“Quarters” McKay
(Awarded the Meritorious Service
Medal for continuous gallant
service with the Battalion
throughout its Campaign
in France)
Considering the representative gathering, which included units such as the R.C.R. and P.P.C.L.I., the victory reflects the greatest credit upon the spirit and training of our platoon.
At the completion of the manoeuvres we moved to Auchel and for a week lived like human beings again, almost forgetting that there was a war going on, and we had just begun to settle down to a gay village life when we were rushed unceremoniously to the north of Lens to relieve certain units of the 2nd Canadian Division, who were engaged in a scrap which was afterwards known as the Battle of Hill Seventy. And so, on August 20th, amid the cries of “Bonne chance” from our friends in Auchel, we marched away with considerable reluctance, arriving the same evening at Gouy Servins, which was a reminder of the early days of the Battalion in France. Even then some of us had marched in high spirits from Auchel to Gouy Servins on a first visit to the trenches; and Gouy Servins at that time was everything that the first part of its name would imply. To-day however, in the middle of an almost perfect summer, so far as weather was concerned, the roads were hard and dusty and the enthusiasm to reach the front line perhaps not quite so apparent.
Having rested over-night, the march was continued, until about noon we reached Sains-en-Gohelle, another curiously descriptive name, but more commonly known as Fossé 10, which forms part of a chain of mining villages in the neighborhood of Lens.
Things seemed to be quite lively around these parts and high-velocity shells were dropping almost too close to make a quiet meal possible. Fossé 10 was really a staging camp to the front line, and there was naturally considerable confusion due to the relief that was in progress between the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions.
Before very long orders were received that the 116th Battalion would relieve the 27th Battalion that night. A reconnoitring party consisting of the C.O., the company commanders of “A” and “D” Companies who were to take over the front line, the scout officer and the M.O. set off early in the afternoon, as it was fully realized that a ticklish relief was in store for us.
From information received it was understood that the 2nd Division had attacked at daybreak and had made splendid progress, but that owing to the difficulties of communication, due to intense artillery fire, the situation, and in particular the line established by the 27th Battalion, was decidedly obscure.
It was whilst this party was making its way forward to the village of Cité St. Pierre that Captain James Moore, our gallant and popular M.O., and two of the chief members of his staff were severely wounded.
During the remainder of the day and early part of the night the Bosch artillery was more than usually aggressive, in retaliation no doubt for their recent losses, in fact the R.S.M. of the 27th Battalion remarked that the artillery concentration on such a small frontage was heavier than our troops had experienced at any time during the Somme offensive, an interesting comparison although not entirely appreciated by us at that time.