On October 28th, 1917, the 49th Canadian Infantry Battalion, under
Lieutenant-Colonel R. H. Palmer, moved from Wieltje area and relieved
three companies of the 116th Battalion in the front line south-east of
Wolf Copse, on the left of the Gravenstafel-Bellevue Road, the
P.P.C.L.I, relieving the remaining company on the right of the road. The
strength of the Battalion consisted of twenty-one officers and 567 other
ranks. The relief was a difficult business, the enemy very alert, and
the bad weather and heavy going rendering the operation exceedingly
arduous. However, by 1.50 a.m. on the 29th the relief was effected, and
preparations for the morrow's offensive were immediately undertaken.
The 3rd and 4th Canadian Divisions were to continue the attack on the
outlying defences of Passchendaele; to capture Vapour Farm, Vanity
House, Meetcheele, Friesland, the high ground about Crest Farm, and
other strong points; and to establish a line approximately from Goudberg
Copse in the north to the railway line just south of Vienna Cottages in
the south. Six battalions were to attack at zero hour, 5.50 a.m. on the
30th, the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles, the 49th Battalion, P.P.C.L.I.,
72nd, 78th, and 85th Battalions, in order from left to right.
The troops of the 49th Battalion had as their objective Furst Farm and
the pill-boxes about and beyond, and the strong points to the north of
Meetcheele. Late in the afternoon the barrage maps were received at
Battalion Headquarters, and Colonel Palmer found it would be necessary
to evacuate the front-line positions occupied by "A" and "D" Companies
and establish a jumping-off line to the rear, as the conformation of the
ground rendered the establishment of a really effective barrage a most
delicate task. Of late the enemy had developed a mischievous habit of
keeping very close indeed to our front line, making his way inside our
barrage at the moment of its inception, and so being enabled to meet our
attacking troops with a volume of fire quite unmitigated by the curtain
of lead designed to eliminate such resistance.
About midnight October 29th-30th the troops moved to the assembly, the
evacuation of the forward positions being postponed until the very last
possible moment. The night was very clear, and as it was possible to
discern almost any movement from a distance of two hundred yards it is
probable that German patrols were aware of the gathering. At any rate,
about 4.30 a.m. two green flares went up near Furst Farm, were repeated
in a moment from the rear, and at once the hostile shelling became more
local and intense. By a quarter past five assembly was complete, and at
5.48 a.m., two minutes before zero hour, our barrage opened on the right
and the troops went forward.
The morning was clear and bright, a strong wind drying the ground
somewhat during the night and making better foothold possible for the
men; but such a hurricane of fire encountered the troops as they
advanced that only slow progress was possible. "B" Company, on the
right, lost most of its effective strength before crossing the
Wallemolen-Bellevue Road. "B" and "C" Companies, forming the first wave,
were met at once by intense rifle, machine-gun and artillery fire, and
progressed in a series of rushes, going forward indomitably in spite of
their heavy losses. The supporting waves, "A" and "D" Companies, fared
little better, and it was painfully evident that the advance would be
brought to an early conclusion through sheer lack of the men to force a
passage. Considering the resistance, however, good progress was made,
the men taking no heed of their losses and fighting every inch of the
way. Near Furst Farm the first real check occurred, a well-mounted
machine-gun covering our whole local advance and holding up the
assailants, who took what cover the torn ground afforded, continuing to
reply as well as might be expected to the heavy fire, until the
situation was lightened by the heroic action of a private soldier.
Private Kinross, completely indifferent to the bullets directed upon
him, surveyed the whole position coolly and carefully, deciding upon a
plan of action that pleased him thoroughly.
Returning for a moment to cover, he cleared himself of all unnecessary
equipment and made his way by devious courses to a point as near as
possible the vicious machine-gun. Arrived there, he rushed the position,
against point-blank fire, alone and in broad daylight, killing the six
men of the crew and finally destroying the gun. It is impossible to tell
properly of such deeds, but the daring of it, and the complete success,
so heartened our men that in their immediate advance our line was
carried forward a full three hundred yards and two strong positions
stormed without a halt. This brought our men to the intermediate
objectives, where the line was cleared of the enemy, held and
consolidated.
By this time the strength of the Battalion had decreased to four
officers and 125 men, and no further advance was possible, incessant
fighting being necessary to maintain the position already gained.
Throughout the day and night the troops held on, several platoons of the
Royal Canadian Regiment reinforcing the sadly depleted ranks of the
49th, and assisting in the defeat of three strong counter-attacks. By
the evening of the 31st all our wounded had been removed from the
forward area and the tired troops were relieved by the 42nd Battalion.
In the fighting of October 30th the 49th Battalion gained more glory
than German ground, yet a great deal of German ground was captured.
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