HILL SEVENTY.
Every little while, but generally at intervals of about four months, it
fell to the lot of each division to be withdrawn entirely from the line
for the purpose of rest and reorganization.
After a long tour of trench duty, during which life at its best is
merely an existence, it can be readily appreciated that these periods
of rest were greatly looked forward to by all ranks.
Each Corps had a specified rest area, generally from 12 to 14 miles
behind the line, and when a division came out, a village in that
area was allotted to each battalion or sometimes one village to two
battalions. There were, of course, the good villages and the bad
villages, and for about a week before going out there was always a good
deal of speculation as to which village the battalion would go to.
At the beginning of August, the 3rd Canadian Division was withdrawn
from the line, and it fell to our lot to get the Village of Auchel,
conceded by many to be the Queen of billets in the Corps area; but
unfortunately for us we did not arrive there until about the 15th of
the month, being held up at Camblain L'Abbée (Corps Headquarters) on
account of manoeuvres. Open fighting had suddenly become all the rage,
probably in anticipation of the drive the following August, and our
whole division took part in extensive practices. At about this time
No. 1 Platoon under Lt. Ott, distinguished itself in a Corps rifle
competition, held at Ferfay, winning first place in the Division and
only losing first place in the Corps through a technicality.
[Illustration: GROUP OF N.C.O.'S TAKEN AT NIAGARA, 1916]
[Illustration: R.S.M. F. H. HINDLE
(Awarded D.C.M. for bravery in the Field)]
[Illustration: "QUARTERS" MCKAY
(Awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for continuous gallant service
with the Battalion throughout its Campaign in France)]
Considering the representative gathering, which included units such as
the R.C.R. and P.P.C.L.I., the victory reflects the greatest credit
upon the spirit and training of our platoon.
At the completion of the manoeuvres we moved to Auchel and for a week
lived like human beings again, almost forgetting that there was a war
going on, and we had just begun to settle down to a gay village life
when we were rushed unceremoniously to the north of Lens to relieve
certain units of the 2nd Canadian Division, who were engaged in a scrap
which was afterwards known as the Battle of Hill Seventy. And so, on
August 20th, amid the cries of "Bonne chance" from our friends in
Auchel, we marched away with considerable reluctance, arriving the same
evening at Gouy Servins, which was a reminder of the early days of the
Battalion in France. Even then some of us had marched in high spirits
from Auchel to Gouy Servins on a first visit to the trenches; and Gouy
Servins at that time was everything that the first part of its name
would imply. To-day however, in the middle of an almost perfect summer,
so far as weather was concerned, the roads were hard and dusty and the
enthusiasm to reach the front line perhaps not quite so apparent.
Having rested over-night, the march was continued, until about noon
we reached Sains-en-Gohelle, another curiously descriptive name, but
more commonly known as Fossé 10, which forms part of a chain of mining
villages in the neighborhood of Lens.
Things seemed to be quite lively around these parts and high-velocity
shells were dropping almost too close to make a quiet meal possible.
Fossé 10 was really a staging camp to the front line, and there was
naturally considerable confusion due to the relief that was in progress
between the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions.
Before very long orders were received that the 116th Battalion would
relieve the 27th Battalion that night. A reconnoitring party consisting
of the C.O., the company commanders of "A" and "D" Companies who were
to take over the front line, the scout officer and the M.O. set off
early in the afternoon, as it was fully realized that a ticklish relief
was in store for us.
From information received it was understood that the 2nd Division had
attacked at daybreak and had made splendid progress, but that owing
to the difficulties of communication, due to intense artillery fire,
the situation, and in particular the line established by the 27th
Battalion, was decidedly obscure.
It was whilst this party was making its way forward to the village of
Cité St. Pierre that Captain James Moore, our gallant and popular M.O.,
and two of the chief members of his staff were severely wounded.
During the remainder of the day and early part of the night the Bosch
artillery was more than usually aggressive, in retaliation no doubt for
their recent losses, in fact the R.S.M. of the 27th Battalion remarked
that the artillery concentration on such a small frontage was heavier
than our troops had experienced at any time during the Somme offensive,
an interesting comparison although not entirely appreciated by us at
that time.
Under such conditions the details of the relief are best left to the
imagination. To cut a horrible nightmare short it may be said that
towards 3 a.m. the following morning a line was established by our men
in badly demolished trenches and shell holes running through a portion
of the ruined Cité St. Elizabeth to the outskirts of the City of Lens
proper. Our final dispositions were in the front line right sector "D"
Company (Captain Pratt), left sector "A" Company (Captain Ritchie).
In close support "C" Company (Major Currie), in reserve "B" Company
(Captain Every). The support and reserve companies both occupied
whatever ruins or cellars they could find.
This was a truly delightful awakening after our recent rest in billets!
The enemy was either very nervous or else he suspected that a relief
was in progress, for during the next forty-eight hours, we were treated
to every variety of explosive, both large and high.
So intense was the fire from his artillery, that our front line
companies experienced considerable difficulty in carrying out the
all-important work of consolidation; whilst the support and reserve
companies were equally handicapped in their work of establishing
ammunition dumps, and providing burial and ration parties.
After twelve days, during which we spent eight in the front line and
suffered casualties of no less than twenty O.R's. killed and two
officers and ninety O.R's. wounded, we were more than glad to be
relieved by the 15th Battalion (1st Division).
After spending one night at Marqueffles Farm, in the neighborhood of
Boulay Grenay, we marched south to our old familiar front around Vimy
Ridge, taking over from the 11th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment,
who were in reserve along the Arras-Avion railway embankment. The
dug-out accommodation, having been constructed by the Bosch, was
excellent, if somewhat dirty, and with the exception of one or two
working parties we had nothing very much to worry us. Now and again
Fritz would take it into his head to land a few salvos into the
artillery positions in Vimy Village, about 300 yards away, and as we
had to go there for water it was generally advisable to time our visits
so as not to coincide with the arrival of his shells. He used to fool
us sometimes though, and then the water party would return rather
hurriedly, minus the water and the petrol tins for carrying it.
[Illustration: THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL
Number won by Batt. 27]
[Illustration: THE MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL
Number won by Batt. 7]
[Illustration: THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER
Number won by Batt. 7]
[Illustration: THE MILITARY MEDAL
Number won by Batt. 102]
[Illustration: THE MILITARY CROSS
Number won by Batt. 26]
On the 15th September we relieved the 58th Battalion in the front
line (Totnes Trench), situated in front of Méricourt, at an average
distance of fifteen hundred yards from the Bosch front line. The 58th
informed us that they had had an ideal tour with scarcely any
shelling, but that during their last day in, the Bosch had registered
several times with 5.9's on the right sector, now occupied by our "B"
Company. This information was rather disconcerting, especially for the
posts in that neighborhood. Anyway, a strict watch was established by
the lookouts, and on the evening of the 16th, Company Commanders were
called hurriedly to a conference at Battalion Headquarters. Information
was that small parties of German officers had been seen that day with
maps pointing in the direction of our trenches, and that messages had
been intercepted indicating the possibility of a raid on our line
that night. In consequence every precaution was taken and the battle
patrols, which were in the habit of scouring "No Man's Land" each
evening, were held in the front line.
It was indeed a timely warning, for at 3 a.m., precisely, on the 17th,
an almost perfect barrage dropped on our front line and supports. Now
a certain Army order stating that no S.O.S. must be sent up until it
was absolutely assured that the enemy was attacking had been recently
impressed on us, and that is probably the reason why only one Company
put one up (Red over Red over Red). Our artillery were sound asleep,
for they never responded at all. The barrage lifted off our front line
and it was evident that we were "for it."
Up went another S.O.S., but our artillery still slept on. A few of the
enemy crept through the wire and entered "C" Company's frontage in an
empty bay at its junction with 12th Ave. communication trench. They
left the trench immediately, having captured Pte. Dewes of "B" Company,
who had been wounded by the barrage, and was evidently on his way out
to the rear. The smoke and dust were so thick we could see nothing, and
a continuous rifle and Lewis gun fire was our only means of retaliation.
About daybreak we captured two of the enemy who had become entangled
in our wire; unfortunately one of them refused to surrender and was
shot dead by Lewis gunners before we could get him in. Our prisoner
informed us that a large raid had been intended, and that the attacking
party (seventy-three in number) was composed of "Stürm Truppen" (storm
troops) who had been rushed up to the line that night in automobiles
especially for this little entertainment. He also presented us with the
photo of his company--published in this book. In evidence of what our
prisoner told us we later found several mobile charges in front of our
wire, intended no doubt for the destruction of the dug-outs, of which
we had none, and whole piles of stick and egg bombs, which came in very
handy as souvenirs for the troops.
On the evening of the 18th, the battalion was relieved by the Royal
Canadian Regiment (Fritz had timed his raid just 24 hours too soon!!)
and marched to Thélus Caves, from where we were transported by light
railway to Fraser Camp (Mount St. Eloi), arriving there about dawn.
For purposes of comparison later on, let it be said that the total
casualties of the battalion up to the present time, or for seven
months' active service, numbered eighteen officers and two hundred and
seventy other ranks killed, wounded and missing.
Practically the whole of these memoirs so far has been devoted to
the personnel of the battalion actually doing duty in the trenches,
and no mention has been made of the work done by the Quartermaster's
department and the transport section.
Whenever the battalion moved into the line the transport and
Quartermaster's stores remained behind together with what was known
as Rear Battalion Headquarters, and they were jointly responsible for
supplying to the battalion each day, food, clothes, ammunition, rum,
etc., in fact all the necessaries of life, and all the necessaries of
war so far as the infantry soldier is concerned, including mail and
reinforcements.
The men belonging to these sections did not therefore come actually
into contact with the enemy, as was the case with the men in the
trenches, but their duties were none the less arduous and none the less
dangerous. Every night rations must be carried to the battalion in the
line, and the roads and pathways along which the transport must travel
were nearly always swept by machine gun and artillery fire, and the
transport lines themselves came in for quite a little shelling by the
German heavies.
Our transport section and Q.M. department had never let us down so
far, which speaks very highly for their personnel, and that they never
came into direct contact with the enemy is not strictly accurate, since
a few days after arriving at Fraser Camp our Quartermaster, who was
riding towards La Targette Corners, was chased by an enemy plane. His
own description of his feelings when he realized the relative speed
of his horse on the gallop and the German plane, is beyond words, and
after a minute or so of terrible suspense, during which the German
plane was putting machine gun groups all round him, he decided that the
duel was unfair and promptly rolled off his horse into the ditch. The
German airman flew home in triumph.
On the 30th September Divine Service for the whole Brigade was held in
the fields around Berthonval Farm, and afterwards an investiture. The
Corps, Divisional and Brigade Commanders were present and the Corps
Commander personally decorated a number of our N.C.O's. and men who had
distinguished themselves in the raid of July 23rd. The proceedings were
slightly marred by the activities of a German aeroplane, which seemed
to be drawing the fire of every "Archie" in the neighborhood, with the
result that nose caps were flying around and greatly disturbing the
steadiness of the troops.
[Illustration: RAIDING PARTY OF "STÜRM TRÜPPEN"
Photo taken from prisoner.]