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At the time of the relief it was fully intended to use the Canadians again within a few days in an attack on the Hun and all thought we were only out for a short period of intensive training. officers were sent to the front area around Bethune for reconnoitering purposes and we were all under four hours' notice to move to the attack. It must be remembered that this was the time of the Hun's heavy attacks on various parts of the line, he having made a big push in just north of Bethune on the 9th of April. Evidently, from intelligence received by the higher authorities, it was not considered necessary for us to attack, but it was considered very necessary to defend the coal fields of Bruay, which were seriously menaced by the successful German push on the 9th. The Canadians were put back in G. H. Q. reserve with instructions to be ready to move at any time within four hours to defend these coal fields. We changed our quarters from Cambligneul to the Ourton area on the with, being divided between Burton and Beugin. During the whole of this period intensive training was carried on, interspersed with such things as brigade manoeuvres, route marches, inspections, etc. A novel form of inspection was that when each platoon was inspected by a platoon commander of another company. This caused much amusement, especially as the arrangements made between companies were upset by the switching at the last moment of the programme. Sports were, as usual, freely indulged in, a memorable match (or series of matches) being that for the brigade football championship with the 75th. Three times the Battalion tied before a decision in favor of the 75th was reached. This went on all through May and June. only one death was recorded for May, resulting from the dastardly Hun bombing raid on the hospitals at Etaples.

At this period the Battalion was stronger than ever before, full companies of officers and men being the case, the total effective Battalion strength being 50 officers and 1,030 other ranks.

June passed uneventfully, except for the "flu." On the 13th the whole Battalion concentrated at Burton. The feature of the training was open warfare and many brigade manoeuvres on the Monchy Breton training ground. Towards the end of the month several Dominion states- men visited the Canadians. The last day of the month brigade sports were held at Dieval, consisting of a transport competition, at which our good transport turned out in beautiful shape making it hard to realize that all the vehicles, including cookers, were in daily use, and reflecting great credit on the transport men and pioneers, who had worked so hard to parade looking spic and span. There were also riding competitions the honors of which were easily carried off by the 54^th. The Corps Commander inspected the brigade this day and expressed great pleasure in the appearance of same.

This period of intensive training was very much appreciated, and in a great measure to these two months is due the fine performance of the Battalion in the numerous engagements of the following fall.

On Dominion Day a big sports meet was held by the Canadian Corps, which was attended by all ranks. This Battalion had several runners in the events and was second in the corps for indoor baseball for other ranks. We were favored with beautiful weather and this day will long be remembered by those who attended the meet.

All ranks were getting rather weary of the prolonged rest, with the knowledge all the time that it might be terminated at four hours' notice. This feeling was sensed by the higher authorities and on the 10th of July the division moved forward preparatory to taking over the Oppy sector again. The 54th took over the support line of the Oppy-Gavrelle front on the night of the 11th of July.

The principal officers of the Battalion on going in were:

On the night of the l7th the Battalion relieved the 75th Battalion in the front line. Active patrolling was carried on by day and night and several times the enemy was encountered, with much loss to him, but no luck for us in our principal quest for prisoners for identification purposes.

A raid, in conjunction with the 102nd Battalion, was put on by "D" Company on the night of the 22nd, and after some clever work a party of the enemy was encircled and almost in our grasp. Unfortunately, owing to a misunderstanding, they managed to slip away and our party returned, having inflicted many casualties on the Hun, and with identifications in the way of great coats and tunics, but not bringing in any prisoners. This was an extremely good piece of work, in spite of not having prisoners, and messages of congratulation were received from the divisional and brigade commanders.

Special attention was paid to maintenance of trenches during this tour and Captain Smith and "D" Company were complimented by the Brigadier on having the best organized and cleanest lot of trenches in the brigade.

On the evening of the 23rd we were relieved by the 75th Battalion, proceeding back into reserve, which did not prove so secure as the front line, a number of men being gassed and also casualties by shell fire being suffered. The Battalion was split up, half being in the railway cutting about one and one-half miles behind the line and the other half at Roclincourt.

On the 29th we took over the front line again. Rumors were now floating around as to the relief of the Canadians. (This rumor probably originated from the transport lines and for once was correct. ) Relief took place on the 31st. Everyone was guessing as to the reason and all knew that it meant some big and dirty work on hand for the Canadians. Extreme precautions were taken to prevent knowledge of movement by enemy aircraft and we were not allowed to congregate or move about in the daytime. After a few days at Warlus the transport left us and we moved away by bus on the 3rd of August, leaving at 8 p.m. for an unknown destination Most of us thought we were due for the Salient again, but we proved to be mistaken. Traveling all night by bus we soon perceived from the gun flashes on our left that we were going south, and we landed up at Oisemont, near Abbeville and south of Amiens, at 6 o'clock on the following morning.

Now began the time of no rest and many secret moves. All journeys were made at night. One night march from a place called Warlus to Prouzel commenced at dusk on the 5th and ended at 6 the next morning, a march of 21 miles and only one man fell out, and he was a sick man who had volunteered to try and make it. Some march, 21 miles in full marching order on a dark, wet night, in fresh country, on roads with many twists and turns. A remarkable feat, and one of the best things done by the Battalion in France. Lieut. Kemp and his scouts went on ahead and marked every turn in the road so that we did not lose the way. All this time we were gradually moving up nearer the line, having no real knowledge of what our work was to be. Arrived at Prouzel, however, the C.O. was not given much rest, as he was ordered to attend a conference at brigade after he had been lying down for only one hour, and that conference lasted all day. At dusk we moved again for 10 miles to Boves Wood, where there was no accommodation at all and we lay down on the wet ground for an hour or two's rest. The wood, which was very large, was literally packed with troops. There we remained all day of the 7th and were issued with our orders for the attack next day. The plan of attack, which was to be a very large one, was, on our particular front, for the 4th Division to follow up behind the 3rd Division and pass through them, push the attack home and exploit success. The French were to attack on our right and the remainder of the Canadians and Australians on our left.

On the night of the 7th at 10 o'clock we moved up to our assembly positions behind Gentelles Wood, arriving there about 1 a.m.

At 4.20 a.m. the 8th of August, on a beautiful summer morning the attack started. Our move was timed for 5.20 a.m. and at that time Col. Carey moved off in front of the Battalion with the companies following. The feature of this attack was surprise, a large artillery concentration and a mass of tanks. Those who spent the hours of waiting in Gentelles Wood will not forget the noise of moving tanks, which came from every direction. The attack went very well and the 3rd Division reached all objectives on time, with the 4th Division well behind, after making the difficult crossing of the Avre with no hitch. For the first time we saw artillery galloping into action and cavalry moving up. At 1.35 p.m. we passed through the 3rd Division and proceeded towards our objectives, which included the capture of Beaucourt-en-Santerre, "A" and "B" Companies leading, with "C" Company in support and "D" Company in reserve. Very heavy machine gun fire was encountered and after capturing Beaucourt our leading companies were held up on the east side of the village. Col. Carey at once went forward and found the enemy in strong numbers holding a wood about 3OO yards in front of us. He ordered up his reserve company and personally led them to the attack on the wood in the face of the fire of many machine guns at close range. He then came back and finding the right company of the l02nd Battalion on our left also held up, started them advancing to the attack forthwith. The wood was successfully taken and enabled our whole line to advance to their objective, which was reached about 2.30 p.m. The Battalion suffered fairly heavily in casualties. Among the officers were Lieuts. Hamilton, Rehder and Duff killed; Lieuts. Cameron and Birmingham so severely wounded that they died two days later; Capt. Smith and Lieuts. Brown, McLanders and Millar wounded. We were in direct touch with the French on our right, the Amiens-Roye Road being the dividing line.

Our total casualties for this attack were:

It is impossible in a short history of the Battalion, as this is intended to be, to give an accurate detailed account of these battles, and no attempt here is made to do this. Readers are referred to the official War Diary Record for an accurate, full narrative of each operation. Lack of space does not permit of full justice being done to the fine records of the Battalion during this and the succeeding battles.

Mention should be made here of the fine work of the runners. Always hard worked and liable to be called out at any time of the day and night to take messages through the hottest shelling, they never once demurred, but were always willing and anxious to do all they could to beat the Bosche. Cpl. Lillew had a very fine section with a large amount of esprit du corps.

After reaching our objective, a distance of 9 miles from the original Hun front line, and a record advance in one day, the Battalion remained there, the 75th Battalion and 10th Brigade passing through and carrying on the attack next day.

We received orders to move forward at 5 o'clock the morning of the 10th and this was done. After a halt near La Quesnel we were sent forward to Meharicourt to support the 12th Brigade on our march up there we had the new experience of being fired on by a large fleet of Gothas, which flew over us and endeavored to inflict casualties. A situation such as this had often been rehearsed during training, and although being fired on, not a man left the road until the C.O. blew his whistle, the signal to scatter. Within 1O seconds of this every man was off the road and under cover of some sort. Result - no casualties, and one gain, namely a mule which had been let loose by some artillery unit.

On arrival at Meharicourt the Battalion was subjected to some very heavy shelling, the Bosche having got his heavy guns into working order again. The forward troops were now in the old French trench systems, which were occupied previous to the Somme offensive of 1916, and owing to the old wire, trenches and shell holes, the attack had become stationery.

Orders and counter orders were much in evidence, and on the llth the Battalion was ordered to capture Chaulnes. Every preparation was made, but at two minutes to zero hour the order was cancelled. Luckily our companies had been told to follow the tanks and not advance till they appeared, so that as they did not appear all was well.

Reinforcements to the number of our casualties were received. On the night of the l1th we took over the front line trenches at Chilly from the 2nd Division, and on the 19th put on a small attack, straightening our line on the left. Lieut. Verity and his platoon of "C" Company successfully carried this out and held the new line in spite of strong opposition and about five counter attacks.

On the 20th we were relieved and moved back into support, being relieved by a French unit in the early hours of the 25th of August a night memorable for the heavy Bosche bombing, going near to Gentelles on the night of the 25th and bivouacing in a wood there with the remainder of the brigade. on August 27th we entrained under sealed orders, spending the night in the train, and found ourselves at daybreak next morning looking at the familiar old landmark of the ruined Mont St. Eloi church We got out of the train at Acq, and taking busses which were waiting for us, proceeded to Dainville, near Arras. We had a fair presumption that we were in for another attack in this area, especially as we knew that the 2nd and 3rd Divisions had made a big attack on the 25th in front of Arras.

On the morning of the 29th we moved up to a concentration area near Neuville-Vitasse with the expectation of an immediate move forward. There definite instructions and orders were given for the attack on the Drocourt-Queant line (part of the Hindenburg line) on a date unknown.

A few days were spent in this place in old dugouts, and on the evening of the 1st of September we moved forward to our assembly positions preparatory to the attack on the 2nd. While moving up under cover of darkness we were several times bombed by Bosche planes, but managed to escape with only a few casualties. Quite close to us several lorries with gun ammunition were hit and the flames of the burning petrol and ammunition lit up the night. Our assembly area, which we reached about 1 a.m., consisted of shell holes. It was a very cold, black night which made keeping in touch very difficult, and we were glad to see the first streaks of dawn, because it meant fighting. The task set for this brigade was, after the Drocourt-Queant line had been taken by the 10th and 12th Brigades, to push forward and endeavor to cross the Canal du Nord, some three or four miles ahead.