72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

ICONSIDER itFOREWORDa great honour to be entrusted with thetask of writing the Foreword of the History ofsuch a magnificent battalion as the 72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. To do justice to the subject requiresa more facile pen and a greater power of expression thanI possess. However, I gladly accept the invitation as itaffords me an opportunity of paying a tribute to the members of a military unit which was second to none in theCanadian Army Corps.My first impressions of the Seventy-Second were formedin September, 1916, when Iassumed command of the 12thCanadian Infantry Brigade. Soon after this date trainingwas commenced in preparation for the strenuous workwhich was to come during the two months tour of dutyon the Somme. The keenness to learn, the high intelligenceof all ranks, the good physique and smartness on paradewere all favourable points noted, and gave me a confidencein the Battalion which increased steadily as time went on,and eventually became unbounded.Whilst always steadfast in defence, the successesachieved by this fine Battalion were chiefly noticeable inoffensive operations, when carefully thought-out plans andorders had to be issued by the commanding officer, andwhere all ranks always ensured the gaining of their objectives by a dashing gallantry which the enemy wasnever able to withstand. A notable example was the capture of Crest Farm on the Passchendaele Ridge. Thisstrong point was the key of the German defences of Passchendaele. Its capture was a feat of arms of the highestorder and is favourably comparable with any ever performed by British troops in war.This History of the 72nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders,giving, as it does, an accurate account of the achievementsvii