The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

""THE SOMME 41hold in it. The wire and weather were more formidableantagonists than the enemy. The ground, while not asea of mud as it later became, was a foe in itself, and theentanglements, which were not sufficiently destroyed byartillery, remained as an inanimate adversary too strongfor the success of any troops, no matter how indomitable.The Battalion went back to Albert for five days, thenreturned and did three days in support trenches, sendingup working parties at night. One of these parties onthe night of the 10th was met by an Engineer officer andescorted toward the front line to dig jumping-off trenchesfor an attack of the 4th Division. Unfortunately, onthe way up he was badly wounded and his runner killedby a crump. Lieut. A. P. Menzies, who was incharge of the right party, is mentioned in the Diary as"showing great courage and devotion to duty underexceptionally trying circumstances" by leading the partyhimself, without a guide, through the dark to the dangerous task. It was a typical night s work, a patternof hundreds of such nocturnal horrors. At the time itwas serious and tragic, but now through the haze ofpathos can be seen a grimly humorous side which wasnot evident then. The work lay in the open under abrilliant full-moon. It was approached by a shallowsunken road, running in the wrong direction to givecover to the party, which became a prey to sniping andenfilade fire. This road faded into a flat, banklesstrack and as the men reached the open they were snipedand their chances of getting out to their work unscathedwere poor. The men had been told before they startedthat they would not be relieved in the line until the workwas completed. If this was a genuine threat, it was quiteunnecessary. The trench was to be dug five feet deep,but long before the waning moon had disappeared theirlinear task was completed and the trench had reached anincredible depth. The enemy s machine guns had infinitely more influence on the digging than the orders of aDivisional Commander.The next tour in the line made the fifth and last effortof the 4th C. M. R. in this Gargantuan struggle.Oct. 10,