72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - Electric Scotland

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADA
About four days later, the enemy, faced by an alternative
compared with which Sedan sinks into a mere affair of
outposts, began his gigantic withdrawal. By these tac
tics he admitted defeat, and the troops which poured for
ward against his huge rearguard actions were fired by the
tacit admission.
On October 13th, the 72nd received orders for its first
move after the retreating foe, and on the 15th entrained
at Agnez-lez-Duisans and proceeded to Marquion, marching
the same evening to Sauchy-Lestree. At this time Major
J. Hamilton, M.C., was in command of the Battalion, as
Lieut.-Col. G. H. Kirkpatrick, D.S.O., was absent on leave.
At Sauchy-Lestree a further draft of reinforcements was
absorbed, and everything kept in instant readiness for a
sudden move. Let it be here said that the work of the
transport section of the Battalion, always excellent, never
showed to better advantage than in the long series of
forced marches and sudden changes of destination with
which the 72nd were soon to be faced.
Three days at Sauchy-Lestree put the Battalion into
capital shape for an advance, and it moved up to Aubencheul-au-Bac
on the south bank of the Canal de la Sensee
and into the first phase of the general advance.
A few words explanatory of the tactics of the 4th Ca
nadian Division may be of interest.
In an action such as
was impending, it was unnecessary to have a large force
of men engaged in the actual attack, for at no time during
that week of fighting did the Germans attempt to make
a definite stand. It was merely a question of thrusting
aside rearguards left by the enemy. Fighting there was,
and enough, and volumes might be written on the brilliant
and spirited actions fought by the advanced troops as the
stubbornly-resisting enemy rear-guards were ejected from
town after town, and driven from advantageous positions
on the slag-piles which form a feature of the country
through which the pursuing armies advanced.
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