THE PRINCESS PATRICIA'S

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2496, 24 June 1915, Page 5

THE PRINCESS PATRICIA'S

FAMOUS REGIMENT REDUCED TO A SKELETON. (Rec. Juno 24, 1.10 a.m.) London, June 23. A Canadian officer narrates that on the night of May 7, five months after they first went into the trenches, 535 of the Princess Patricia's answered the roll-call. When they were mustered at midnight on May 8 only 150 and a few stretcher-bearers were present, under Lieutenant 'Niven, the senior unbounded officer, who had been promoted from the ranks. During May 8 the German bombardment buried all the Princess Patricia's machine-guns. Two were dug out and Amounted, while Olio was actually disinterred three times. Corporal Dover stuck to his gun throughout, although wounded. He finally lost a leg and an arm, and was buried in the debris, which destroyed liis gun. He lay thus until dusk, when lie crawled out. He moaned for help, and two of his comrades went to his help and carried in his mangled body. As he was being lowered into the trench a bullet ended Dover's sufferings. The battalion held out from midnight until one in the afternoon, when a detachment of the Rifle Brigade reinforced them, and wore welcomed With a cbecr. Later a party of Shropshires brought up ammunition. Tho Germans then made a final attack. Some penetrated a section of tho trenches, where all tho Princess Patricia's were killed, but some were dislodged when tho King's Royal Rifles relieved the Princess Patricia's. At midnight- the survivors buried those of their dead who were not under tho blown-up trenche.s. Lieutenant Niven, surrounded by 150 men, stood by the open grave holding the Princess Patricia's colours, battered and bloody, but still intact, and said as much of tho Church of England service for tho dead as ho could remember.