The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

126 4TH CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLESAug. 23,march from the Somme, and Manin, another village theyhad enjoyed on the way to the Mercatel sector. Theylearned that they were "for the line" and with a day srest they were transported by buses to the outskirts ofArras.ARRASThe Second Battles of Arras, 1918*, which opened onAugust 26th and lasted nine days followed the SecondBattles of the Somme. The latter commenced on August21st and included the Battle of Albert and the SecondBattle of Bapaume, which commenced August 31st.The northern boundary of this attack was about fivemiles south of Arras and parallel with the river Scarpe.North of this boundary General Home s First Army washolding the line. While the Battle for Bapaume was inprogress, Sir Douglas Haig decided to extend his frontas far north as the river Scarpe and drive a wedge intothe German line on his northern flank. For this the Canadians were chosen. They replaced the XVII Corps ofthe First Army, which was holding the ground south ofthe Scarpe and fought between the First and ThirdArmies in the first stage of the advance on Cambrai.The Second and Third Canadian Divisions went intothe line. The 8th Brigade relieved the 46th ImperialBrigade, the 17th Cyclist Battalion and the Life GuardsMachine Gun Battalion on the night of August 23rd-24th.The 4th C. M. R. relieved a composite force of Cyclistsand Life Guards in front of Feuchy about three mileswest of Arras. In the early morning of the 24th, theenemy, evidently suspecting a relief or concentration oftroops, shelled the left company in and in front of Feuchywith "yellow-cross" gas shells and H.E. shrapnel.Five officers Lieutenants A. Cameron, C. E. Kormann,A. Laidlaw, T. J. Rutherford, J. L. Yule and 116 menbecame casualties from this bombardment. It seriouslycrippled the Company which had to be reorganized andreinforced from the rear.The | Brigade was ordered to attack the enemy s*The Second Battles of Arras, 1918, now given this official name, includedThe Battle of the Scarpe, 1918, and The Battle of the Droc ourt-Queant Line.