THE CANADIANS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12066, 23 July 1917, Page 7

THE CANADIANS.

ASTONISHING THINGS THEY HAVE DONE. (By PHILIP GIBBS.) With the British Armies in the Field, May 9. Tho Canadian trooos who fought up from Nenville St Yaast, right over Vimy Ridge, and then on through Arleux to Fresnoy, a. marvellous thrust of six miles in depih, since the first day of the fighting in April, have, in spite, of their losses—and the price of nil this was not light—.absolute faith in their supremacy as soldiers over the enemy's troops, although they do not despise him or under-estimate his strength. To-day the battalions which lost much are, hy some strange inward light, the most high-spirited and hopeful. These men, who took Arleux and Fresnoy, are great soldiers. _ excelling in certain grim qualities of spirit which make them terrible in attack and strong to endure. They have been long in this war, and suffered much at Ypres, St Eloi, and Conrcelette, but the training has made them hard as steel. The""" sound of shell fire is as familiar to them as their bands which played to-dav when the guard turned out and the'other day under shell firo on the southern slope of Vimy. Even these bandsmen had just come back from Fresnoy, where they carried up supplies to the fiirhting men. The pipers of tho Canadian Scots played their men into battle and out again with a lament for those who did not come back. Tn a month of hot fighting these men the correspondent saw to-day have done astonish:'.!? things to add to the great tales of human courage and acts which reveal not onlv that, but the life which (roes on day after day on these stricken fields in France. Tmngine the spirit of men who will walk through two barraces, falling walls of she" l ! fire, in order to get at the enemy beyond. That was what happened on the wav to Fresnov. The enemy dropped his barrage this side of the British barrage to smash the men if thev went on. They went on, nnd through their own shells and into tho German trenches, where they routed the enemy. Thev waited a minute or two while the British storm of shell* swent over them and bevond them. Through such a wall of shells one of these Canadians ran straight to a German machine-nun emplacement which he. saw beyond, waiting to mow down his comrades as soon as the British curtain fire had passed. By some miracle he passed unscathed, just as the enemy machine-din team came no from the dug-out to begin their deadly work. Thev never made a start, for that, single Canadian soldier ended their business The Canadians' hard training has- told. They are quick to see the thing to do in a. moment of extreme hazard.

On the way to Fresnoy. when thev found in front of them a trench filled with German grenadiers, they fell flat, as in their practice, camps, and fired rifle grenades steadily and with deadly aim until the enemy surrendered, or fled, or died. Tt was a very bravo man, n French-Canadian, who said the other day. between Arleux and Fresnoy "By gum, T p;nt scared."

No wonder, for, arriving outside a German dug-out a man, whom be took prisoner, told him in French there were more inside. "More" is an uncertain word. The French-Canadian expected two or three but out came two German officers and seventy men, and just then the Canadian was quite alone. He was armed with onlv two bombs. He shouted:

"Stand back. Stand back or I will kin you." The seventy-two Germans stood back until three other Canadians arrived and formed an escort for them.

But it was men no braver who captured Fresnoy. For a time that village is lost, but ono day, sooner or Inter, the British will take it back. These men do not reckon cost, even though M is their own life that pays.