early war-annals \vith our "Bird Cage" at )"'pres. 'Yhen the men entered the communication trenches at Anzin, the front \vas so peaceful after the Somlne, it ,vas difficult to realize that the enemy was close at hand. The last day of the month sa \v the Battalion, for the first time, in the frontline trenches on the Yimy Front. By the code phrase "Rum issued at 11.00" they reported the completion of the relief. The month of Novelnber passed; seven men \vounded were the total casualties, a fact indicative of the quietness of this sector. On the 29th, the night before leaving the line, a sentry group under Corporal Butters of "D" Company captured two German prisoners who \vere handed over to the A. P. ßI. On the 30th the Brigade was drawn up for a review by the Corps Com- mander, Lieut.-General Sir Julian Byng who presented honours to fifteen officers, non -commissioned officers and men of the Battalion, for their work at the SOlnme. Each time when relieved they returned to Etrun, near Iaræuil, where, in a large shed converted into an army natatorium, \vere severa) enormous wine-vats filled with warm water \vhich soon cleansed the Battalion. Fresh clothing was another luxury. 'Vhen in rest billets the men kept up their training in musketry, bombing and sniping, and kept fit by route-marching. They continued the Brigade routine of four days in the trenches and four days in billets, and December passed more or less as the previous month. The \veather became more uncertain; heavy rains did considerable damage to the trenches. The cOlnmunication trenches were conspicuousl r French in their construction, many " ere strongly revetted and still bore their Gallic names. 45 Oct. 24, 1916 Nov. 1916 Dec. 1916 Dec. 1916 Dec. 23, 1916 Jan 1917 46 4TH CANADIAN l\10UNTED RIFLES ,\Yherever ne\v trenches \vere required or old ones repaired it was not uncommon to unearth bits of blue tunics, red trousers or other evidence of sacrifices made in the previous year by French troops. The Battalion had one unpleasant tour during the month. It relieved the 2nd C. 1\1. R. in the front line on the 17th and had the mis- fortune to lose on the same day, Lieutenant Leonard Dunsford who had joined but a fe\v days before. Toward the end of the saIne tour a minor operation was carried out by the Brigade. The 1st C. 1\1. R. on the left of the Battalion 'v ere ordered to carry out a raid to procure identifications of the opposing troops. The 4th C. 1\1. R. were to make a demonstration and fake attack, with the object of creating a diversion and to cover the retirement of the 1st C. 1\1. R. The Battalion distracted the enemy so successfully, especially by the preparatory bombard- ment ,vith trench-mortars, that a heavy retaliation \vas concentrated on them, destroying their assembly trench and inflicting so many casualties that their fake attack \vas abandoned. The 1st C. 1\1. R. carried out their raid \vithout a casualty before the enemy realized \'That ,vas taking place. Their comlnanding officer tele- graphed his gratitude for the whole-hearted support given by the Battalion. The Brigade allotted fiye extra "lea ves" to the Battalion in recognition of its unselfish part in the operation. They returned to rest billets in Etrun on the 23rd going into Divisional Reserve. Here they spent their second Chrishnas; fe,v being still with the Battalion who caIne to France ,vith it. The men \vere fortunate to be out of the line and able to have a good Christmas dinner. The extra rations and comforts ,vere largely due to the kind- ness and generosity of Lieut.-Colonel H. C. Cox, Honorary Colonel of the 9th 1\Iississauga Horse, who, every Christ- mas sent to Lieut.-Colonel Gordon .;E100 to be spent in comforts for the lnen. The officers had a particularly gay time. Captain H. Franks abandoned his dignified office of adjutant and became the centre of amuselnent during and after the dinner. The Battalion ,vas back in the trenches for the N e,v VIMY RIDGE Year. The \veather ,vas wet and the rain caused many fatigues in repairing the disintegrating trenches. It was relieved by the 5th Cameron Highlanders in the middle of the month and went into billets at Bois-des-Alleux. These ,vere for the most part Nissen Huts, tucked away in a green wood beside the river Scarpe, about a mile north of l\Iaræuil. They lay in the shadow of the church, at Iont St. Eloy', a battered remnant of a previous \var; although occasionally shelled, it served as an excellent observation post commanding a wonderful vie\v of Vimy Ridge. The Battalion went into the left sub-sector of the Ecurie front, 'where it remained until February 5th, then returning to Yont St. Eloy. On the morning of the 11 th the unit started on a long march to an entirely different area to train and "rest"; a very ambiguous ,vord in the vocabulary of the army. The first day the Battalion and Transport marched ten miles north-west to Houdain and the next dav ahnost as far to Burbure, a slnall town two miles south of Lillers. It subsequently became one of the favourite billets of the Battalion. The men settled do\vn to five \veeks of arduous training. It was, in reality, their first preparation for the assault on Vimy Ridge. They did all the things ,vhich they had practised before going to France, but in addition they rehearsed \vhat was expected would happen in the near future. They brought into play every ann of their service which Inight be used in a big attack. Scouts and Signallers recei\"ed special training. The Battalion as a \vhole assaulted in new tormations on taped trenches and later the Brigade practised as one, in similar tactics. Xothing \vas left undone \vhich had any bearing on the necessary preparation for a machine-like assault at the a ppoin ted time. There were diversions in the training. The Corps Comlnander, General Byng, presented decorations to the Brigade on the 25th, and "C" Company had the honour of forming one of the companies in the composite battalion ,vhich was inspected. There ,vere plenty of sports to break the Inonotony, culminating in a Divisional Sports Day at the end of the month when the Battalion 47 Jan. 1917 Feb. II, 1917 Feb. 25, 1917 Feb. 1917 Mar. 18, 1917 48 4TH CANADIAN l\10UNTED RIFLES had the distinction of ,vinning first prize in the bombing competition. On l\Iarch 18th the Battalion started on its return to the trenches. It moved off at 9.15 a.m., with the Trans- port and Details, Trench- lortar Section, Orderly Room and Band. It returned by different but parallel routes through Ruitz, ,vhere half the Battalion ,vas left for a time 'with l\Iajor Patterson, the rest continuing to Forester Camp. On the 21st, "A" and "B" Companies relieved part of the 9th Brigade. They left Yillers-au-Bois at 7 p.m. and marched to l\font St. Eloy. As it 'was dark they took the road down to La Targette, through the ruins of Neuville St. \7 aast, entered the trenches and pro- ceeded into the front line, 1,000 yards to the north-east of the town. Because of the "'Tinter rains the trenches were wet and uninviting. Five days later, "C" and "D" Companies relieved "A" and "B" Companies and Major Patterson took over the forward headquarters. As previously explained, the ,vhole of No l\fan's Land on this front ,vas a series of mine-craters with saps leading into them and continuous raids made the Can- adians dOlninant over their front. On l\Iarch 30th, Lieutenant E. G. Richards led a battle patrol between Devon and Vernon craters to the enemy's line. The patrol which ,vas divided into hvo parties of three men each, one under Corporal Martin and the other under Corporal Dawson, crawled in the dark to the enemy's parapet. They saw three Germans \vhom they bOlnbed and killed; in the next ba r they killed two more. By this time the enemy ,vas aroused and the raiding party with- dre",T; the posts in Vernon and Devon craters bombarding the enemy with bombs and rifle grenades inflicting considerable damag.e. Lieutenant Richards, who had been ,vounded at the outset but continued, was again hit, this time by a cylindrical stick bomb which left a gaping wound in his abdomen. He was a Xiagara fruit-grower before the war, a po,verfully-built man, as brave as he ,vas strong. It was not his first raid, he had been on several bèfore; on one occasion he and Lieutenant T. ,Yo E. Dixon entered the German trenches in front of Ecurie YIl\IY RIDGE and nailed up a sign: "Colne on over and \ve ,viII treat you right." This tÏIne he ,vas not so fortunate; he was cra,vling through the enemy's 'wire \vhen mortally wounded. Corporal ::\Iartin and Pri, ate F. Brazeau, ,vith great difficulty, succeeded in dragging him out of the entanglelnent. Lieutenant Gregory Clark, ,vho ,vas on duty in the front trenches, ,vent out to assist the others who 'were then trying to place Richards on a duck-board. Finally, Lieutenant T. 'V. E. Dixon arrived with a stretcher party and carried hÜn in but unfortunately this gallant officer died the next morning in the Field Alnbulance. T\vo days later, General B.rng sent this lnessage to the Brigade: "Please convey to all ranks of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade our great appreciation of their repeatedly successful raids." The Battalion arrived in rest billets in Villers-au-Bois on April 1st and made final preparations for the attack on Yimy Ridge; practising over ilnaginary trenches and having a thorough inspection of kit and equipment. On the night of 5th/6th, the men ,vent again into the same line, relieving one company of the 52nd Battalion and one COlnpany of the 60th Battalion. Headquarters ,vere located in Goodman Tunnel. The trenches had become worse, some were partially filled \vith ,vater; large work- ing parties, however, soon drained and repaired the jumping off places. On the night of the 6/7th, two parties under Lieutenants F. A. IIerman and H. Bennett successfullv cut the wire in front of "P" line and the follo,ving ight, beneath a searching moon, parties from "A" Company, under Lieutenants T