72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

PASSCHENDAELE.
the Kilties up the treacherous slopes of Crest Farm, it had
been an operation fraught with every chance of disaster.
The machine-gun officer of the German battalion that had
held the position, said on being captured, that he had no
fewer than 24 machine guns defending the front attacked
about 500 yards. Twelve of these guns were massed on
the knoll of the Farm itself.
"But," he said in perfect
English, "your men attacked so closely upon the barrage
that they seemed to be mixed up with their own shell-fire !
My guns had no time to get properly into action."
With the consolidation of the position came the most
intense enemy shell-fire that any member of the Battalion
had ever experienced. The fact must be remembered that
Passchendaele was at the apex of a salient, and the Ger
man artillery for miles on either side poured in an intense
fire which lasted almost eighteen hours. This fire, while
severe on the front line was still heavier on the area im
mediately behind. At one time the front line was cut off from
Battalion H. Q. by two distinct barrages about 100 yards
apart. The very air seemed alive with shells and the heavy
flame-shot smoke pall hung like a fog over the scene.
Grimly the men hung on under this intense fire despite
losses which swelled the original small casualty list to
some 280.
At about 3 :30 a.m. on the morning of the 31st the enemy
counter-attacked the company holding the left flank. This
attack, about one company strong, was broken up by our
fire, and at daylight the survivors, about 30 men who had
taken cover in shell-holes before our trenches, were taken
prisoner. As a closing passage, the splendid work per
formed by Lce.-Cpl. A. H. Canning of the Battalion Scouts,
cannot be too highly praised. From a most exposed posi
tion, he kept up observation under the most intense shellfire,
and by his efforts the Commanding Officer was kept
aware of the exact progress of the assault an indispens
ably necessary thing. Canning unfortunately died of
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