The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-03
CANADIANS AT YPRES
FOUGHT HEROICALLY
Held Positions and Made Gallant Charges
in Face of Desperate
Fire.

Ottawa. Ont, May IA detailed re
port of the action of the Canadians dur
ing the German advance in the recent
desperate fighting north of Ypres is Off
cially recorded in an account sent to the
militia department.
"On April %" runs the account, "the
5000 yards, extending in northwesterly
direction from the Ypres- Roulers railway
to the Ypres- Poelcapelle road, and con-
Meeting at its terminus with the French
troops.
THE day was peaceful and everything
seemed quiet IN front of the Canadian
! line At o'clock in the afternoon, a
plan, carefully prepared, was put into ex-
ecution against our French allies on the
left; asphyxiating gas of great intensity
was projected into their trenches, prob
ably by means of force pumps and pipes
laid out under the parapets, and the
French were compelled to give ground
for a considerable distance.
"The third brigade of the Canadian
division was thus left without any sup
port on its left, so 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 AZ guns
west of st. Julien, two miles in the rear
of the original French lines.
In the course of the night of the 22d,
the enemy was assaulted by the Cana
dian. Scottish l60th battalion of the third
brigade and the tenth battalion of the
second brigade, the fight continuing all
night and the next day, the 23d, our
troops standing up and never wavering
under a fire that was like a tropical
downpour. At last the men flung them
selves upon the German positions, only
to find that the four guns had been
blown up. They entrenched themselves,
however, and held the enemy at bay
until the intensity of the German artil-
lery fire became so intense that they
were forced to evaeuate the ground which
they had won at such sacrifice.
"On Friday. the 23d, the German at
tempt to outfiank our line became more |
intense, and il did not seem that anyone |
could live in the face of the constant |
shower of shot and she'll. Nevertheless,
the Ontario first and fourth battalions |
of the first brigade advanced, suffering |
terrible casualties, every other man seem
ing to fall for awhile, and with a final |
bayonct charge rushed the German
trenches and took them, Lieut.. Col.
Birchall falling in the encounter as he
.heered his men on, carrying in the old
fashion a light cane. This trench repre-
scented the Germans advance spot in the
breach which the enemy had made in
he original gain, and its capture secured
he integrity Of the allied lines during
he bitterest part of the fighting
AT I a. m. on Friday, the 23d, a
resh emission Of gas was made on the
iecond brigade and on the third brigade
The men retained their positions, how
'ver and II became apparent that the
Germans were attempting 10 sweep /
Iround and overwhelm our left flank by 4,
orce Of numbers. I'm the ensuing fight 4,
n.y. the Royal Highlanders OF Montreal I
specially distinguished themselves, ~. {
hough the Germans managed TO make q
N advance near St Julien. II
ION Friday afternoon. the left ~ the I
anadisn line was strengthened BY Brit q
N re-cnforcements, but il became ap- d
aren't that the Canadian salient could
OF longer hold out in face Of the terrible &
rtillery fire being directed at Il. The O
ahent therefore was given up and the y
roops fen back on ~. Julien. fighting q
yer every inch Of the ground. IT. Julien p
as left exposed on two sides and could Z
1t b. held. 20 a further retreat was v
rdered, and the German masses rolled 4
cross the town :
There WAS more fighting Of q heroic ma T.
Ire on Saturday and Sunday. in which u
b. third brigade and the both Winnipeg Z,
hes are mentioned frequently. and Il q
as not until "Wednesday. after nearly u
week 81 struggle. that the Canadian N
oops were at last relieved. In conclud- n
.g the account. Sir Max Aitkcn. Who 2
rote a. says
The empire is engaged in a struggle "a
lthout quarter and without eonpr0mise ..
.ainst an enemy stiil superbly organ al
"a. stfll immensely powerful. stiH con O..
ierf that its strength is the mate 81 r. q
'oe-sity. To arms. then. stiil a. arms u
BE- graveyard ~ Canada in Flanders i in
~ large To-
CITY GAINED S. PER CENT ~