72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADAless stirring circumstances, would have been humorous.To be embraced, wept over, cheered, and offered a glassof cognac while one is assisting in the capture of a city,gives rise to feelings which must be experienced beforethey can be truly realized. However, there was to beno pause to enjoy the hospitality which would have beenlavished upon the kilties had they lingered. Drivingstraight through the city,"B"Company emerged, to find"C"Company, having fought its way through the moreopen country to the north, now in line with their leftflank, and together the two Companies carried theline some 500 yards beyond the city. Seizing theopportunity afforded by the brilliant capture of Valenciennes, and "B" "C", closely followed by their twosupporting companies, commenced to exploit their successesin a north-easterly direction along the main Valenciennes-Mons road. In view of this the orders which the Battalionreceived an hour later to continue the attack, were quiteunnecessary. The attack was being continued; and withsuch good effect that by 4 p.m. the last of the Boches hadbeen summarily driven from the village of St. Saulve, oneand one-half miles north-east of Valenciennes, on the roadto Mons.All through the late afternoon of November 2nd anduntil the early hours of (the 3rd the enemy subjected St.Saulve and portions of Valenciennes to the most intenseshell fire. It afterwards appeared that this was merelya form of retreat tactics on his part. If he was drivenfrom a position he methodically began to empty the adjacent ammunition dumps, by the simple expedient offiring his guns till they were red hot, against the last position. This formula was repeated as often as he was drivenback. Soldiers are used to -this sort of thing, but the unfortunate civilians suffered, and many of them were killedunder the falling debris of their own homes.On October 3rd two patrols were pushed out to the north166