The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

VIMY RIDGE 57bombardment the next day. Otherwise, the day wasquiet. Unfortunately, Lieutenant E. A. Abbey, aftersurviving the first day, was killed. It was a greathandicap to the Battalion to lose this officer. The battlefield was cleared and the wounded evacuated. TheMedical Officer, Major H. C. Davis, had a dirty littleshelter behind the crest in which he cared for the wounded.He worked throughout the day, with a door for anoperating table until all the wounded were cleared.There was another Davis attached to the BattalionCaptain W. H. Davis, Chaplain, recently joined, who atonce became endeared to the men. The first glimpsethey had of their beloved Padre in action was seeing himin the twilight on the crest of the Ridge, his steel helmethung over his arm, prayer-book in hand, burying the dead,regardless of shells dropping around him. The Battalionwas blessed with two great Davis s.On the morning of the llth orders were received to April 11,dislodge the enemy from a trench half-way down the 1917reverse slope of the Ridge. To do this at least one hundred men would have been required and the casualtieswould have been very heavy owing to the distance theywould have to go over exposed ground down the face ofthe hill and the difficulty of howitzers being effective indropping shells over such a sharp declivity. ColonelGordon, in arranging for artillery support, found thatthe gunners had no officer available to observe and thatthey had only two hundred rounds of delayed-fuse shellsto shoot. He, therefore, volunteered to go forward andobserve for the gunners, but before he got them accurately registered on their target he was almost blown outof his observation-post. This bombardment was sosuccessful that Lieutenant T. W. E. Dixon, who had donesuch excellent work already, for which he was recommended for the Military Cross, was able to take a patrolthrough the wood to the foot of the slope without loss.The action of Colonel Gordon undoubtedly resulted inthe saving of many lives. During the afternoon theBattalion was heavily shelled for four hours. Much oftheir new trenches were flattened and ten men became