72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

VIMY RIDGE.
might be told of personal gallantry and self-sacrifice. Those
which are given are merely illustrative incidents of what
took place. No one who was there can forget, for instance,
the wonderful work of Capt. S. B. Birds, who, with that
uncanny coolness which was a source of wonder to all
ranks, led his own Company at the start, and later directed
affairs on the spot with a disregard of danger that seemed
almost fatalistic. Nor must the work of the stretcher-bear
ers be left out of this narrative. Shot at, but unable to
shoot back, they went about their merciful work. It is the
highest possible praise to them to record that by 4 p.m.
on that fateful 9th of April all the wounded had been
cleared from the field despite the still heavy shell-fire and
the ever-present mud.
Such an attack as has been described, tumultuous and
bewildering as it was, was no haphazard chapter of ac
cidents. The whole had been the subject of careful prep
aration and forecast of probabilities. Behind all this ante
cedent business was the cool and judicious brain of the
Battalion s gallant commander, Lieut.-Col. J. A. Clark.
Gradually the eventful day drew to a close. Working des
perately, the Battalion consolidated its defences. Blocks
were pushed out and established in the trenches leading
into the new German positions, and the shattered ditch that
had been the main enemy support line was put into a state
of defence in readiness for any counter-attack which might
develop. During the night, parties of the attacking troops
were relieved by detachments of fresh men who had been
kept in reserve in Gobron Tunnel.
Sullenly the Boche bat
teries to the north, with shortened range, continued to
hurl high-explosives on to their old positions, while the
unceasing flares that soared skywards, betokened the nerv
ous apprehension of the defeated enemy.
The morning of the 10th of April was heralded by an
other furious outburst of drum-fire as a fresh brigade
lunged forward through the sleet and rain, its objective
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