The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

CHAPTER IIISANCTUARY WOODMay A BRIEF explanation of the situation on the "WesternFront may help to explain the reason for theunprecedented bombardment and assault whichalmost annihilated the Battalion on its nexttour in the front line. The great theatre ofactivity was at Verdun, where the tenacious, gallantFrench were holding back insistent masses of Germans.To relieve the pressure on our sorely tried Ally, theBritish Higher Command began preparations for anoffensive, which developed into the famous Battles ofthe Somme. The British took over more line; thenewly formed British Fourth Army relieving manyFrench troops from the Arras sector for the supportof Le Mort Homme. The enemy had two large concentrations of reserves, one at Verdun and the otherin the north. With the latter he launched anotherbattle for Ypres on June 2nd, 1916. Whether or not theGermans intended to make a further effort to reach theChannel or merely to engage in a counter-offensive toemploy the British, was not then known. From information subsequently received the operation was notbelieved to be part of the general plans of the GermanHigher Command but rather the ambitious scheme of aCorps Commander anxious to regain favourable distinction.rests inMay The31,Battalion had finished one of its longest1916 Divisional Reserve. On May 31st it paraded after theevening meal in full marching order with gas-masks andiron rations. For the first time the men were taken toYpres on a well-oiled train, showing no lights and makinglittle noise. They detrained outside Ypres and recognized again its unwholesome odours; after reaching16