72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada - waughfamily.ca

BAPTISM OF FIRE.tour. During this time the weather, for a few days, improved, a most welcome relief to all ranks.But it was not until the following day that touch wasestablished with the 87th Battalion on the left. During thistour "D"Company under the command of Lieut. T. D. M.Christie, distinguished itself by gaining approximately 300yards with practically no losses. The right flank was heldby Company under the command of Lieut. F. G. Colquhoun,and was very much in the air, the Germans holding"A"the ground on the immediate right for 800 yards in rear ofthe front-line trenches. The position, however, was fullyas unknown for the Germans as it was for the 72nd, and "A"Company took every opportunity of demonstrating thispoint of view with the Lewis guns and their rifles,the result being that they obtained a complete mastery over theiropponents.On November 26,after a six-day tour, the Battalion wasrelieved by the 78th and moved back to the Chalk Pits thesame night, and next morning moved to Albert, en routefor the north and away from the nightmare of the Sommefor ever.In reviewing the Battalion s time on the Somme,all ranks deserve the greatest credit for their work there.But in particular that of the Commanding Officer, Lieut-Col. J. A. Clark, calls for special mention for his tirelessenergy, which took him through his Battalion swater-filledtrenches, daily and under all circumstances. The skill,the patience, the courage and the tact with which hehandled a comparatively raw unit under new and tryingconditions, earned for him a confidence and affection onthe part of his men that he will never lose.31