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72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

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AMIENS.<br />

Domart, and when the 3rd Canadian Division had taken<br />

their objective, the 4th Division lined up just short <strong>of</strong><br />

the Mezieres-Cayeux Road, with the llth Canadian In<br />

fantry Brigade on the right, the 12th Canadian Infantry<br />

Brigade on the left, and the 10th Canadian Infantry Bri<br />

gade in reserve in the centre behind. Before the infantry<br />

jumped <strong>of</strong>f at 12 :10 p.m. the cavalry and some tanks had<br />

gone through, making for the &quot;Blue Dotted Line,&quot; which<br />

was the old Amiens defence system <strong>of</strong> the Pre-Sommo days.<br />

The guns had shot themselves out over the 3rd Division,<br />

and therefore the only artillery support for the 4th was<br />

that afforded by the few batteries which followed them<br />

along, coming into<br />

action only when the advance was held<br />

up. The first real opposition came from Beaucourt Village,<br />

but this was overcome, and the advance continued to Beaucourt<br />

Wood, where very heavy machine-gun fire held up<br />

both the leading brigades. Here a very gallant infantry<br />

attack cleared the situation up, and the line went forward<br />

once more. Considerable opposition was met and overcome<br />

by the left Brigade before they finally reached the &quot;Blue<br />

Dotted Line.&quot; On the right the enemy was making a stout<br />

stand at Le Quesnel, and the fact that the French were not<br />

abreast <strong>of</strong> the 4th on the right, made the situation more<br />

difficult. However, before morning this village was taken<br />

and the final objective was in the hands <strong>of</strong> the Division<br />

without causing any delay to the troops passing through.<br />

On this day, August 8th, the 4th Division took the line for<br />

ward from the 3rd Division, a distance <strong>of</strong> 6,000 yards on<br />

a 7,000-yard front.<br />

The foregoing summary may be added to by a few topo<br />

graphical particulars. The ground was very difficult, most,<br />

<strong>of</strong> the forward area consisting <strong>of</strong> bare slopes exposed to<br />

enemy observation from the high ground south <strong>of</strong> the Luce<br />

River, and its marshes, from two to three hundred yards in<br />

width, formed an obstacle impassable to troops. Here the<br />

only practicable access to the jumping <strong>of</strong>f line was by the<br />

111

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