72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

sineSEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADAalways careful of his men, prevailed,and a carefully prepared raid was accordingly organized.The raiding party was composed of Lieut. W. C. Ross,Lieut. T. Barrie and 54 other ranks divided into ninesquadsof one N. C. 0. and five men each. There were assiduously trained for the coming effort under the able direction of the late Major R. K. Johnston.The enemy trenches to be raided were faithfully reproduced by means of tapes laid out on the ground near Villersau-Bois.Beginning on February 10th the little squads ofmen, after studying the German position by means of aeroplane photographs and maps, commenced their "dress rehearsals" over the tapes. So careful and thorough had beenthe preliminaryreconnaissance of the short "No Man sLand" between our lines and the positions to be raided,that each man knew almost toa yard where he would lieawaiting the of the "lift"barrage.On February 12th the Battalion moved into the line fromtheir rest billets to once more garrison the muddy trenchesand damp-infested dugouts and tunnels that constituted thedefensive system on the ridge. The raiders, however, stayedout of the line practising at Villers-au-Bois day after dayuntil each man felt almost competent to perform his taskblindfold. As may be imagined, knowledge intimateknowledge of the enemy trenches is >aqua non in alloffensive operations, but in none is it more imperativethan in night raiding, when men, worked up to the highest pitch of excitement and following the barrage, a leaping line of flame-shot smoke, jump into the enemy works.Each traverse and sap every communication trench whichleads off the main fire trench must be familiar. Otherwisethe best men are apt to get lost and the co-ordinated planof the operation to be upset, with results fatal to successand productive of casualties.It was here that the careful training came in.36It has been