72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADAonstration of the fact that no evil is without its compensations, for the heavy and deep mud which the troops hadnot been in the habit of regarding with pleasant feelings,now played its part. Many miraculous escapes were probably due to its negative capacity in absorbing and mufflingshell-bursts.The Battalion may be pictured at this time as havingchanged the wave and line formation of the commencementto one better suited to meet existing conditions. It couldbe seen moving in small groups that twisted their wayamong the shell-craters, now firing and again for a momenttaking cover.Many were the grim hand-to-hand fights as Canadiansand Bavarians struggled for supremacy. The magnificentdash and initiative of our men was unmistakable, as, despite the treacherous conditions of the fighting ground,and the stern resistance encountered, the Battalion pushedits way forward towards the summit of the sloping Ridge.Desperately conscious of what the loss of this position ofvantage would mean, the Bavarians fought like tigers. Buttheir star was on the wane. Their line, the imaginarilyimpregnable Vimy Ridge defences, with their miles oftrenches and barbed wire; their deeply-buried tunnels anddugouts manned by their much-vaunted troops was smashedbetween Arras and the Souchez by a stroke of arms destined toring round the world.Establishing touch with the unit on their right, the 72ndsettled down to consolidate their gains. But if the victoryhad been a great one, it was won at heavy cost, there beeingbut 62 of all ranks who did not become casualties. Manygallant men had made the supreme sacrifice. Among theofficers the casualties were unfortunately high, eleven outof the thirteen participating having suffered, of whomeight were killed. Among the latter was the brave andbeloved commander of "C"Company, Major Jack Sweet.It is impossible to chronicle all the gripping50stories that