Stretcher Bearers at the Double - ElectricCanadian.com

230 THE LAST PHASE
Fifth. We now had but one original officer left. Strangely enough
neither car was very badly damaged. One ambulance was able
to return to Escaudoeuvres under its own power.
After dusk that evening an advanced post was established in
a chateau just north of Iwuy. In this chateau the 22nd Battalion
had its headquarters. This impetuous regiment had that very
day made an attack during which its men lost their bearings.
They eventually found themselves, however, and attacked with
out the prearranged barrage. They were so peeved at themselves
over their own mistake they took it out on Fritz, and kept right
on going until they had captured the ground they were supposed
to take on the following day.
Stretcher squads were also sent up to Hordain to clear cases
from the 24th Battalion R.A.P.
During the night of October 12th we were relieved by an
Our bearers
Ambulance unit from the 51st Imperial Division.
rejoined the rest of the Fifth in St. Olle, a small suburb on the
western edge of Cambrai. Here, in a chocolate factory, the unit
opened a sort of general rest station. Major McGill was now in
command.
Here we had some heartrending experiences with hundreds of
refugees who came staggering in from the district between Cam
brai and Valenciennes. These poor unfortunates - - aged women
and men, young girls and boys, and infants in arms - - were in a
terrible condition. Most of them had for many weeks existed in
cellars and dugouts, subjected during that time to not only our
bombardments but to the enemy s as well. It had been many
months since they had eaten meat, butter and sugar, their chief
food having been watery cabbage-and-potato soup. They were
of them suffered from skin
frightfully verminous and many
infections and other repulsive ailments. They moved about like
people in a nightmare and never shall we forget their "wolfing"
of the first food we gave them. Over one thousand extra rations
had been sent to us for just this emergency and if ever the Supply
people deserved credit it was then.
Over three hundred of these released French folk were ad
mitted to our dressing station and everything possible was done
to relieve their suffering. Several St. Olle cellars were made
ready for them. We supplied them with blankets and they slept
in safety for the first time in months.