72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA
Heights. On the morning of the 29th a reconnaissance was
made which showed that Haalen copse was either entirely
under water or so swampy that it was impassable. This
made a change in the plan of operations necessary. One
short line of description, but what it conveys is something
much more serious than appears. To Major A. V. Wood,
M.C., much credit was due for valuable information on this
point which had the effect of rendering an entire and dras
tic revision of plans essential to the success of the opera
tion. On receipt of this intelligence Lieut.-Col. Clark at
once made a personal reconnaissance of the position, and
without a moment s hesitation, at the eleventh hour chang
ed his distributions for the attack on the following day. In
order to advise Brigade H. Q. of this change, and in order
to arrange for a successful barrage to cover the new form
ation, the Colonel personally conveyed the intelligence to
the Brigadier. A few words in reference to these changes
w r ill not be out of place. They involved, owing to the
flooded condition of the ground in front of the Battalion,
a very difficult converging movement in order to pass
through the only remaining opening, about 50 yards wide,
to the right of the flooded area, after which it was again
necessary for the Battalion to adopt the wave formation
of the start before launching itself at the veritable fort
ress of Crest Farm. When it is considered that all these
changes had to be carried out, not on a parade ground
but under intense fire and through clinging mud, some idea
of the credit due to those who conducted them with such
conspicuous
success will be obtained. The four Vickers
machine guns and the Stokes gun which were
at the disposal of the Battalion, together with four
Lewis guns, were, however, placed in such a position as to
command the enemy defences in the rear of Haalen copse
and the south-west slopes of Crest Farm, which latter it
will be remembered was the Battalion s objective. Early
in the evening of the 29th the whole Battalion assembled
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