72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

PASSCHENDAELE.the Kilties up the treacherous slopes of Crest Farm, it hadbeen an operation fraught with every chance of disaster.The machine-gun officer of the German battalion that hadheld the position, said on being captured, that he had nofewer than 24 machine guns defending the front attackedabout 500 yards. Twelve of these guns were massed onthe knoll of the Farm itself."But," he said in perfectEnglish, "your men attacked so closely upon the barragethat they seemed to be mixed up with their own shell-fire !My guns had no time to get properly into action."With the consolidation of the position came the mostintense enemy shell-fire that any member of the Battalionhad ever experienced. The fact must be remembered thatPasschendaele was at the apex of a salient, and the German artillery for miles on either side poured in an intensefire which lasted almost eighteen hours. This fire, whilesevere on the front line was still heavier on the area immediately behind. At one time the front line was cut off fromBattalion H. Q. by two distinct barrages about 100 yardsapart. The very air seemed alive with shells and the heavyflame-shot smoke pall hung like a fog over the scene.Grimly the men hung on under this intense fire despitelosses which swelled the original small casualty list tosome 280.At about 3 :30 a.m. on the morning of the 31st the enemycounter-attacked the company holding the left flank. Thisattack, about one company strong, was broken up by ourfire, and at daylight the survivors, about 30 men who hadtaken cover in shell-holes before our trenches, were takenprisoner. As a closing passage, the splendid work performed by Lce.-Cpl. A. H. Canning of the Battalion Scouts,cannot be too highly praised. From a most exposed position, he kept up observation under the most intense shellfire,and by his efforts the Commanding Officer was keptaware of the exact progress of the assault an indispensably necessary thing. Canning unfortunately died of83