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Stray shells

Mr. Smith describes being in action at Drocourt-Queant (Hindenburg Line), witnessing a bayonet attack, and being wounded again by shrapnel.

No Man’s Land

Mr. Smith describes the retaking of Vimy Ridge, and being wounded by shrapnel after reaching the Chalk Pit.

My steel helmet saved me

Mr. Turner describes the role of his pocket knife and helmet in saving his life.

You never know your luck

Mr. Turner discusses the fatalism that crept into the soldiers’ conversations, and gives a couple examples of predictions of death coming true

First leave

Mr. Turner describes his first leave in England and his trip to Edinburgh, a preferred location for Canadians on leave.

It knocked us over

Mr. Turner describes two incidents where his battery was shelled, the first with no injuries, the second with tragic consequences.

Ammunition train

Mr. Vale describes the method used to establish ammunition dumps in the front lines by way of narrow gauge rail lines, their vulnerability to being bombed, and his role as a machine gunner in protecting unarmed ammunition details.

I flew into a shell hole

Mr. Vale describes being on cavalry patrol, being spotted by an observation balloon and being shelled with shrapnel bombs.

The Americans

Mr. Wood describes the animosity between Canadian and American soldiers, based on the higher wages earned by U.S. soldiers inflating prices beyond what most Canadian troops could afford.

Gas attacks

Mr. Wood describes the Germans’ use of pipelines to gas the Allied trenches, how the Canadians counteracted the gas, and in some cases how deadly it was.

The Ross rifle

Mr. Wood compares the Canadian designed Ross rifle, which was long, cumbersome and 5-shot bolt action, to the much more reliable 10-shot British Lee Enfield rifle. He describes how Canadians scavenged British rifles from dead soldiers.

The horses died

Mr. Wood discusses the valuable role played by horses, particularly for moving artillery pieces and for moving supplies forward and evacuating the wounded on the narrow gauge railways constructed at the Front.

Date modified:: 2019-02-19