72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

CHAPTER IX.
PASSCHENDAELE.
The Passchendaele country The fighting-ground a quagmire Im
portant change of plans Zero hour Capture of Crest Farm
Exploit of Lance-Corporal G. W. Thompson Brilliant work
of Lance-Corporal S. Irwin The Field Marshal s despatch
A German officer s testimonial.
IT
MUST be remembered in connection with the Pass
chendaele operations which this record now approaches,
that the unfavorable weather had turned Flanders into a
quagmire, and also that the German plan of defence had
undergone a considerable evolution since the earlier months
of the year. Trench warfare had largely given place to
position warfare. The Germans fought over each area
from shell-hole to shell-hole. They came out from concrete
emplacements and fortified huts when the barrages were
over. Bearing this in mind and also the prevalent mud, and
some idea may be formed of the conditions which the 72nd
had now to face. Our men had known what mud meant
on previous occasions, but at Passchendaele, in some places
men had to wade through bog-lands holding their rifles
and munitions above their heads while the enemy were
firing at them.
On October 28th the Battalion moved from Brandhoek
by train to Ypres and marched to Potijze area where it.
outfitted preparatory to action. At 4 :45 p.m. it moved for
ward, "D" Company going into the front line, taking over
from the 47th Battalion, and three Companies into support,
one near Hillside Farm and the other two at Abraham
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