The Story of the 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion
From BC to Baisieux by Sgt Leonard McLeod Gould HQ 102nd Canadians WW1
The Story of the 102nd Canadian Infantry Battalion
From BC to Baisieux by Sgt Leonard McLeod Gould HQ 102nd Canadians WW1
CHAPTER VII.
First Visit to Divion - Two Tours in Passchendaele - Divion Again -
Pre-Christmas Celebrations
On Oct. 4th the whole Battalion, including the Transport and all Base personnel,
pulled out of the Gouy area and marched five miles to Gauchin Egal, a hamlet
nestling in the valley between two precipitous hills; here a halt was made for
one night and early next morning we set out for Divion, marching past the First
Army Commander, Sir H. S. Horne, K.C.B., "en route." Divion is a coal-mining
village about a mile and a half from Bruay, well peopled with prosperous miners
who did not regard the billeted soldiery as their sole means of support and
therefore lawful prey, but on the other hand took them to their hearts and homes
and treated them all with the utmost hospitality. Tournehem, Divion
and, later, Boitsfort will always be remembered by the men of the 102nd with
feelings of genuine affection and gratitude. Billets at Divion were good; the
place is lighted by electricity, a fact well worthy of note in French and
Belgian country districts; it is divided into two distinct sections, the upper
portion being known amongst the troops as "Transvaal," where for a long time the
Canadian Light Horse were billeted, and the lower town being reserved for
transient troops, for whom there was ample accommodation. There was a sufficient
number of fair-sized houses to make it an easy matter to arrange both officers'
and sergeants' messes for each Company and Headquarters; an open space in the
middle of the village afforded plenty of room for a Battalion parade, whilst on
the outskirts was a field suitable for Battalion drill. On the occasion of our
first visit Headquarters were established in a large brewery. Shortly after our
arrival we were rejoined by Major Lister, who returned from his Course in
England to take up the duties of Second-in-Command. On the 8th, Major A. Graham,
formerly of the 29th Battalion and more recently O.C. 2nd Divisional School,
reported for duty and took over the duties of Adjutant. Throughout the week rain
was prevalent and an inspection by the Army Commander at Houdain had to be
cancelled, to the great joy of the troops. If anybody ever believes that the
troops who look so nice and smiling on parade during the course of a big
review or inspection are really as happy as they look, he is greatly mistaken;
they may not be dressed in sheep's clothing, but their inner feelings closely
approximate to those of ravening wolves.
A move was made on the 11th, when we entrained at Houdain for Thiennes, which
was reached at 3.00 p.m. From the station we marched by a most circuitous route
to Boeseghem, a distance of five miles, only to find that we had proceeded three
parts round a circle and that the station we had left was about a mile and a
half from us. Great difficulty was experienced in billeting the men here;
Imperials had not moved out, as expected, and the members of the billeting party
had a long tramp up and down the roadways of a widely scattered village before
they could find accommodation for all. Some of us will long remember a tiny
house which looked as though it had walked out of a child's picture-book, which
not only housed a dozen burly sergeants in a hay-loft, but managed to feed them
on fried potatoes and beer and whose occupants were afterwards polite enough to
pretend that they enjoyed the singing. A march of ten miles next day brought us
to Ste. Marie Cappel, a village nestling under the shadow of the hill on which
Cassel, the home of the 2nd Army Headquarters, was perched. Here we found a
tented camp, which afforded good accommodation in spite of heavy rain. A move
was expected daily, but did not take place until the 22nd, and during the
interim the usual drills and parades took place, special attention being paid to
the training of all Specialist branches. The villagers round this neighhourhood
have a very fair knowledge of English which was not to be wondered at, seeing
that British troops had been quartered in their neighbourhood since the
beginning of the war. The Sisters Susie ("Susie" seeming to be the generic name
for the bar-ladies of this district) were really wonderfully proficient, seeing
that all their education had come from business relations over the counter with
the soldiers. Still, to use a colloquialism, that's "some" relationship.
Our real work in Passchendaele started on Oct. 22nd, when at
6.45 a.m. we entered 'buses and drove to the outskirts of , marching thence
through the historic city to a dismal swamp a mile and a half to the north known
as Potijze. The 4th Division was relieving the Australians in this area and the
102nd was now in Support. Headquarters were established in Hussar Farm, and the
Companies were dispersed in tents or bivouacs which maintained a precarious
anchorage in a sea of mud. In Potijze we remained, furnishing working parties in
large numbers by day and night: these were used for cable burying or supply
carrying, and in view of the natural conditions prevailing the labour entailed
was exhausting in the extreme, to say nothing of the fact that all work had to
be carried on under a desultory artillery fire which caused occasional
casualties. On the 27th we moved back into Reserve, rejoining our Transport
Lines at Toronto Camp, Brandhoek, seven miles behind the Support position. The
main road recalled memories of the Albert-Bapaume road of the previous
year, being crowded with transport of every kind. Close to Brandhoek was an
enormous lorry park, which gave the visitor some faint idea of the vast numbers
of lorries which were in use on even a single front. Toronto Camp was a good
camp, and a large Y.M.C.A. catered well to the needs of the men, but the baths
at Brandhoek were too small for the work, and for some reason there was a
"hold-up" in clothing. Though it was now the end of October and the weather was
both wet and cold, no sufficient supply of winter clothing could be obtained
until November had well set in. It was whilst we were in this area that we first
became accustomed to night bombing. Previously we had had experience of the odd
bomb or so; from now onwards they became part of our normal life.
A sudden call to support the 12th Brigade took the Battalion up the line again
on the 30th. Orders were received at 11.50 am., and within 40 minutes the
Companies had entrained at Brandhoek Siding and were ready to proceed, a
promptness of action which met with its due reward when the Battalion was kept
waiting in the cold at Potijze for exact instructions as to its ultimate
destination. Eventually orders came in that we were to dig-in on Abraham
Heights, a position reached by duck-walks laid over the mud; the latter was deep
enough to engulf a man up to his arm-pits. This advance was made under heavy
fire which caused 13 casualties, and on arrival the only shelter the men could
get was what they could dig for themselves. At 6.00 p.m. on the last night of
the month the Battalion moved up to the front line, relieving the 85th Bn. This
move was conducted throughout under heavy fire, including many gas shells, from
the effects of which barrage we lost the services of Major W. Bapty, our Medical
Officer, whose place was taken by Capt. H. Dunlop, C.A.M.C. The Companies only
remained in the front line one night and one day, being relieved on the night of
November 1st by the 9th Australian Bn., but a heavy barrage prevailed all the
time and the front line trenches afforded little if any shelter; consequently
casualties were frequent, showing a total of 28 Other Ranks killed for the
whole: of the first tour in Passchendaele, with Major W. Bapty, Lieuts. D. E.
Webster, J. J. Rowland and 74 Other Ranks wounded or gassed. This last tour over
the front line was responsible for the only casualties which ever occurred
during the war amongst the Other Ranks personnel of the Battalion Orderly Room,
Sgt. H. N. Monk being wounded (at duty) by a shell splinter in the arm, and Pte.
F. C. Morgan being badly gassed. On relief the men spent the night at Potijze,
returning by train to Brandhoek in the morning.
On the afternoon of Nov. 3rd we entrained again at Brandhoek Siding for Caestre,
whence we marched a couple of miles to KoortenLoop. Here we found that the
Transport had already arrived, together with a lorry-load of Base personnel and
stores, and that billets had already been secured. Headquarters was established
in a commodious and spotlessly clean estaminet, not the least charming feature
of which was another "Susie" in the person of the daughter of the house, who
would have graced the stage of any music-hall in the world. Lying between
Caestre and Haazebruck, two important railway centres, KoortenLoop is surrounded
by the farming country typical of that portion of Flanders; the landscape is
rolling rather than hilly and traversed in every direction, with the cobbled
roads known as "paves," which, though well calculated to withstand the march of
time, are uncomfortably adapted for the march of troops. The time was chiefly
spent in general reorganization. On the 5th, the Corps Commander held a review
of the 11th Brigade at Hondeghem, in our immediate neighbourhood, and on the 8th
Col. Warden proceeded to England on duty, followed by leave, handing over the
command to Major Lister, with Major E. J. Ryan acting as Second. On the next day
we once more set our faces towards Passchendaele, and proceeding by train from
Caestre detrained at , leaving the Base details at Brandhoek, where they
arrived twenty-four hours before they were expected and had the utmost
difficulty in obtaining accommodation. In fact, the whole unit seemed to have
taken time by the forelock, as on arrival at Potijze in driving rain and
gathering darkness we found a muddy field and a pile of tents which had been
begged, borrowed or stolen by our B.Q.M.S., Frank Hallas, when he discovered
that no arrangements had been made for our disposal. Owing to some element of
misunderstanding conditions were unnecessarily as full of discomfort as
possible. A corrugated iron hut, isolated in the darkness of a remote corner of
the area, was found for a Headquarters, and even from this meager shelter we
were ejected on the following day, as it was claimed to be the property of
another unit. Headquarters was accordingly moved to the scullery of a ruined
house, which served well enough until a heavy fall of rain left an inch of water
on the floor, which could have been tolerated. but effectually made work
impossible by dripping on all the papers, necessitating twenty-four hours
building and repair work by the Pioneers. Four working-parties were sent out on
the 10th, of which only two were able to complete the tasks set, one of the
others having been wrongly directed and the second finding the area assigned
congested with men and being heavily shelled. The explanation was that the
Engineers had contracted the habit of asking for more men than they needed, as
it was so often impossible to fulfill their demands; consequently when a full
complement was sent, as in this case, so many men appeared on the scene as both
to hamper themselves and to draw the enemy`s fire.
Nov. 12th saw us on our way to Support area on Abraham Heights. The intention
was that the Battalion would only stay in the Forward area a couple of nights,
pending relief by the Imperials, and orders were issued that no shaving kits of
any description were to be taken up; this order was gleefully obeyed by nearly
everybody. As it turned out, we remained in the line seven full days, and the
results were rather comical. On arrival at Boathoek, where Headquarters "was to
be established, we found that the 87th Bn., whom we were relieving, were not yet
ready to proceed up to the front line, as their rations had not come up. We were
accordingly kept, waiting for two hours standing round in pitch darkness; in the
meantime the Hun shelled the ration dump, inflicting serious casualties on the
87th, with the result that after all we had later on to supply carrying parties
to take up their rations. In addition, during the next three nights we were kept
busy sending up stretcher-bearing parties to bring out their casualties, as they
seemed to be utterly unable to cope with these themselves. Finally at about
10.00 p.m. the 87th, to our great relief, moved up and allowed us to settle
down. During this tour Lieut.-Col. J. T. O'Donohue, D.S.O., commanding the 87th,
was acting as Brigadier in the absence of Brigadier-General Odlum, who was
acting as Divisional Commander. For three days we furnished working parties of
all sorts, Support area being subjected all the time to heavy artillery fire,
which caused many casualties. Headquarters had its full share of this
bombardment, but the pill-box which served as an office was built by the Hun for
just such contingencies, and though several direct hits were registered the only
damage done was to the officers' breakfast on the morning of the 15th. On the
afternoon of the 16th the Battalion moved up by platoons to relieve the 87th in
the front line. It is impossible to give any adequate idea of the scenery on the
way to the summit of Passchendaele Ridge. There is just a brown landscape, an
interminable acreage of mud and shell-holes billowing up in a gradual ascent,
with depressions rather than valleys, between each billow, until a flat and
desolate top is reached, on which no semblance of any human habitation remains;
like a map, it represents merely a number of topographical expressions. The
ascent is made by means of an elaborate system of bath-mats which spread like
threads in every direction, whilst here and there on the hillside is seen a
battery, ostrich-like, unable to see the enemy but hoping that a scant shelter
of brushwood is shielding it from the eyes of the prying aeroplanes. Enemy
planes were very active over Passchendaele and seemed to be having it all their
own way.
The move to the front line was carried out without casualties, the Hun being
kept busy attending to a minor offensive which was taking place on his right
flank, but immediately after relief a fierce barrage came down, and for the next
48 hours a very heavy artillery fire was maintained on the whole of our area,
"D" Coy., whose turn it was to have the usually preferable position of local
Support, by the irony of fate suffering particularly heavy casualties. On the
night of the 17th, a reconnoitering party from the Suffolks reached Headquarters
and requested to be sent up the line; hardly had they gone 200 yards from the
pill-box when they were caught by the splinters of a shell which burst well away
to their left, but claimed seven casualties, two being fatal. The following
night our relief by the Suffolks began at 5.00 p.m., and the Battalion proceeded
by small parties to Potijze, where a hot meal was in readiness and a halt, was
made for the night.
It is worthy of mention that the lO2nd Bn. was the last Canadian unit to leave
the Heights of Passchendaele, but we had gained no particular honour or glory
there. Our tours in the line had been short and had involved no offensives; they
had entailed much hard work in burying cable, digging trenches and putting the
line in better shape, and they had called for the staying quality which enables
men to lie down for long hours in ill-protected positions under incessant
bombardments. We had just done the little that we had been set to do, but had
suffered casualties out of all proportion to our task, and that it is which
makes the memory of Passchendaele a nightmare in the minds of all those who had
a share in a particularly odious experience. The second tour cost in casualties:
Killed, 20 Other Ranks. Wounded, Lieuts. A. R. Turner, W. W. Dunlop (at duty),
G. T. Lyall (at duty), and 47 Other Ranks.
In the early afternoon of the 19th the Battalion fell in, marched to and
entrained for Poperinghe, whence we marched to a camping-ground about two miles
outside the town. A sorry-looking crew we were as we marched proudly through the
streets of Poperinghe, thronged with civilians and spruce-looking soldiers. Our
razors had all gone with the Transport when we first left Potijze seven days
before, and we were hairy men. The C.O. was a dream, but the Adjutant and
R.S.M., with one or two Company officers, had basely betrayed us and smuggled
razors up the line, and thought they made a hit as they marched through the
streets with baby-smooth chins. The camp where we spent the next two nights was
close to the first camp we had struck on arrival in Belgium, and here we met
with one of those churls who so often disgraced his country in the eyes of the
troops who were fighting as her Allies. After seven days without a wash or a
shave it may be imagined that water was the first requirement, but the owner of
the neighbouring farm was not going to have his water supply tampered with for a
lot of dirty soldiers, not he; so he removed the pump handle. And it was not as
though this happened in the middle of a hot summer and his well was likely to
run dry; God knows, there was enough rain in the country at that time of year!
Would that we had been Huns, to throw him down his well after we had used it,
there to perish miserably and to poison the water for the balance of his family.
And to add to our grievance, the baths provided in Poperinghe proved to be the
worst we had yet encountered. On the 21st we went by 'bus to a point, just
outside Merville, quite a fine town, where steaks and eggs in large quantities
could be purchased in real restaurants, thence on foot to a point between Busnes
and Lillers, and so through Lillers and Rambert, until on the 23rd we found
ourselves again in Divion. And did Divion look good? It did.
For over three weeks we were to stay in Divion, and throughout our sojourn the
weather was good, cold and frosty, but without rain. On the 27th Col. Warden
returned from leave and resumed command, and during this period Major R. J.
Burde also reported back from England. There is not much to relate about this
three weeks; on the 3rd the vote for the Dominion election was taken, Lieut. C.
A. Schell acting as Returning Officer; there were sundry parades and
inspection's, but the most important events were the series of Christmas Dinners
which were held in the Hotel Moderne, Bruay, as it was known that for a second
time we should be in the trenches on the day itself. It was decided to use a
portion of the Canteen funds for this purpose and surely never were funds
devoted to a more popular object. On the 12th the C.O. and Officers of the
Battalion gave a dinner to the Sergeants, and as we are now nearing the time
when Col. Warden was to leave us it may be in order to relate an incident which
took place at the dinner, illustrative of his all-time optimism and boundless
confidence in the Battalion, and in its power of belief. "I was walking down
Piccadilly when on leave," he stated, in his after-dinner speech, "when I was
overtaken by a naval officer, an admiral in the British Navy. He had noticed my
102nd badges and rank as, I had passed 'him and had hurried after me to ask
whether I was really Col. Warden of the 102nd. I told him that I was, and he
said that he wanted to shake me by the hand; that he had never met me, but that
he like everybody else in England, had heard of 'Warden's Warriors,' and that he
wanted to congratulate me on commanding the finest Battalion on the Allied
front." And then above the roar of applause was heard the reedy voice of the
privileged member of the Battalion. piping: "Just ten cents more, boys; divvy up
ten cents apiece, please; it's time to buy some more hay for that old bull of
the Colonel's." And so with turkey and chicken and beer and other things during
the week-end of the second week in December our stay in Divion came to an end,
and with it we close the chapter on Passchendaele.
BATTLE HONOURS
"SOMME, 1916", "Ancre Heights", "Ancre, 1916", "ARRAS, 1917, 18", "VIMY, 1917", "Hill 70", ", 1917", "PASSCHENDAELE", "AMIENS", "Scarpe, 1918", "Drocourt-Queant", "HINDENBURG LINE", "CANAL du NORD", "VALENCIENNES", "France and Flanders, 1916-18".
Be sure and visit the 102nd Battalion`s Sister Unit - the 54th Kootenay Battalion
Visit the 21st Battalion from Eastern Ontario
