KILLED IN SHAM FIGHT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 30, 30 October 1917, Page 5

KILLED IN SHAM FIGHT

Six Canadian soldiers were killed by the explosion of a mine during a 6ham fight at a camp in Hampshire oil August IG. Tho names of tho hilled are:—J)onald Chester 31'Ewan. Georgo Edward lingers, William Allan Jfnrwoo-I, 0. P. 11. Gaslar, Hairy Poole, and Herbert Arthur Lyall Osmond.

Lieutenant Wilfrid Turner Cheyne, nt the inquest, said 110 maTched two parties of the combined strength of between Ssfl and '100 to the bombing area for night -operations. Sergeant-Major Tasker explained that it was to be realistic trench warfare with star shells and exploding homes to represent artillery barrage. Tour Mines of two kinds to explode together wire laid under his instructions. Upon a signal' tho party in two columns were to advance on either flank of the'mine arm.

Two of the mines were fired by the instructor. Tho other two wero to br, fired by wires against which the leeli would trip us they advance.-. Hnyitig no wires ho connected these two mines by twine (0 a string which he pulk-d. Au explosion followed. He called to his observer,- "All c ! ear. Scott?" and iu a few minutes tho reply came, "Yte?' Ho then ordered the t-"0 parties to advance. Ono party stras':!rd and moved to tho centre. Ho .-.ilM, "Close to tho Hank," but appau-nHy l is order was misunderstood. Fifteen minutes after tho first explosion ho heard another explosion. He was l/lown into a sap. The only 'reason he c.-i'dd givo for tho stoiul explosion was (1-at the lever of the detonator of ono ol tho mines had failed to act and tlint uiu of the men as they advanced must have kicked it afterwards. If tho men 011 the left had enrriod out tho order they would linvo been safe, and probably he would have been the only one blown up because he '.r.ilked right over tho mines. The verdict w,-k "Acciden'al death from shook, following injuries."