72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA
trated the Hun lines. Here they encountered a strong post
and a sharp and fierce fight took place, and when Lieut.
Lough and his patrol started to withdraw to the point of
entry, another party of Huns was seen coming along the
trench to meet them. The latter were rushed, bombed, and
driven back, one of them being shot by Lieut. Lough. Each
man in his patrol accounted for one or more of the enemy,
and several men must have been killed by the exploding
bombs. Withdrawing to a large shell-hole inside the Hun
wire Lieut. Lough and his men took cover, as the Huns
started to bomb and send up flares. A short time elapsed
and a body of the enemy, estimated to number 40, came
over the parapet, apparently to search for the attacking
patrol. They came in close order, and after a period of
hesitation, began to make their way in the direction of
the patrol. Lieut. Lough and his men held their fire till
the enemy were within about fifteen yards when, on the
word being given, they were attacked with bombs, rifle
grenades and revolvers. Thrown into confusion by the
sudden onslaught by which a number of casualties were
inflicted, the Huns did not recover themselves in time to
prevent the patrol from seizing the opportunity to with
draw through the broken enemy wire. The enemy, how
ever, immediately afterwards, opened up with flares, ma
chine guns and bombs. But they did not attempt to follow
the 72nd raiders, who got safely back to the point of de
parture at 1 :50 next morning. They must have inflicted
30 casualties on the enemy, while their own were only one
slightly wounded. Lieut. J. R. S. Lough was awarded the
Military Cross for this action, while several of his men also
received decorations for conspicuous gallantry.
Another raid carried out at this time was commanded
by Lieut. C. C. Ferrie, who, on the same night, raided an
enemy post with 20 men. The post was rushed and the
enemy ran, the raiding party following them into their
front line and inflicting casualties with their Lewis gun.
96