72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

CHAPTER VI.VIMY RIDGE.A short rest Brigade sports at Chateau de la Haie Culminationof months of effort Zero hour on April 9 The great fightbegins Over shell-holed ground in blinding sleet The Ridgefalls before Canadian valour Gallant exploit of Lieut. D. O.Vicars Grim hand-to-hand fights Fine work of Major S. B.Birds Generalship of Lieut.-Col. J. A. Clark Consolidatinggains after winning objective Further dash by 72nd.THE RAIDS described in the previous chapter wereenough to indicate that the final taking of Vimy Ridgewould be a serious business. The 72nd were now to havea short "rest"partly by way of recuperating and partlyin the nature of further serious practice of the operationsthat were shortly to be undertaken. On March 7th, 1917,the Battalion moved to Bouvigny Huts. Lieut.-Col. Clark,who had been in Italy, as a member of the British missionmentioned in the last chapter, since February 12th, hadrejoined the Battalion on March 4th. From March 7th thewhole Brigade was out of the line practising brigade attack in view of the great effort that was shortly to bemade.As a variety, Brigade sports were held at Chateau de laHaie, and on this occasion the Battalion saw for the firsttime that historic old residence with which afterwards theybecame so familiar. At the sports the ground was foundto be very soft, and tiring to the competitors. But theycame up to the events with considerable vim, and theoccasion recalled happier days.On March llth the Battalion moved back to the front45