72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

time theTHE SUMMER OF 17.29th team except one man had been pulled overthe line. They were, however, in splendid physical shape,and managed to recover themselves and eventually win.The 72nd team was well known throughout the Corps, andwas universally considered unbeatable, consequently thisdefeat occasioned great surprise, and was generally attributed to lack of training and over confidence.The early days of October were employed in practicefor the Sallumines operation. On October 2nd a Brigadepractice with contact aeroplane was carried out. On thisdate Lieut.-Col. Clark, who had been absent on leave, returned and resumed command of the Battalion. On October3rd the Sallumines practices were discontinued indefinitelyand rumours of a new move at oace became rife. Somerumours were positive that the Corps was moving southothersthat it was moving north and others that it wasnot moving at all, and that the Sallaumines operation wasmerely postponed. Definite orders were received on October 4th that the Sallaumines operation had been cancelledand that the Corps was to move north.On October 5th the Brigade commenced to move northto Steenbecque, but owing to an outbreak of diphtheriathe 72nd Battalion was quarantined and unable to move.On the 7th the Battalion was left in sole possession of theChateau de la Haie, all other units having been moved.The weather being cold and wet, sports and training werenot practicable. During this period the Battalion had asnext-door neighbours on two occasions the 7th and 13thBattalions. Finally arrangements were completed for thequarantined men to proceed to Field Ambulance, and onOctober 10th the Battalion was permitted to move, and ona rainy morning moved off tocomfortable billets in Bruay.This march was the first occasion upon which the recentlyre-organized brass band performed in public. The followingday was spent in Bruay, and on the 12th the Battalionmarched to Bruay station and entrained for Steenbecque,75