A WAR STORY

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1929, Page 3

A WAR STORY

THE 54th CANADIAN BATTALION aT BEAU COURT WOOD. ' On August 8 1918, opened the Battle of Amiens, winch paw the beginning of our final victorious advance. Although ii:.e (.it Canadian Division was reserved lor the later stages of tlie attack the's4tli Battalion ivith the other units >i tii.j .division, was moving forward 1 through the mist as early' as 3.20; a.m. following tne. trail •df • hard-fought success proved a tedious business,•. but when die German line had been pierced to a depth of three miles, the 54thbattalion came into action. It moved, on the extreme right of the British line ,next to the Eranch, who were beyond the Amiens-ltoye road... Going forward in small columns bee Innd the tanks the battalion' made steady progress. Cavalry were seen entering the village of Beaucourt-en-bantree, and scouts reported that the sunken road beyond the village could be occupied. The road was reached,

and here it titidp’-'of-Vdismouritedf cavalry were ftf : V i.. ! ; / >.*. The-'ground in froni was Sweftt .by . heavy machine-gun fire, much<of. which came from a large wood awajV to the ‘ left. Two tanks now emerged into the open but soon ca'ught fire. H lowed, and though, partially disabled got near the-wood, aliid bp? on it belfore returning to cover. -V?No artillery support was available but the colonel of . the 54th' two • platoons and then - the remainder; of: Jils reserve compa'ftj'“ to the,'assault A* of theAv6od;V ; . y ” ‘ \' ' - . ;•• Tj'-f * A Through partly ~ screened, by. the, smoke from one’ibf : biirding tanks> this ; compltnjv lost 62 bffipers and theii4. hut the wood was 'reachedKandva -foot;.' hold* obtained in it. Theri the advance, 1 of tlie 102nd Canadians "on the left cleared all the Germans-out.. The 54th was now able to. ( got forward on it own front, though hampered by fire ifrom beyond'the: Boye road where the French were advancing 'more slowly. At last the battalion, still un-'. ' der heavy fire, diig ' in- oS its allotted’ line, having gained 3,000 yards: