CANADIANS SATE THE LINE.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15268, 3 May 1915, Page 8

CANADIANS SATE THE LINE.

DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE BEATEN.

A WONDERFUL CHARGE. j April 30. Tlio conduct of the Canadians is almost the sole topic of tho Canadian Press at present, and many storie s of individual heroism are being told. Colonel McLarg foil dead at tho mouth of a machine-sun in attempting to rescue a private. Colonel Birchall •was -wounded twice beforo he was mortally hit. The Tenth and Sixteenth Battalions made a wonderful charge. Colonel Boyle fell -whileloading his men, cheering and yelling", into a perfect holl of firo from the enemy, hidden in a wood three hundred yards away. From tho medley of accounts received, the Vancouver "Daily Provinco" sxirmisea that tho Germans, who despised the amateur soldiers, knew exactly where the Canadians were, and knew that they lacked experience. The Germans, accustomed to long attacks, knew that by imparting novelty ami "frightfulness," in the shape of clilorino gas. their chance of breaking tho line -would be greatly enhanced. At first tho results "were just as they calculated. There appears to have been some confusion, into -which tho Germans drove full tilt, apparently surrounding some Canadians. Tho announcement that the Germans had taken a. thousand prisoners was probably made -when things looked like it. By all the* rules of warfare the Canadians were beaten, but they r did not know it, and though they suffered terrible casualties, they gave as good as they got, and eventually turned tae tables on their foes. One sergeant-major says that from Thursday evening to l-riday morning the Canadians held on to a position which was really untenable. If the Canadians had- not held on to it, the Germans might have been masters of Ypres.