72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADAOn January 19th. the Battalion was relieved by the 24thCanadian Battalion and returned to rest billets at Chateaude la Haie by means of light railway from. Bon SummitSiding. After an uneventful rest the Battalion moved toColumbia Camp, Souchez on January 24th. While at thiscamp Major Wilson was appointed Acting Brigade Major,12th Canadian Infantry Brigade ;and subsequently receiveda definite appointment as Brigade Major, 3rd CanadianInfantry Brigade. On January 30th the Battalion movedinto support in the Cite du Moulin sector under commandof Major G. H. Kirkpatrick, taking over comfortable billetsin Lievin turned over to them by the 87th Battalion. OnFebruary 4th the 72nd relieved the 38th in the front line.A feature of this tour was the good work done bythe 72nd snipers. Lieut.-Col. Clark resumed commandof the Battalion towards the end of the tour, andon February 10th, the 72nd was relieved by the 47thand returned to rest billets in Gouy Servins by means ofthe light railway from Red Mill Siding. This trip was arevelation in the art of how not to operate a light railway. The first section, from Red Mill Siding to Lens Junction, was over the Canadian Corps light railways, whichas always, were most efficient. At Lens Junction, however,it was necessary to transfer to the Army light railways.The first intimation of coming trouble came from the engine driver on the Canadian locomotive, who leaned outof his tiny cab and remarked "Bye bye, boys! I gottaturn you over to the Army Railways here God help you!"The Army trains were standing ready when the men arrived and they at once climbed on board. Unfortunately,however, the troop trains were sandwiched in between ammunition, and although the train was standing on a "Y"switch, the problem of getting the troops clear from theammunition was too much for the Army switchman. Finally one of the officers, an old railwayman, pushed his wayinto the switch office and found four hopelessly bewildered90