72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

CHAPTER IX.PASSCHENDAELE.The Passchendaele country The fighting-ground a quagmire Important change of plans Zero hour Capture of Crest FarmExploit of Lance-Corporal G. W. Thompson Brilliant workof Lance-Corporal S. Irwin The Field Marshal s despatchA German officer s testimonial.ITMUST be remembered in connection with the Passchendaele operations which this record now approaches,that the unfavorable weather had turned Flanders into aquagmire, and also that the German plan of defence hadundergone a considerable evolution since the earlier monthsof the year. Trench warfare had largely given place toposition warfare. The Germans fought over each areafrom shell-hole to shell-hole. They came out from concreteemplacements and fortified huts when the barrages wereover. Bearing this in mind and also the prevalent mud, andsome idea may be formed of the conditions which the 72ndhad now to face. Our men had known what mud meanton previous occasions, but at Passchendaele, in some placesmen had to wade through bog-lands holding their riflesand munitions above their heads while the enemy werefiring at them.On October 28th the Battalion moved from Brandhoekby train to Ypres and marched to Potijze area where it.outfitted preparatory to action. At 4 :45 p.m. it moved forward, "D" Company going into the front line, taking overfrom the 47th Battalion, and three Companies into support,one near Hillside Farm and the other two at Abraham77