The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

!80 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLESon either side of the pill-box. They took the place ofdeep dug-outs which were impracticable in such a lowlyingcountry, and were good rallying points givingmoral support to the defenders. They were formidable,but with one weakness, their range of fire was limited,and unless covered by other pill-boxes on the flanks theblind points in the range of fire made it possible forindividual attackers to crawl up under cover and bombthe garrison behind. This explains many of the individual acts of heroism in capturing or demolishing a crewdefending a pill-boxThe attacking troops were forced to move very slowly.In two hours they progressed only 500 yards. The supporting companies succeeded in reaching the intermediateobjective and one platoon managed to push up to Woodland Plantation The task was entirely different fromthat of Vimy where the artillery had obliterated allopposition. Here the enemy had to be fought step bystep across the open.By 10.00 a.m. the Battalion had made a deep advanceand had outstripped the battalions on its flanks. On theright the 43rd Battalion had gained a footing on BellevueSpur, but were being driven offby the devastating fire,and further exposed the right flank of the 4th C. M. R.At 10.30 a.m. the situation was critical and one Companyof the 52nd Battalion which was in reserve, was sent into support the weakened 43rd. At noon, Company"A"of the 52nd under Lieutenant C. P. O Kelly, M.C.,successfully attacked the enemy s flank between the 4thC. M. R. and the 43rd. He was followed by the Commanding Officer of the 52nd., Lieut.-Colonel W. W.Foster, D. S. O., with his B Company both goingforward and seizing the Spur. Many of the Battalionwere thrilled by the sight of these two officers leadingtheir men across the open in the thick of the fight andaccomplishing the impossible. The 4th C. M. R. inmaintaining its isolated position played an importantpart in making possible the successful attack by thegallant 52nd Battalion. And as General Lipsett saidin his farewell address to the Battalion in September