72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADAOn Christmas Eve, 1916, the Battalion moved into thefront line trenches on the Ridge. This was the first occasionon which it went into action as a portion of the CanadianCorps. The front occupied was about 800 yards long. Abeginning was made by depositing several messages, writtenin German, in the enemy front line, inviting any well-disposed member of the enemy forces to come over and givehimself up. This was answered ten nights after by certainother messages written in English which were posted up infront of the German lines, one of which said, Cut out yourdamned artillery. We, too, are from the Somme." Christmas night was marked by a very heavy bombardment on thepart of the enemy, which lasted from 9 :30 to 10 :30. Afeature of the commencement of the Vimy Ridge tourswas the surprisingly speedy mastery of the German snipers by the opposing snipers of the 72nd. On the first taking over the trenches, the hostile sniping was extremelyaccurate and frequent, but within a few tours the superiority of the 72nd in this particular was satisfactorily established.During this tour the entry of the Battalion into the Canadian Corps was marked by an inspection in the trenchesby the B. G. G. S. Canadian Corps.On December 29th the Battalion was relieved by the 38thand moved to Brigade Reserve at Cambligneul. New Year sDay was not to be allowed to pass by Scottish men withoutsome celebration of its associations and memories of AuldLang Syne. A dinner was held, the Battalion being accommodated in two sittings. Brig.-Gen. J. H. MacBrien waspresent and made a short but pithy speech.During the month of January the Battalion had everyopportunity of becoming acquainted with the Vimy Ridgelandscape as seen from their side of the operations. Thewar diary shows in a line or two for each occupation of thetrenches what the men were doing. But only those who wereactually present know what this meant in determined cour-34