THE YPRES TIMES
141
Salient, this time for a tour of trench duty. No battle of note occurred during the
four months that the northern sectors of the Salient were, held, but the routine of
the front line, with periods in the cellars of Ypres or the camps round Vlamertinghe
and Poperinghe, did not fail to produce a large casualty list.
The 1st Battalion was sent in June to do a tour of the Sanctuary Wood line,
in relief of the Canadians, where conditions were found to be much worse than
those round Wieltje.
A year passed, and in the middle of June, 1917, the Guards Division came north
again, from the Somme.
During the Third Battle of Ypres the division was employed north of the
Salient, the 1st Battalion occupying the Boesinghe sector on June 14th. Both
battalions did two tours in the line, during which time raids were carried out, and
then, in common with all units destined to take part in the great offensive, with
drew to the forest area to practise the attack over trenches constructed as replicas
of those in the front line.
The 1st Battalion, leading the attack of the 2nd Guards Brigade on July 31st,
was successful in reaching all objectives, but sustained casualties amounting to 44
killed and 226 wounded or missing. The 2nd Battalion, being in reserve to the
3rd Guards Brigade, did not suffer to a like extent, and subsequently held the line
of the Broembeck for several days.
A further period of rest and training followed, during which each battalion did
a tour in the line, until finally on October 9th the 1st Battalion, again leading the
2nd Brigade, reached almost to the edge of Houlthulst Forest, with hardly fewer
casualties than on July 31st, whilst the 2nd Battalion, again in support, lost heavily
from enemy shell fire.
On October 12th the Guards Division was relieved in order to go to Cambrai,
and the Scots Guards were not to see the Salient again. Amongst the first troops
to defend that ruined city, they had occupied in turn almost every yard of its peri
meter and had lost within the Salient over three thousand casualties.
With reference to the above, a beautifully inscribed and illuminated Roll of Honour, giving the
names of the Scots Guards who fell in the Salient, has been compiled and will be placed in St. George's
Church, Ypres.
W. P. Pulteney, Lieut.-General.
THE Eighth Annual Smoking Concert organized by the London County
Committee was held at the Caxton Hall, Westminster, on October 28th. The
event proved as popular as ever, and 500 members and friends were present.
The Chairman, Field-Marshal Sir Claud Jacob, was supported by Lieut.-
General Sir W. P. Pulteney, Lieut.-General Sir Herbert Uniacke, General M.
Després (Military Attaché, French Embassy), and Col. H. Nerincx (Military
Attaché, Belgian Embassy).
The programme, under the personal direction of Mr. P. Hubbart, was both
excellent and amusing, and the community singing, ably led by Mr. Albert King,
was exceedingly welcomed and enjoyed.