72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADAwalked back to the engine, which was found surroundedby four men carefully examining it, one of whom finallysaid,This was the last straw."She looks to me like she was off the track fellers."The two officers worried no more,but trudged home the remaining few miles, the two trainswith their frozen freight of soldiers eventually getting inin the early morning; but on this tripall ranks of theBattalion formed an opinion of Army railways which theyretained until the last, and which, though perhaps a triflebiased, was far from flattering.On February 18th the Division having gone intoCorpsReserve, the Battalion marched to rest billets in Lozinghem.Here training was consistently carried on. On March6th the 72nd came off with flying colours from a surpriseinspection by the Corps Commander, Lieut.-Gen. Sir. A. W.Currie. On March llth, Lewis gun and rifle competitions,under 1st Army rules, were held. On March 12th the Battalion marched to the huts at Hersin-Coupigny, where itrested one night. On the following day it went into support in Cite St. Pierre, relieving the 16th Battalion Canadian Scottish. While in St. Pierre a draft of 150 was received from the 236th Battalion (McLean Highlanders ofCanada) .During this period the enemy showed considerable activity. The 38th Battalion, on the 17th, repulsed with losses anenemy attack on the front line. On the 18th March the72nd relieved the 78th in the front line. There was a greatgas attack on the 22nd, followed by a heavy barrage onthe enemy s front and support areas. The gas was morethan a chemical experiment, and some of the platoons woretheir gas respirators for threeconsecutive hours.It was during this tour that the enemy opened up hisgreat offensive of March 21st. No signs of extra activitywere visible in the front line, but in the back areas hislong-range guns opened up on the roads. Among otherspots Souchez corner received considerable enemy atten-92