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by the dozen, all colours, bombs were thrown wholesale and machine guns raved, but
not a casualty was suffered by the 42nd.
The next night another patrol went out on the left flank and, in the murky darkness,
discovered many German outposts placed to prevent a second wire-stealing incident.
The patrol selected one post that could be reached easily, and returned with a load of
grenades. They hurled their missies and their aim was splendid, while the surprise was
so complete that they were back in their own trench before the German machine guns
got into action.
During July '16, the Canadians continually harassed the enemy by raiding and
patrolling. On the 1st a 26th Battalion party crossed over to the German line. They
found three posts, and the sentries opened fire on them, staying right there. The officer
in charge, however, rushed in with his revolver and shot the defenders of one post,
whereupon the others ran. They explored forty yards of the German trench, gathered the
equipment that lay around, and got back to their own lines with slight casualties.
On the night of the 4th a patrol of the 22nd Battalion saw a German patrol coming
toward them, and the fact that they were of equal numbers did not scare them. They
promptly attacked, killed two of the enemy and captured two the prisoners yielded
very valuable information.
A little later a patrol of the 25th met an enemy patrol, and they, too, attacked.
The enemy fled leaving several dead and one wounded, who was taken prisoner.
Three nights later a patrol from this same battalion were entering a German trench
after disposing of the sentry when they were attacked from the rear by a party of
eight. As they only totalled five in strength it seemed a desperate situation, but
the Canadians disposed of the eight, having three men wounded in the doing. Five
of the Germans were killed outright. Sentries along the trench had been aroused
and these opened fire, killing a sergeant with the 25th party. It was not discovered
that he was missing until the others had returned to the trench, but the officer at
once returned to the German sap to find him.
The 19tn Battalion made a daylight raid on the St Eloi front, entered the German
trench, bcmbing and shooting all its length. They captured four machine gun emplace
ments, killing a large number of the enemy who were Royal Wurttembergers. Then
the 27th made a raid. They captured three Germans in the enemy line but these put
up such desperate resistance that they had to be killed. A week later another party
from the same battalion went over to the German trench, entered it, seized a prisoner
and returned, having but one man slightly wounded.
After these enterprises the Germans were very nervous, so a dummy raid was
planned. Scouts crawled over and attached wires to the German barriers. In the middle
of the night white flares were sent up in threes as if for a signal, and the wires were
pulled so that the German barriers rocked and made alarm. A perfect deluge of
bombs descended ah along the German wire, and continued. Rifle fire was opened,
and machine gun fire, then the artillery barraged No Man's land. When the excite
ment was at its height our artillery opened on the German trenches and added to the
din. A German five-point-nine battery dropped thirty-five shells in their own lines.
It is small wonder that in a captured diary taken on the Somme this entry was
translated It is a relief to get from the trenches opposing those verdammte Can
adian redskins." They are terrible, and fight without any rules whatsoever. One
never knows what they may do."
W.R.B.
