The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

Fei9is98 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLESHodgson, (Staff Captain and"Q") Captain Craig,(Staff Captain These convivial"I").gatherings addedto the brighter side of warfare.Rumours of a return to the Vimy front were confirmed7on February 17th and the Battalion moved throughEstree Cauchie and Neuville St. Vaast to the old MericourtSector. They were back in the old stampingground that they knew better than any other part ofFrance. The poor little village of Neuville St. Vaasthad all but disappeared. The detritus from its ruinshad been used to repair the roads; occasionally under themud and plaster could be seen the red-tiled floor of aroom, or the bent and rusty frame of a babyFrom s cot.it, as far as the eye could see, were new roads,Nissen huts and horse-standings.The Regiment was almost two months in thissectorMar. 5,doing duties very similar to those of the last tour at Loos ;raids and patrolling when in the line, large workingparties when in support. The wide No-Man s-Land stillexisted, but long grass and weeds blanketed the devastation of a year ago, the rank vegetation covering the oldshell-holes and rusted wire. The first two weeks werecold and wet but withal it was a more pleasant frontthan Hill 70.By the middle of March the weather turnedbeautifully spring-like with no wind to clear the warmhaze which shrouded the landscape.During this periodtwo of the great German offensives were launched, thefirst to the south and the second to the north of the Corps.As previously stated, it was known that the enemy hadlarge concentrations of troops and it was not definitelyknown where a new attack would develop but it wasexpected that one would take place on the Canadianfront. During these anxious times the greatest effort wasput forth to stiffen the defences, build new lines of resistance and organize for a possible invasion of this front.Continuous raids were carried out to get identificationsfor the Intelligence Branch and at the same time toharass the enemy.The Battalion had its share in these raiding operations.At daybreak on March 5th, Lieutenant A. Clarke,