The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1915-05-07
CANADIANS a
HOURS TH0UI|
FOOD OR ! DRINK
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Sir Max Aitken Supplements
Eyewitness Story of LANCE
marck Situation.

OTTAWA, May Elm a supple.
"eye witness" story, Sir Max Aitken,
the official Canadian reporter, de-
scribes the situation at Langemarck
as follows:
"The situation on April % appears
to have been that the Canadians held
the extreme left Of the British lines
covering front Of 5000 yards, or
about three miles. To their left were
the French and again to the left of
the French were the Belgians. It is
understood there was a main line of
trenches with a supporting line a
short distance in the rear. The first
brigade was some miles to the rear
in reserve. The guns were posted far
to the rear. Four heavy Canadian
guns, it seems, were some two or
three miles in the rear of the French
lines"
Dense Volume of Gases.
On the afternoon of April %, after
a terrific artillery bombardment, the
statement continues, the Germans
projected dense volumes Of gas to-
wards the allied lines, which, in many
cases proved deadly and in others
disabled soldiers. This was followed
by a German advance upwards of ten
divisions and the French and Bel
gians, over a front of more than five
miles, gave way and fell back almost
six miles. BY the sudden retirement
of the French, it is stated, the heavy
Canadian guns which were in the
French rear fell into the hands of the
Germans.
LOSS to Highlanders Appalling.
"This was the position up to the
forenoon of April g." the statement
goes on to say. with the Canadian
Highlanders extended to double then
normal trench front, one half of it ir
the open, and assisted by the Tenth
battalion from southern Alberta
Manitoba and Saskatchewan they not
only held ten times their own num-
Der in check, but they actually retool
the guns from the enemy and main
tanned their position, but the loss, az
must have been expected, was appall
ing.
However, the Germans had advanc
ed six miles to the rear of the French
position and there seemed nothing t
Canadian line. Accordingly another
brilliant charge was carried out a
some German trenches to the rear O.
the former French position, under
General Mercer with the First ant
Fourth battalions of the First Bri
gade supported by. the Second an,
Third, and the German trenches
temporarily erected, were recaptured
In this movement two British bri
dages also took part as well as tn
remainder of the Canadians.
Fall Back Before Superior Numbers
meantime the enemy concentrates
several divisions on the rectangle il
the Highland Brigade, that is the ex
IRENE left of their original position
. The troops in the trenches were abb
: to hold firm against great odds, bu
, the scattered fragments holding tn
{ line in the open, at right angles to tn
! trenches, were obliged to gradual,
> fall back before vastly superior unm
bers. Thus, large masses, amount
: ing, it is estimated, to about 5000
3 Germans, got into the rear of tn
Highlanders, thus cutting them of
but they refused to surrender and tn
firing was heard far into the nigh
, the Germans being in the front, o.
) the left flank and on the real
Whether these gallant Highlander
: were annihilated or taken prisoner
t is not known but so long as cart
I ridge remained they fought"
Y The statement then tells of the re
: Inducements which came up Saturda
e and Sunday, how the line of defens
:, was reformed and concludes:
e 'The Canadians have suffered sc
i verely, but their heroism is unques
: toned. Many of them were withou
Y food or water for upwards of "a hour
S and some for much longer, but the
:. unf1inchingly held their positions