72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

LA COULOTTB.On June 6th all available officers of the 4th Divisionwent to Chateau de la Haie to bid goodbye to Lieut.-Gen.Sir Julian Byng, who was relinquishing command of theCanadian Corps in order to take command of the ThirdArmy. It was an occasion of deep interest, for this farewell seemed to bring into review all that had taken placesince the battalion arrived at Hopoutre on August 15th ofthe previous year when Sir Julian had met them at thestation. It was impossible not to call to mind the marchpast of the Battalion, 1055 strong, on that first introduction to the neighbourhood of hostilities, since which somany gallant soldiers had given their lives in the serviceof their country. Sir Julian made a brief but touching andinspiring address, giving ample credit for his promotion tothe valour of his men and the good work of his subordinates.On June 8th Lieut.-Col.Clark resumed command of theBattalion and training was carried out. The end of thisrest period was marked both by the warlike and the recreative. On June 12th the Battalion relieved the 54th in support at Givenchy. On the two days following Divisionalsports were held, 72nd competitors being left out to uphold the Battalion s record, with the result that they wonthe championship in the tug of war and also in the transport competition. Alternately relieving and being relieved,the daily routine of the Battalion s life had the additionat this period of rumours as to an impending attack onthe Mericourt Switch Line and La Coulotte. By and bythese rumours were confirmed and plans of attack werematured. When the Battalion moved to the front line onJune 14th the tour was part of the preparation. The hotweather at the time will be remembered by every manconcerned. One morning not long after dawn the newCorps Commander, Sir A. W. Currie, made an early-morning tour of our front. On June 19th the Battalion was relieved by the 44th and moved back once more to the now59