BRAVE CANADIANS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2519, 14 July 1915, Page 7

BRAVE CANADIANS

"DRILL-BOOK RULES'J , A TERRIFIC ONSET SOME RECENT DOINGS . By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. July 13/ 3.30 p.m.) . London, July 12; A _ Canadian eye-witness states: — ■ After tho Battlo of Langemarck the Canadians rested until tho fourteenth of May, and then moved to the southern section of tho 'British line.

The following is an example of tho result of a citizen army keeping strictly to drill-book rules. The Canadian battalion arranged its artillery to open a heavy fire aon a' section of a German trench, whilo tho infantry made an ostentatious parade, fixing bayonets and rigging trench ladders. .

The Germans promptly retired to the supporting trenches, leaving iJhe storm of shells to rage in front, but ready to rush back when tho fire stopped and meet the Canadian'charge. 'The guns were duly lifted from the fronij trenches and shelled the supporting trenches, as tho drill-book states, to prevent tse Germans coining up. The Germans, nevertheless, returned. , Blast of Fire. But the Canadians did not move. Instead, the artillery shortened the range and a "Mast of fire fell on the crowded front trenches. Next day a Gorman wireless message announced that a desperate attack had been repulsef, but tho real fact was disclosed by a German, who, enterJug the trenches for the night watch, cried out, peevishly, "Say, Sam Slick, no dirty tricks to-night!" ■ The Second Brigado attacked a fortified position called Bexhill on tho twenty-first of May and 1 captured a section of a trench. A detachnmet of British troops next night, including King Edward's Horso and Strathcona's Horse, took over the trenches, both serving as infantry. This was their first introduction to warfare. Enemy Breaks. ! The twenty-third of May passed without incident, though tho enomv threatened an attack mi King Edward's Horso, but broke in face of heavy artillery fire. The Canadians again attacked at daybreak on the • twenty-fourth,-capturing positions. They dug themselves in, and hung on, assisted by a ring of shrapnel, while the heavy guns distracted the German artillery. Colonel Seely now assumed command, and the position was held. The total losses to tho Brigade in connection with ..Bexhill was 55 officers and 980 men. . Instances of Heroism. Canadian "Eye-Witness" narrates numerous instances of bravery, including the following, in connection with tho Ontario Regiment's frontal attack on the trench called "Stony Mountain" near La Bassee:— Private Vincent a lumber-ack, mounted a machine gun on his back in default of a base. . Private Smith,, son of. an Ontario Methodist; minister, was' buried by tho explosion of a mine, but dug himself out and crawled to the front line five times to resupp'y the bombers with bombs. The German fire was so hot •that he had to lie-down ai\d toss the bombs to tho men' in the: captured trenches. . When the supply of bombs had been exhausted an unknown Canadian was seen standing on. the parapet of a German trench. He was leaping with rage, and hurled bricks and stones at the enemy until he was killed. The remnant of the Ontario Regiment .was. fi^.aljy:forced to. evacuate the ground' won. Out. of twenty-three.offi--cers attacking' Stony Mountain, twenty wero killed or wounded.