Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-12-28

After the battle I was, of course, re-
neved Of my job as motorcycle dis.
patch rider and resumed my duty as
orderly to headquarters.
A great deal has been said Of the
Canadians. Too much praise cannot
be given them.
The first of the Canadian regiments
to come into action was the Princess
Patricias Canadian Light infantry.
This regiment was In one Of the d.
visions in our army corps. so | saw
quite n bit of the men from time to
time. They were fine body OF men
and were very highly thought of 10y all
the English regiments with whom they
were associated. They were strong
men and needed strong leaders to keep
them at their highest point OF etliclcn-
cy. Such men as Colonel Farquhar
they adored. and there was nothing he
could ask them to do that would re-
main undone. 1t was his custom to
lead his men into action carrying moth.
Ing but a walking stick, and little
things like this mean a great deal to
the men of regiment
At the time the Canadians were
brought into action we had some black
troops on our extreme left. The Ger.
mans sent over gas, and these black
troops were forced to retire Supports
were called for, and as ours was the
nearest headquarters in the vicinity
the call came to us.
We had no spare troops available
right on the spot, so the men OF the
headquarters unit--orderlies. messen-
gers, etc.--were called upon TO go up
and act as supports until reinforce
ments could be brought up. We went
up on the dead run and found that the
black troops had retired, so we went
into the position just in front OF the
Germans. The kaiser's troops had ad-
vanced about two miles, but had stop
ped at the last trench Of our first line
OF defense. There were no more
trenches for four miles.
The troops who had retired were Or
dered into rest camp when we took
the position over. so we had to go In
and hold until the Canadians came up.
The Germans made no attempt to ad-
vance any farther, and we certainly
were In no position to quarrel with
them Just then. We waited there all
night. and just before dawn the Ca
nadians arrived. They didn't stop for
anything and went right over the top
OF us and at the Germans. We acted
as supports for them during this en-.
gagement, and II was treat to see
the way they went after them.
Trench after trench they took with
out any letup. The Germans contest
ed every inch Of the ground, but moth
ing could stop the Maple Leaf boys
that morning. When the Germans wait
ed long enough for the lighting to come
TO close quarters the Canadians were
right there with the cold steel, and
when the Germans kept their distance
those boys showed that they know
which end OF rifle the bullet comes
from.
The Canadians had advanced about
a mile I'm this way when the Germans
brought up some re-enforcements and
Immediately started to counterattack.
They drove us back few hundred
yards, but we made a stand, and after
the eCge had worn Off the German at
tack we commenced to advance again.
This time there was no denying the
Canadians. and they went right
through until they had retaken all the
ground that had been lost. They also
recovered four guns which the Ger.
mans had captured.
AS nearly as ! can tell, II was at this
time that the reports began to fly
around that no prisoners were being
taken. This is an extremely difficult