72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

fatalTHE LAST FIGHT.M.M., succeeded in advancing some 250 yards, only to becompletely wiped out >aby burst of enfilade machinegun fire. The two other patrols, under Lieut. A. Turnbull,M.M., and Lieut. J. S. Mutch, managed, despite heavy resistance, to establish themselves in the most westerly houseof the village, where, almost completely surrounded, theyheld on until relieved late the same night.All through the day, the enemy kept Onnaing underheavy shell and rifle fire. The Battalion signallers, working under high pressure, strung their slender wires, whichare the nerves of >anarmy in the field, out to the twofront-line companies. The heavy shell-fire in the narrowstreets tore great pieces out of their lines, but, somehow,they kept the lines "in". No sooner was a line down,than the linesmen began their perilous task. Along thewires they went, straight into the heart of the shelling,until the break was found. Often, as soon as one breakwas repaired, another occurred, and so they had to keepon with their job in their splendidly efficient way. Excellence has characterized the work of the 72nd signallersthroughout their history, and made their section one ofthe most efficient in the corps. To show the vital importance of their work, it may be said that during the Valenciennes operation alone, they laid and maintained nineteen miles of telephone wire.The night of November 4th closing over the battle-fieldfound the 72nd holding a line some 500 yards in front ofOnnaing, with a post in the outskirts of Quarouble. Thefight for Onnaing was to prove the Battalion s last engagement in the war, and it is an interesting fact that the position held by the 72nd on this particular evening, coincidedalmost exactly to that held by the left flankDorrien sof Sir Smith-indomitable 2nd Corps on the second day of thegreatest feat in the annals of military historyfrom Mons more than four years before.the RetreatIn the early hours of November 5th, 1918, the last of169