72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA
through the dark with usually only an approximate idea
of one s whereabouts. Information gained in this way,
while in some cases of the greatest importance, is, per
force, frequently inaccurate, except with the most highlytrained
scouts. To some extent, danger is minimized by
darkness, but at the same time, darkness often conceals
the most dangerous pitfalls. For instance, if a patrol
should meet with an unexpected enemy post or
"standing
patrol" in No Man s Land, their only warning is a wither
ing burst of fire, often attended with dire results. Com
pared with this, the method evolved by the 72nd Scouts
the daylight patrol is immeasurably superior. In these
expeditions most valuable information is brought to light,
impossible of attainment by other means.
The average daylight patrol consists possibly of an offi
cer, usually the scout officer, and one N. C. 0. a scout;
sometimes of an N. C. 0. and a scout; sometimes of a
couple of scouts by themselves, all depending on the job
in hand. Furnished with accurate trench maps, and fa
miliar with every inch of the front by long studying it
from observation posts, these patrols set out on the peril
ous task of crawling up to and in some cases actually into
the German front line. On some fronts, where the cover
is particularly good, this is not very difficult if the scouts
know their work, but let it here be remarked that if this
knowledge is wanting, the proceeding is sheer suicide. One
false move, one mistake of judgment as to cover or visi
bility, and a Mauser bullet ends all uncertainty. But on
the other side of the equation is the lure of the wonder
ful amount of information to be gained. The state
of the enemy s wire, of his trenches, and even, as in the
case of several of the 72nd patrols, the exact numbers of
German sentry posts and men have been obtained.
It will have been seen from the result of the attack on
Avion trench on June 28th, how invaluable was the in
formation obtained by the daylight
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reconnaissances carried