72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

AMIENS.blank Lewis gun fire. As the attack increased in violence,"B"Company, which it will be remembered was in reserve, was flung into the gap on "C"Company s left flank,and most materially assisted in the gallant fight which wasbeing put up by the latter Company. Slowly the attack,repulsed at every point, spent itself, and the enemy wasforced to be content with establishing posts in front of ourleft flank. The attack, according to the prisoners statement, had been carried out by two battalions that hadbeen rushed up by motor lorry for the purpose.During the following day touch was successfully established with the troops who had come up on the Battalion sright, and with this flank secure, all eyes turned to the left,which was still badly the "in air." Repeated attemptswere made all through the day by the enemy to effect anentry into our position. Between 2 and 5 p.m. the fightingwas particularly bitter, as with bomb and bayonet the greyfigures attempted to rush the communication trenches leading into our front line. To give some idea of the confusionwhich reigned among the enemy, "B" Company obtainedprisoners from no less than three different German regiments in .as many hours. In front of "C"Company onthe right of "B"Company, the fight ebbed and flowed allthrough the day. A patrol from this Company underCorporals D. H. MacLean and Gaskill, perceiving & German machine gun which had worked up under cover to aposition close in front of our trenches, crept through themaze of tumble-down wire and shell holes and hurledthemselves upon the crew, killing the entire number withthe exception of two who surrendered. Being unable tocarry the gun, they destroyed it by a well-placed bomb.For this action Corporal MacLean received the D.C.M.Epic happenings such as this had a disheartening effectupon the foe, and at dusk the fighting, save for the occasional spasmodic chattering of machine gun fire, dieddown. Just at dusk, Lieut, W. J. Decker, the only re-121