72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

GERMANY S INNINGS.While the Battalion was at Conteville, football games bothrugby and soccer were played with teams of Alpine Chasseurs "Little Blue Devils "who were billeted near. Theseresulted in the Chasseurs being victorious in rugby andthe 72nd in soccer. A feature of the rugby game thatwill be remembered by those who were there was a tackleby Capt. W. C. Ross, who chased a "Blue Devil" and,seizing him by the collar with one hand, threw him several yards away, thus preventing the French, at this pointof the game, from scoring. But they were valiant opponents and the way in which they threw themselves into asport peculiarly British, showed an adaptability that wasadmirable and led to national good feeling, as so manyother things did during the stay of the Canadian troops inPrance and Flanders, Also during this stay at Contevillethe fickle weather of May was once more demonstrated ata church service on the 12th. The spiritual warmth of thechaplain had a tough struggle with the chilly physical conditions, and though as valiant sermon-hearers, the 72nddid their part, there were those among them who wereglad that the padre did not imitate the example of one ofhis Scottish forerunners, who, having preached for 60minutes by the hour-glass, turned it over and said,"Brethren, we will have another glass." But the old, wellknownhymns were sung with the usual fervour, and atthe close of the service, Major-General Sir David "Watson,who was present, presented decorations to men of the Battalion who had recently won them.On May 18th the Battalion moved to Ostreville, changing over billets with the 78th. An incident that occurredhere was the bringing down of an enemy aeroplane nearSt. Pol. It was forced to land during the night, and onthe following morning one of the cooks of the Battaliontook the three occupants prisoner, viz., on officer and twoother ranks whom hunger, so to speak, had forced into theircaptor s arms! On May 25th the Battalion moved to Auchel,101