72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

HISTORIC GROUND.
remarked that the men of the 72nd knew the German front
line better than the Boches knew it themselves!
On the night of February 16th the stage was set, and at
11:30 p.m. the barrage put up by the 3-in. Stokes mortars
fell in the form of a box around the position to be raided. Out
of our line, through our battered wire entanglements, sprang
our men and went in perfect order across the maze of
ehurned-up shell-holes. Thirty yards from the enemy
trench the raiders disposed themselves among the numerous
shell-holes, awaiting the moment when the crashing inferno
of flame and smoke which was impinging on the enemy front
would lift clear and allow them to enter. Five minutes after
zero came the lull, and even as the raiding parties, in grim
silence, raced for the German trench, the bombardment
with lengthened range broke out afresh, coming down on
the enemy s support line.
The raiders, splitting into two parties entered the German
front line on both flanks simultaneously. Turning inwards
the men raced along the shallow, evil-smelling ditch towards
the pre-arranged meeting place
in the centre of the ob
jective. Down the steps of the first dugout reached, one
of the demolition party hurled the heavy mobile charge
carried for the purpose, and fifteen seconds later, the whole
trench rocked with the explosion of 60 pounds of ammonal.
The German garrison completely demoralized by the
bombardment and the fiercely swift action of the kilted
figures, who seemed to know every twist and turn of their
own trenches, huddled together waiting, they knew not
what. Taken simultaneously on either flank they surrend
ered, while those who streamed overland in their effort to
escape offered a splendid target for Lewis gun fire, which
was promptly and successfully applied.
Coolly calling the roll of their squads, and finding them
complete, the officers gave the word to withdraw with
their prisoners. Seven minutes after entering the German
front the whole raiding party were safely back in their
own lines.
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