72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA
gested, and in his fidelity to his comrades far behind the
German front line. Deeply the officer commanding the
Battalion at the time considered this proposal. How could
any stretcher-party get there and back again and hope
to escape annhilation On one side of the equation was
the fact that the two men in the shell-hole would be taken
prisoner. On the other was the certainty of the stretcherparty
being killed. Gently, but firmly, the 0. C. pointed
out to Black the uselessness of throwing away, not only
his own life, but those of at least three other men, and
refused to let him make the attempt. It was a painful
decision he was called on to make, but the 0. C., Major
Wilson, decided wisely. Word was later received that
Debouchier, faithful to the last, steadily refusing to leave
his friend, had surrendered in an attempt to save the
latter s life, but the wounded man had died after being
made prisoner. Private Black himself was unfortunately
killed in the attack on Passchendaele Ridge in the follow
ing autumn. He leaves behind him a memory which must
ever irradiate the chronicles of the Battalion he loved
so well.
44