72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADApleasant neighbor. A counter-attack was immediately organized to assist the battalion on the right, and "A" Company, commanded by Captain J. G. Fleck, M.C., lunged inmasterly fashion against the Hun occupants of OrixTrench. Thrusting them out of this trench and capturingover 100 prisoners, .this company drove the enemy before itand carried the advance over the Hendecourt-Dury road,thus forcing the Germans back behind the line from whichthey started. As "A"Company crossed the road, the artillery barrage which had been requested in support ofourcounter-attack, came down along the road, and but forthe gunners prompt obedience to the "triple-green" rocketof "cease fire" serious casualties might have occurred.While "A"Company was carrying out this justly-famouscounter-stroke, "D" Company had not been idle. No. 15Platoon, under 466433 Sergt. S. Findlater, D.C.M., tookfull advantage of the commotion on the right, and advancing due east, drove back several enemy posts and established a much-needed support in the form of an additionalpost on the left of the one planted earlier in the day byCpl. Carson. Of the work of these two posts no laudationcan be excessive. They kept an ever-pressing enemy clearof our positions allthrough the afternoon and night of the1st. Sergeant Findlater and Cpl. Carson deserve specialmention. These two N. C. O. s. with their tiny handful ofmen, fought practically hand-to-hand with the Boche formore than eighteen hours. Though Findlater was woundedand most of the men casualties, this heroic detachment heldtheir positions and continued to fight until the Battalionpassed through on the morning of September 2nd.At about 6:30 p.m. on the 1st, as dusk was falling, theenemy launched a counter-attack directly at the 72nd.Breaking through the line of trees marking the Hendecourtcross-roads, and also from the trenches of the Drocourt-Queantline, the attack in the failing light seemed todrift steadily towards our position. Portions of "A" and128