The 116th Battalion in France

shaped like a truncated cone. If our front line, at that time, might be considered as a line running due east and west and just to the south of

e base of the slag heap and then south-east, where it joined a system of tren

bout midway between the German lines and our own and parallel to our line was a road (Quebec Road). Scatter around a few rows of ruined house

3

h dug-outs, but all that was actually and really known was that the German front line was strongly barricaded and full of Germans, and that Quebec Road

ollowing morning everything was in readiness for our first trial. In the meantime a plan of attack was formulated, of which the following is a brief résumé: "A" Company (Capt. Gould) would

ts and M.G. emplacements. Upon a given signal from Battalion Headquarters raiding Companies would retire, protected by covering parties left along the railway embankment and communication trenches, "A" Company to

at night (1 a.m.) and under cover

over the taped trenches, until we considered ourselves perfect enough to invite the Divisional and Brigade Command

numerous difficulties that so frequently presented themselves, and he personally led a reconnoitring party into Avio

ing God-speed to Major Cameron, our Second in Command, who was leaving that night for Canada, a most stirring and eloquent address was made by Col. Sharpe; so that when we moved

sewn on the front of everybody's box respirator, which was thought to be a good means of identification in the dark. About midnight, therefore, the platoons were being led quietly and stealthily into position. Suddenly the bells in the German trenches, not a hundr

talion; in a little while our artillery barrage would open, and its programme would be carried out while our men were stumbling blindly through the gas fumes, and in due course the enemy artillery would open up in retaliation, and our men, helpless with their gas helmets on, would be wiped out without a

in this manner, our eyes streaming with tears and nerves strung to the highest pitch, we e

ch was lit up along its entire length by the bursting shells. It was certainly an unmerciful pounding a

hed forward, closely followed by "B" Company on the left and "C" Company on the right. By the time "A" Company reached Metal Trench the Huns had begun to pour out of their dug-outs in which they had taken refuge during the shell storm, and hand-to-hand fight

sualties on us. In spite of this, everything seemed to be happening just in the way we had practised it at Berthonval Farm, even the special carrying parties that were to bring up trench mats for crossing the wire believed to exist around the embankment, arr

er of the greatest difficulty, since by the time "B" and "C" Companies had reached the embankment all sense of

"B" and "C", withdrew as best they could, covered by s

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remaining in Metal Trench until "B" and "C" Companies had completed their withdrawal. The observation posts were ch

etal Trench, but at 4.45 a.m. the Germans had counter-attacked in force and our posts withdrew fighting as ordered. When it was learned that Lt. Neil and Lt. Lick were killed and that Lt. Lennox and Lt. Weber were missing a party was sent up Meander Trench to assist the posts. This party got

s handicaps. The care of our wounded was now the first consideration,[38] and Capt. Moore, with his staff, who had established an advance Regimental Aid Post (later known as "Moore's Aid Post") at the junctio

o our place in the 9th Brigade and the Canadian Corps. Let it be said that this was only one of a great

, our own casualties being five officers-Lts. V. C. Lick, C. S. Lennox, F. S. Neil, T. W. Hutchiso

ompare the two communiqués p

the neighborhood of Avion easil

mbankment. After a severe struggle the whole of the German garrison was either killed or captured and all their dug-outs were destroyed-about fifty-sixty Ger[39]mans a