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FROM THE ST. LAWRENCE TO THE YSER

_Frontispiece._

[Illustration: LIEUTS. KLOTZ, STRATHY AND CURRY AT AMESBURY.]




FROM THE ST. LAWRENCE
TO THE YSER

WITH THE 1st CANADIAN BRIGADE

BY

FREDERIC C. CURRY

LATE CAPTAIN 2ND EASTERN ONTARIO REGIMENT

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS

McCLELLAND, GOODCHILD & STEWART,

PUBLISHERS... TORONTO.




_Printed in Great Britain._




To

LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR SAM HUGHES,

K.C.B., M.P., MINISTER OF MILITIA,

TO WHOSE EFFORTS

THE EFFICIENCY OF THE CANADIAN CONTINGENTS

IS LARGELY DUE.




PREFACE


In presenting this little work to the public the writer wishes to thank
those of his fellow-officers and others who brought to his notice
incidents that did not come under his personal observation.

Valuable assistance has been gained from the official accounts of Sir
Max Aitken, and from the historical writings of Mr. John Buchan with
regard to the parts played by other brigades and divisions with which we
were co-operating.

In spite of these attempts to broaden its outlook, the book stands in
the main a personal account of the actions of the 1st Brigade, Canadian
Infantry.

As such, however, the writer hopes it will be accepted, and not as a
detailed history of the events chronicled, though every attempt has been
made to check the accuracy of the facts stated.

One fictitious character has been introduced, that of Begbie Lyte, in
order to make the tale impersonal.

In all other cases the true names of persons mentioned, or initials,
have been used.

To Dr. Shipley, Master of Christ's College, Cambridge, the writer owes
much for his kindly criticisms and encouragement in this work.

F.C. CURRY.

_October, 1916._




CONTENTS


CHAP.                              PAGE

I. ANTE-BELLUM                      1

II. PETEWAWA                       11

III. MOBILISATION                  24

IV. VAL CARTIER                    31

V. THE CONVOY                      37

VI. IN ENGLAND                     44

VII. INTERIM                       49

VIII. YPRES, 1915                  54

IX. WITH THE DRAFT                 63

X. THE BREAKING IN                 72

XI. RESERVE BILLETS                80

XII. BAILLEUL                      88

XIII. THE TREK SOUTH               95

XIV. FESTUBERT, 1915              103

XV. CARPE DIEM                    110

XVI. GIVENCHY, 1915               117

XVII. NORTHWARD AGAIN             126

XVIII. NIGHTS OF GLADNESS!        132

XIX. IN FRONT OF MESSINES         140

XX. MINE WARFARE                  145

XXI. MYTHS, FAIRIES, ETC.         152

XXII. THE WINTER MONTHS           160




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


LIEUTS. KLOTZ, STRATHY AND CURRY AT AMESBURY         _Frontispiece_

                                                     _Facing page_

SAILING DOWN THE ST. LAWRENCE, NEAR BIC                  38

CHURCH PARADE                                            40

EASTERN ONTARIO REGIMENT, NEAR STONEHENGE                44

MANOEUVRES ON SALISBURY PLAIN                            48

FIELD KITCHEN IN RESERVE BILLETS                         82

AMATEUR THEATRICALS BACK OF THE LINE                    100

THE DISTILLERY AT GIVENCHY                              118

OUR SUPPORT TRENCHES AT GIVENCHY                        120

AFTER GIVENCHY                                          122

ENTRANCE TO PLUGSTREET WOOD                             130

OUR TRENCHES, PLUGSTREET WOOD                           134

OUR TRENCHES AT PLUGSTREET                              136

THE START OF THE SMOKE CLOUDS                           142

THE CACTUS TREEN                                        157

AFTER A FEW SHELLS AND A WEEK'S RAIN                    160




FROM THE ST. LAWRENCE TO THE YSER




CHAPTER I

ANTE-BELLUM


Before the war the Canadian Militia consisted of about 75,000 of all
ranks and all grades of efficiency. To a neutral eye it must have
appeared to be in a highly disorganised condition, for battalions and
corps had sprung up here and there throughout the country with no
proportion existing between them and the other arms of the service. And
yet within a short two months after the outbreak of hostilities a
complete division, armed and equipped, landed in England, and in a bare
six months were in the field holding their own line of trenches.

To appreciate the difficulties, however, that attended this
transformation we must look back to those happy days prior to August,
1914, and witness the Canadian Militia in its own home.

This consisted of the "Drill-hall," or "Armouries," a long, low building
equipped more or less with barred windows and castellated turrets at one
or more corners. This building is one of the sights of the city, and is
pointed out by the cabby or taxi-driver to the English gentlemen and
other tourists who come out with the laudable intention of writing
books.

If the castellated towers are missing, and the building is constructed
on strictly utilitarian lines, one is safe in referring to it as the
"Drill-hall"; but if a couple of old cannon, vintage 1800, guard its
portals, and barred windows and frowning turrets add to its martial
splendour, then you have an "Armouries." By observing this simple rule
one can discriminate between the two as easily as telling a church from
a cathedral.

The existence of such a building is largely due to the efforts of the
local member of Parliament, and the style of architecture varies
directly with the square of his popularity with the party in power. Thus
a flourishing full-strength battalion may be housed in a dingy, drab
wooden structure, and in the next town a very ornate and modern
building may be tenanted by a corps that is only struggling for
existence, or perhaps not even struggling. It is well, however, to
refrain from too much criticism of these buildings, pretentious and
hideous as they may be, for in them are taught the ideals and principles
which so many of our youth have died to uphold in the rain-sodden fields
of Flanders.

Considering the shortness of what is locally known as the "drill
season," the results obtained are good. General French, in his report of
a few years ago, described our horses as "half-broken and our men but
little more," but that is only to be expected in a country where a man
is considered to be wasting his time if he devotes even the little that
he can ill afford to the military profession.

However, even if the half-broken men and horses do kick over the traces
once in a while, they eventually "get there," and that, after all, is
the Canadian doctrine.

For the purposes of training the Militia is divided into two
classes--the "city" and the "rural" corps. There is also the permanent
force, our Canadian regulars, who exist as a school for "the Militia,"
as they refer to the non-professional army.

The city corps consist chiefly of infantry, heavy artillery, and
engineer corps, the last being generally in university towns and either
affiliated with or being actually the cadet corps of the college. One
might think the cadet corps would be affiliated with the Militia, but
this is a case where the boy is father to the man.

City corps do fourteen nominal days' training a year in the drill-hall,
and, of late years, a voluntary camp of five days. For each of these
days two night drills of two hours each count as a day; the militiaman
receives the sum of four shillings, with a slight increase according to
his mus