72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

LA COULOTTE.and the morning found 72nd men in complete possession.It was one of the cleanest-cut, intensest little operations inthe Battalion s history. During the morning following,Saskatoon road, a sunken thoroughfare full of deep dugouts, paralleling and some 250 yards in advance of Aviontrench was taken by this company, while at 6 p.m., in conjunction with flanking units, these indefatigables pushed onand cleared the enemy from the southern purlieu of theEleu trenches on the south-eastern slope of the Eleu spur.On the morning of the 29th the Battalion held these positions, looking over the floods of the Souchez at the serriedpitheads and slag-heaps of Lens. It was a position the 72ndwas destined to hold at short intervals throughout manylong months. It is significant to note that the German official communique, in dealing with the Canadian attacks atthis time, stated that "near Avion the attack was led byspecially picked assaulting troops."The splendid support given during this attack by theflanking units, the 38th and the 85th Battalions, deservesspecial mention here as it contributed very materially tothe success of the 72nd.The remainder of this memorable tour passed quietlyand was devoted to the consolidation of the captured positions.65