During our
period in reserve important events had taken place south of the Somme. A
lightning stroke, chiefly delivered by the Canadian Corps who had been
suddenly and secretly rushed down from the Lens area, had altered the
whole aspect of the war, for the German Army, which not long before had
entertained such high hopes of reaching the coast and Paris, was driven
to anxiously defending his line. Weak spots in the Hun armour were being
sought out and pierced so that on the whole the enemy was having a bad
time. Anticipating trouble on the third army front he had withdrawn his
outposts to a safer line all along the Ancre and up to Puisieux, and our
men had been able to walk cautiously forward several hundred yards.
Such was the situation when the 7th took over the front line, at the
moment quite unsuspicious of the stirring events in which they were
shortly to take a share. Major Rae commanded the battalion, the C.O.
being away on Paris leave, while Capt. Barratt had resumed the duties of
Adjutant. The Company Commanders for this tour of duty were Lt. C. B.
Douglas, "A," Capt. Grey Burn, "B," Lt. Abbott, "C" and Capt. J. Baker,
"D." Suddenly, without previous warning, operation orders were received
on August 20th for a big attack to commence along the whole army front
the following morning. This was rapid work indeed, and the hurried
state of preparation can be better imagined than described, especially
in view of the extraordinary nature of the barrage which called for most
accurate timing and an elaborate barrage table.
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