72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADAHeights. On the morning of the 29th a reconnaissance wasmade which showed that Haalen copse was either entirelyunder water or so swampy that it was impassable. Thismade a change in the plan of operations necessary. Oneshort line of description, but what it conveys is somethingmuch more serious than appears. To Major A. V. Wood,M.C., much credit was due for valuable information on thispoint which had the effect of rendering an entire and drastic revision of plans essential to the success of the operation. On receipt of this intelligence Lieut.-Col. Clark atonce made a personal reconnaissance of the position, andwithout a moment s hesitation, at the eleventh hour changed his distributions for the attack on the following day. Inorder to advise Brigade H. Q. of this change, and in orderto arrange for a successful barrage to cover the new formation, the Colonel personally conveyed the intelligence tothe Brigadier. A few words in reference to these changesw r ill not be out of place. They involved, owing to theflooded condition of the ground in front of the Battalion,a very difficult converging movement in order to passthrough the only remaining opening, about 50 yards wide,to the right of the flooded area, after which it was againnecessary for the Battalion to adopt the wave formationof the start before launching itself at the veritable fortress of Crest Farm. When it is considered that all thesechanges had to be carried out, not on a parade groundbut under intense fire and through clinging mud, some ideaof the credit due to those who conducted them with suchconspicuoussuccess will be obtained. The four Vickersmachine guns and the Stokes gun which wereat the disposal of the Battalion, together with fourLewis guns, were, however, placed in such a position as tocommand the enemy defences in the rear of Haalen copseand the south-west slopes of Crest Farm, which latter itwill be remembered was the Battalion s objective. Earlyin the evening of the 29th the whole Battalion assembled78