The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-02
DETAILED ACCOUNT OF CANADIAN STAND
 AGAINST GERMANS
Sir Max Aitken Sends Vivid Story of Bloody Battle Which Saved the Allies
 From Bad Defeat

Ottawa. Ontario. May 1.-The story of what is described as "a great and glorious feat of arms the desperate stand of the Canadian division to check the recent a cable communication from Sir Max Aiken. the Canadian record officer to the military department here, first hand It describes how the Canadians the ma jority of them raw recruits. although greatly outnumbered and disabled by the unexpected attack with gas bombs sue ceeded with heavy losses In recovering four British guns and much ground.
 "On April 22, says the account, the Canadian division held line of 5000 yards rom the Ypres- -Roulers railway to the ypres-P -Poecapelle road. and connecting with the French. The division consisted of three infantry brigades in addition to the artillery brigades.
 After telling how the French were forced backward by the release of the gas, Sir Max reports this placed the Canadian left in an extremely grave con dition. It became imperative greatly to extend the Canadian lines to the left rear.
 Advance Rapidly
 "Tn the course of the confusion which followed the account continues "the enemy which had advanced rapidly, took four British 4.7 guns west of the village of St. Julien two miles in the rear of the original French trenches. The en- emy's attack developed with particular intensity on the apex of the newly formed line, running in the direction of St. Ju- lien.
 "On the night of the o2d and under the heaviest machine-gun fire, the wood where the four guns had been captured by the enemy was assaulted by the Ca nadian-Scottish One Hundred and Six tieth battalion of the Third brigade. and the Tenth battalion of the Second brigade. These battalons, after a very fierce struggle. took the position at the point of the bayonet At midnight the Second battalion and the Toronto regiment, the
 Queens Own (Third battalion) both of the First brigade, brought up much needed endorsements.
 "All through the following day and night these battalions shared the fortunes and misfortunes of the Third brigade. An officer describes how the men about him fell under the fire of the machine guns. which. he said, played on them like a watering pot But the line never wa vered. With final shout the survivors flung themselves Into the wood The Ger man garrison was completely demorslized and the impetuous Canadian advance did not cease until 1t reached the far side of the wood. Later, however, a formidable concentration of artillery fire sweeping the wood made it impossible for them to hold the position for which they had sac- rificed so much.
 Fighting Continues
 "The fighting continued without inter- mission all through the night. At 6 a. m. the 23d. a powerful German attempt to outfiank the left developed rapidly. A counter attack on the first line of Ger man trenches. now far advanced from those originally occupied by the French. was carried out by the Ontario First and Fourth battalions of the First brigade, in combination with British brigade Tt did not seem that any human being could live In the shower of shot and shell which began to play on the advancing troops. They suffered terrible casualties. For short time every other man seemed to fall. The Fourth Canadian battalion at one moment wavered It's most gallant commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Birchall. carrying after an old fashion a light cane, coolly and cheerfully rallied his men. and at the very moment when hiB example had infected them, fell dead at the head of his battalion.
 with . cry of anger they sprang for- ward as if to avenge his death. The ap- 8centasse1 - Pass 1ssA U t. [. . T I.I Y