CANADIAN GALLANTRY

Waikato Times, Volume 84, Issue 13208, 25 June 1915, Page 6

CANADIAN GALLANTRY

FIGHTING 70 THC LAST. REMNANTS OF A REGIMENT. LONDON, June 24. The Canadian Poeord Officer narrates (hat on the night of May 7th, five months after they first went into the trenches, 635 men of Prince: : Patricia's Regiment answered the roll fall. When they mustered at midnight on the Bth only 150 men and a few stretcher-bear-ers were present, under lieutenant Niven, the senior officer not wounded, who had been promoted from the ranks. During the Bth the Geiman bombardment buried all the machine guns of Princess Patricia's Regiment. Two dug out and jnounted. One was actually disinterred three times.

Corporal Dover stuck to his gun throughout, although wounded. Finally lie lost a log and an arm, and was buried beneath the debris, which destroyed his gun. Ho lay thus until dusk, when he crawled out and moaned for help. Two comrades went to his help, and carried in the mangled body. As he was being lowered into a trench a builet ended Dover's suflorings. The battalion hold out from midnight until one o'clock in the afternoon, when a detachment of the Rifle Brigade reinforced them. The reinforcements were welcomed with a cheer. Later a party of Shropshires hrought up ammunition. The Germans made a final attack. Some penetrated a- section of tlio trenches where all the men of Princess Patricia's Regiment lidding it had boon killed, but the Germans were dislodged when the King's Royal Rifles relieved the Princess Patricias at midnight. The survivors buried the dead who were not under the trenches blown up. Lieutenant Xiven, surrounded by 150 men. stood at the open grave holding the Princess Patrica's colours, battered and bloody, but intact. Ho said as much of the Church of England service for the dead as he could remember.