72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA
pleasant neighbor. A counter-attack was immediately or
ganized to assist the battalion on the right, and "A" Com
pany, commanded by Captain J. G. Fleck, M.C., lunged in
masterly fashion against the Hun occupants of Orix
Trench. Thrusting them out of this trench and capturing
over 100 prisoners, .this company drove the enemy before it
and carried the advance over the Hendecourt-Dury road,
thus forcing the Germans back behind the line from which
they started. As "A"
Company crossed the road, the artil
lery barrage which had been requested in support of
our
counter-attack, came down along the road, and but for
the gunners prompt obedience to the "triple-green" rocket
of "cease fire" serious casualties might have occurred.
While "A"
Company was carrying out this justly-famous
counter-stroke, "D" Company had not been idle. No. 15
Platoon, under 466433 Sergt. S. Findlater, D.C.M., took
full advantage of the commotion on the right, and advanc
ing due east, drove back several enemy posts and estab
lished a much-needed support in the form of an additional
post on the left of the one planted earlier in the day by
Cpl. Carson. Of the work of these two posts no laudation
can be excessive. They kept an ever-pressing enemy clear
of our positions all
through the afternoon and night of the
1st. Sergeant Findlater and Cpl. Carson deserve special
mention. These two N. C. O. s. with their tiny handful of
men, fought practically hand-to-hand with the Boche for
more than eighteen hours. Though Findlater was wounded
and most of the men casualties, this heroic detachment held
their positions and continued to fight until the Battalion
passed through on the morning of September 2nd.
At about 6:30 p.m. on the 1st, as dusk was falling, the
enemy launched a counter-attack directly at the 72nd.
Breaking through the line of trees marking the Hendecourt
cross-roads, and also from the trenches of the Drocourt-Queant
line, the attack in the failing light seemed to
drift steadily towards our position. Portions of "A" and
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