CHAPTERVII

chaptervii

thecanadianswhowereintheypressalientinjanuary,1916,andforalongtimeafterward,hadagrimwayoffighting.theenemyneverknewwhattheymightdonext.whentheyweremostquiettheyweremostdangerous.theyusedcunningaswellascourage,andwentoutonred-indianadventuresovernoman'slandforfierceandscientificslaughter.

irememberoneoftheirearlyraidsinthesalient,whenabigpartyofthem—allvolunteers—wentoutonenightwithintenttogetthroughthebarbedwireoutsideastronggermanposition,todoalotofkillingthere.theyhadtrainedforthejobandthoughtouteverydetailofthishuntingexpedition.theyblackedtheirfacessothattheywouldnotshowwhiteintheenemy'sflares.theyfastenedflash-lampstotheirbayonetssothattheymightseetheirvictims.theyworerubberglovestosavetheirhandsfrombeingtornonthebarbsofthewire.

stealthilytheycrawledovernoman'sland,crouchinginshell-holeseverytimearocketroseandmadeaglimmeroflight.theytooktheirtimeatthewire,mufflingthesnapofitbybitsofcloth.reliefscrawledupwithmoregloves,andevenwithtinsofhotcocoa.thenthroughthegapintothegermantrenches,andtherewerescreamsofgermansoldiers,terror-shakenbytheflashoflightintheireyes,andblackfacesabovethem,andbayonetsalreadyredwithblood.itwasbutcher'swork,quickandskilful,likered-indianscalping.thirtygermanswerekilledbeforethecanadianswentback,withonlytwocasualties...thegermanswerehorrifiedbythissuddenslaughter.theydarednotcomeoutonpatrolwork.canadianscoutscrawleddowntothemandinsultedthem,ingeniously,vilely,butcouldgetnoanswer.latertheytrainedtheirmachine—gunsongermanworking-partiesandsweptcrossroadsonwhichsuppliescameup,andthecanadiansniper,inoneshell-holeoranother,layforhoursinsulkypatience,andatlastgothisman...theyhadtopayforallthis,atmaplecopse,injuneof'15,asishalltell.butitwasavendettawhichdidnotenduntilthewarended,andthecanadiansfoughtthegermanswithalong,enduring,terrible,skilfulpatiencewhichatlastbroughtthemtomonsonthedaybeforearmistice.

isawagooddealofthecanadiansfromfirsttolast,andonmanydaysofbattlesawthetough,hardfightingspiritofthesemen.theirgeneralsbelievedincommonsenseappliedtowar,andnotinhighmysteriesandsecretriteswhichcannotbeknownoutsidethecircleofinitiation.iwasimpressedbygeneralcurrie,whomimetforthefirsttimeinthatwinterof1915-16,andwroteatthetimethatisawinhim“aleaderofmenwhoinopenwarfaremightwingreatvictoriesbydoingthecommon-sensethingrapidlyanddecisively,tothesurpriseofanenemyworkingbyelaboratescience.hewould,ithink,astoundthembythesimplicityofhissmashingstroke.”thosewordsofminewerefulfilled—onthedaywhenthecanadianshelpedtobreakthedrocourt-queantline,andwhentheycapturedcambrai,withenglishtroopsontheirright,whosharedtheiress.generalcurrie,whobecamethecanadiancorpscommander,didnotsparehismen.heledthemforwardwhateverthecost,buttherewassomethinggreatandterribleinhissimplicityandsurenessofjudgment,andthisreal—estateagent(ashewasbeforehetooktosoldiering)wasundoubtedlyamanofstrongability,freefromthosetrammelsofredtapeandtraditionwhichswathedroundsomanyofourownleaders.

hecutcleantotheheartofthings,ruthlessly,likeasurgeon,andasiwatchedthatman,immenseinbulk,withaheavy,thoughtfulfaceandsterneyesthatsoftenedalittlewhenhesmiled,ithoughtofhimasolivercromwell.hewassevereasadisciplinarian,andnotbelovedbymanymen.buthisstaff-officers,whostoodinaweofhim,knewthathedemandedtruthandhonesty,andthathisbrainmovedquicklytosuredecisionsandsawbigproblemsbroadlyandwithunderstanding.hehadgoodmenwithhim—mostlyamateurs—butwithhardbusinessheadsandthesamehatredofredtapeandlingwayswhichbelongedtotheirchief.sothecanadiancorpsbecameapowerfulengineonoursidewhenithadlearnedmanylessonsinbloodandtragedy.theyorganizedtheirpublicitysideinthesamemasterfulway,andweredeterminedthatwhatcanadadidtheworldshouldknow—anddamnallcensorship.theyboughtupenglishartists,photographers,andwriting—mentorecordtheirexploits.withlordbeaverbrookinenglandtheyengineeredcanadianpropagandawithimmenseenergy,andcanadabelievedhermenmadeupthebritisharmyanddidallthefighting.idonotblamethem,andonlywishthattheenglishsoldiershouldhavebeengivenhisshareofthehonorsthatbelongedtohim—thelion'sshare.