South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-13
CANADIANS PLAY
PROMINENT PART
Success of British is Due Large
Iy to Men From America
Men Were Cool During Hard
est Part of Battle.

bA II
PARIS, July 12.-CBy Mail to New
York Some details may now be
given Of the brilliant chapter in the
recent British operations in support
of the French offensive movement
around Arras: That of the Canadian
divisions struggle for gains around
Festubert and Givenchy in which grim
work was required before any pro-
gress could be made in the trench
warfare.
At Festubert. the objective Of the
Canadians was a small orchard The
third company of the sixteenth battal-
ion highlanders, commanded by Capt.
Morrison, waS riven the task. These
men were recruited in British Column
bia, many of them living in Vancou-
yer.
A rush for the orchard was started
at 7:45 O'Clock in the evening, each
platoon having a definite object to ac-
cOmphsh. I'm front Of the orchard the
men found a deep creek hedge, having
only two openings in front. Morrison
started TO go through the hedge but
private Appleton, bomb thrower,
sprang ahead of him, saying: bomb
throwers go ahead of officers, sir"
once in the orchard the men met with
heavy rifle and machine gun fire, but
swept on to the edge. Owing 10 un-
fOrseen delay one platoon, whose
presence was most essential 20 the
plan of attack. was unable to get up
on time TO support the attack.
Stick Against Odds.
The men who reached the edge Of
the orchard where the dead and
wounded had been left dug them
selves in with the ready industry OF
beavers. and stuck against all odds
until help came, making the orchard
securely theirs.
Many stories are told of the GOODNESS
Of the men. Amidst the din of fire
Sergt. Cochran called TO his men TO
keep their line straight and private
Redley, upon seeing a rabbit scurrying
past, sang out:
Look at bunny, will you?"
Elsewhere on the front the first
party belonging TO the first company
of Canadians who went over the para
pet were in such an exposed position
as to be nearly annihilated without
even reaching the German trenches.
Every counter effort Of the Germans
to GUST them q He'd. Though their po-
sition thrown, into craters by German
shell fire, they stuck and the British
line on tins part Of the front remains
where the determined heroes of the
sangutnary action put il.
Dropped Right and Left
In the face of murderOus machin-
cry OF war and modern fire which
dropped men right and left. they had
won a mighty struggle, no less glori-
Gus because it was only a part of a
big whole.
"If soldiers ever fought their way
to admiration" said a British gener-
al. lit is the Canadians who, less than
a year ago. were raw recruits"
At Givenchy they deserved success
no less, but there they failed. Here, in
front Of the first battalion. the Ger
mans had two strongly fortified points
which the Canadians sought TO take.
They successfully mined one and CO.
incident with the explosion opened up
a concentrated fire with their guns
against both positions. Number four
company rushed through the opening
space between the two positions made
by the explosion Of the German trench
reac hing il with only q few casualties.
So completely had they surprised the
enemy that on entering the trench the
Canadians found that some Of the
Germans who had fled. had left their
accOutrements hanging upon the
walls.
Forced to Retire.
The German fortified position TO the
rear which had not been mined was
still able 10 work the machine guns
enfilading any movement of the Ca
nadians 70 support the troops that had
gained the German trench. The
Germans being reinforced and being
pienttully supplied with bombs.
closed in upon their hostile visitors
and forced a retirement. Every step
of the way back was made under the
enfilading fire from the fortified pO-
sition. The next morning soldiers in
the German trenches called out in ex-
/ cellent English: Hello. Canadians"
U'ha Oh
Hello. Germans, did you have many
/ losses ."
A German soldier called out:
A good many. How about YOU -
To this a Canadian answered:
None at all"
There was a moments silence and
| then a German shouted:
You are a damned liar"
One would recognize the gallant Ca
nadians in their billets in French vii
| lagos. these warm summer days by
the way they have their sleeves rolled
UP and their shirts open at the throat
as they would at home.
Il guess they are finding we can
do out BIT" Is the sentiment OF the
| Canadians. and II looks as II they are
going 20 miss 80 green corn season in
| Canada, too.
F. H Cheley. boys director OF the
Y. VI. c. A. left Camp Eberhart at
Corey. Mich, Monday for Lake Ge-
neva, Wis. Cheley Will remain at
Lake Geneva two weeks and Will de-
liver lectures at the Y NJ c. a. sum-
mer school conference that is being
held there this month.
J. .. Ames. general secretary OF the
Y N c. A. left Monday afternoon for
Camp Eberhart where he Will I'LL
the position left by F. II. Cheley for
the coming two weeks.
Grover Little. assistant secretary
OF the Y. NJ. c. A. left Monday for
Camp Eberhart, where he wiz spend
few days