The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

VIMY RIDGE 69Divisions needed rest and instead of the Third Divisiongoing to the Mericourt front for which it had beentraining, it was turned north to make this relief. Thefirst move was into reserve at Les Brebis, a half a milefrom Bully-Grenay and two and a half miles due west ofLoos. Its name belied its tranquillity. When the unitarrived at 9.00 p.m., a high velocity naval gun wasshelling it, but luckily did not cause any casualties.On the night of August 21st the Battalion relieved the2nd Canadian Battalion in close support and on the24th went into the front line about two thousand yardsin front of Loos. The Germans occupied Lens, but theline on the north and south had been pushed back untilthe Battalion was immediately north of the town runningparallel to the Lens-Hulluck Road. No further offensivewas carried out during the tour. The time was spent inimproving the position and digging communicationtrenches. The rain continued, making it a most objectionable tour, the worst since April.After three days in the front line they were relievedby two Imperial Regiments, the 1st Buffs and 1st King sShropshire Light Infantry. Returning to Les Brebis fora day they then proceeded to Bouvigny and went intohuts. On September 4th, they were sent back to the Sept. 4,Mericourt sector relieving a West Yorkshire Regiment inthe support line around the brick-fields of La Chaudierenear Vimvt/ Village. OMost of the unsportsmanlike innovations of the enemywere well known to the troops, but they were yet to learnof the latest perversion of warfare and newest inventionof the Germans. The Battalion left Bois-des-Alleuxabout 3.30 p.m., halted at Neuville St. Vaast for teaand went over the Ridge after dusk. Exactly at midnightthey were subjected to a heavy bombardment of H.E.and gas-shells for half an hour. After a thirty minutepause they were again shelled for another half hour.The gas-shells which sounded like "duds" were notdiscernible in the noise of the H.E. It was the firsttrial of Mustard Gas"against the Canadian Corps.The men were not aware of it at the time. The officers atAug.