72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

GERMANY SINNINGS.line from Hulluch a short distance north of Hill 70, onthe north, to the Scarpe on the south, a total distance ofapproximately eighteen miles, and about one-sixth of thewhole British front. At the same time the 2nd CanadianDivision was in the neighbourhood in another Corps, andwas holding the line further to the south. On April 28ththe Battalion was relieved by the 78th, and moved backto Brigade Reserve at Hills camp, Neuville St. Vaast. During its short stay at this camp an incident occurred whichillustrates a not unusual danger of campaignlife. TheTransport lines of the Battalion were now in Daly camp,a short distance from Hill s camp, and one day an enemyaeroplane was brought down there. When the plane tookfire and its reserve tank exploded, a few casualties resulted.A decision was now arrived at to move the CanadianCorps into G. H. Q. Reserve to be held and trained forcounter-attacking purposes, and five Imperial Divisionswere consequently sent up to relieve the three Divisionsof the Corps, the 12th Brigade being relieved by the 152ndBrigade, 51st Division commanded by Brig.-Gen. R. Laing,D.S.O., who had visited the Battalion a month earlier whenhe was commanding the 2nd Seaforths. On this, his secondvisit,he inspected the Battalion.The stay of the 72nd at Hill s camp was decidedly enjoyable on several accounts. The weather had much improved, the quarters were tolerable, and within a fewhundred yards there was a theatre where the "MapleLeaves," the concert troupe of the 4th Canadian Division,held the boards. The 72nd had already tested their qualityas entertainers at Chateau de la Haie, and they foundthat their standard had been well maintained. At thistime also the official Corps photographer trained his camera on a group of the Battalion officers, and the resultingpicture is reproduced on an adjacent page. It must notbe supposed, however, that the whole time of the Battalion99