72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

SEAFORTH HIGHLANDERS OF CANADARichmond on the eve of Waterloo. That also was atBrussels whenThere was a sound of revelry by nightAnd Belgium s capital had gathered thereHer beauty and her chivalry, and brightThe lamps shone o er fairwomen and brave men.iAs the booming strokes of midnight rangout over thecapitol city, the hidden gong behind the illuminated clockdial in the ball-room struck the hour. As the gong ceased,the pipe band of the 72nd, which was in readiness, brokeinto Scotland the Brave." The swinging kilts and stalwart figures of the pipers as they marched around theball-room formed a most striking tableau, and drew forthmuch applause.Brussels itself, on New Year s Eve and until the earlyhours of January 1st, presented a scene which beggarsdescription. Thousands of civilians and soldiers packedthe ibroad boulevards, and every square held its enthusiastic crowd. To the music of innumerable bands, everybody danced with everybody else. The cabarets, alwayscrowded, overflowed into the streets. Processions ofcelebrating citizens filled the thoroughfares in all directions. Brussels excelled even her post-armistice reputationfor gaiety.But the 72nd were still in the sparsely settled farmingarea in which the 4th Division had been stationed forthree weeks, notwithstanding untiring efforts on the partof the Divisional Commander to secure a change. Thesewere at length successful, and the Battalion left Opprebaison January 3rd and moved towards the historic field of"Waterloo. After spending the night of the 3rd at Wavre,the 72nd marched next day to Ohain on the northeastern fringe of the area where Napoleon met his fate.The march from Wavre to Ohain was particularly interesting. As the Battalion swung clear of Wavre, crossed178