The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-02
CANADIANS AT YPRES
FOUGHT HEROICALLY
Held Positions and Made Gal
liant Charges in Face Of
Desperate Fire.
FOUR GUNS WERE LOST

OTTAWA, May IA detailed report
Of the action OF the Canadians during
the German advance in tho recent des-
perate nshting north Of Ypres Is on
cialiy recorded in an account sent to
the Militia Department.
ION April g." runs the account, "the
Canadian division had a line OF roughly
5000 yards, extending In a northwest
erly direction from the Ypres- Roulers
Railway to the Ypres-Poelcapelle road,
and connecting at its terminus with the
French troops.
THE day was peaceful and everything
seemed quiet in front OF tho Canadian
line. At O'Clock In the afternoon a
plan. carefully prepared. was put into
execution against our French allies on
the left. asphyxiating gas OF great In
tensity was projected into their trenches,
probably by means OF force pumps and
pipes laid out under the parapets, and
the French were compelled TO give
ground for considerable distance.
The Third Brigade of the Canadian
division was thus left without any sup
port on Its left 90 that the left flank
had TO be thrown back to protect our
rear. In the confusion which followed
the readjustment, the enemy advanced
rapidly and took four British ~ guns
west Of st. Julien. two miles in the real
of the original French lines
Canadians Never Waiver.
IN the course OF the night OF the
| 22d the enemy was assaulted by the
Cana dian Scottish 160th Battalion OF the
| Third Brigade and the Tenth Battalion
OF the Second Brigade, the fight eontin'
uing all night and the next day. the 23d
our troops standing up and never waver
| Ing under fire that was like tropica
downpour. At last the men flung them
selves upon the German positions. onl,
to find that the four guns had beer
blown up. They intrenched themselves
| however. and held the enemy at BAY
until the intensity OF the German ar
/ tillery fire became 50 great that they
We're forced TO evacuatc the ground
which had been won at such sacrifice
ION Friday. the cad the German at
| tempt to outnank our line became more
/ Int ,nse. and 1t did not seem that any
one could live in the face of the con
slant shower Of shot and shell. Never
/ .heless the Ontario First and Fourth
battalions OF the First Brigade ad
vanced. suffering terrible casualties
every other man seeming TO fall for q
while. and with a final bayonet charge
rushed the German trenches and tool
them. Lieut. Col. Birchall falling in the
encounter as he cheered his men on
| carrying in the old fashion a light cane
| This tench represented the Germans
! advance spot in the breach which thu
enemy had made in the original gain
and It's capture secured the integrity o.
4 the allied lines during the bitteres; par
OF the lighting.
Highla nders In Evidence.
/ AT 4. NJ. on the morning OF Friday
the a3d. fresh emission OF gas wa,
made on the Second Brigade and on thu
Third Brigade. The men retained theii
positions however. and 1t became ap
parent that the Germans were attempt
ing TO sweep around and overwhelr
our left flank by force of numbers. II
the ensuing fighting the Royal High
landers OF Montreal especially distin
guished themselves. although the Ger
mans managed TO make an advance nea
St Julien.
ION Friday afternoon the left of n,
Canadian line was strengthened by Brit
ish reenforcements. but 1t became ap
parent that the Canadian salient coul,
not longer hold out IN face of the ter
rible artillery fire being directed AT II
The salient therefore was given up ant
the troops fell back on 81. julien. fight
ing over every inch of the ground. ~
Julien was left exposed on two side
and could not he held, so n further re
treat was ordered and the German
masses rolled across the town.
There was more fighting OF a heroi
nature on Saturday and sunday II
which the Third Brigade and the Nine
tieth Winnipeg Rifles are mentioned fire.
quently. and IL -as not until Wcdnes
day. after nearly week OF struggle
that the Canadian troops were at las
relieved. In concluding the account 81
. Max Aitken. who wrote II, says:
The empire is engaged in a struggl
without quarter and without compro
mise against an enemy still superb,
organized, still immensely powerful. still
confident that its strength Is the mate o
it's necessity. To arms then, still I,
AIMS The graveyard of Canada il
Flanders is very large"