72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA
marching that afternoon to Thienne. On October 13th it
marched through the rain to Wallen Capelle where the bil
leting area was very scattered. Training and sports were re
sumed. It became generally known that the Corps had
come north to take part in the Flanders operations, and
on October 17th 50 officers and other ranks travelled to
Poperinghe to study a large
relief model of the new battle
ground, the task allotted to the 72nd being the capture of
the Crest Farm near Passchendaele. But with this fateful
exploit looming in the distance, the Battalion enjoyed some
recreative breaks. On October 20th a successful Transport
competition was held, the Brigade Commander being one
of the judges. And on the 22nd H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught,
accompanied by the Corps Commander, inspected
the Brigade, and the 72nd marched past the Duke. On
October 28rd the Battalion moved to the Brandhoek area,
travelling by bus to Scot camp, which was in the near vi
cinity of Erie camp, thus bringing to mind the first days
of the Battalion in France. Here the positions were again
taped out and practice was proceeded with.
The country in which the Battalion was now located was
not only historic ground in a military sense but it
present
ed features which made the German position a very strong
one. Their line consisted of a series of ridges, hog s-backs
and spurs. To a depth of from a mile to a mile and a half
it was made up of ridge after ridge, and spur after spur,
But the position had
interspersed with copses and valleys.
more than a merely local significance. The big ridge of
which it was a part dominates largely the northern part of
Belgium, starting as it does from Messines in the south,
continuing northward to the series of spurs and ridges
to the east of the village of Passchendaele, and from there
declining towards the coast. In Napoleon s day it was said
that the army which controlled Passchendaele Ridge dom
inated northern Belgium. From the top of the ridge, on
fine days, the belfries of Bruges, 25 miles away may be
picked out with a good glass.