The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

>!THE SOMME 39do and looked forward to the same success that hadaccompanied their enterprise of two weeks before. Theyitched for the word to go. The unbearable suspensemade the minutes seem hours. The tension was notrelieved until the two-minute barrage lifted and theattack was launched. "A"Company which had gotinto position as intended went forward into a blizzard ofmachine gun bullets which checked them in their firststride. The barrage which was supposed to have beenlaid down a hundred yards in front of the enemy strench had gone too far and the Germans withouthindrance manned their parapets and wiped out practically the entire Company as it struggled to get through.Captain MacKenzie and his men were forced to takerefuge in shell holes. The right platoon of the firstwave of "DCompany also met the heavy wire andnever got through it. However, one officer and theremainder of the Company, found, as anticipated, thegap in the entanglements which lay on the left of itsfront and between that of "A"Company, and foughttheir way into Regina Trench and held it until the lastman of them was killed. The platoon of "C"Companymade an equally disastrous attempt. As soon as themen left the communication trench they were broughtto their knees. Captain Gale gathered the fragmentsof "A"Company and made another attempt to get toRegina Trench without success. .Part of the second waveof his Company went to the assistance of "C"Company splatoon and tried to bomb their way down the communication trench into Regina Trench. Captain MacKenzieand a few men supported them by sniping from shellholes. By 5.00 p.m. the attack had developed into abombing melee. More grenades were ordered up andthe fusillade continued until the ranks were so diminishedand the men so worn that they were ordered to retireinto the "block" in the communication trench. It washere that Lieutenant Moore was killed. He fought withhis Bombers all day, advancing and retreating down thecommunication trench and at one time obtained atemporary footing in Regina Trench. Man after man