it was
struck by a shell from a German howitzer. This occurred at a place on
the line called Duck's Bill, and resulted in the British being without
an adequate supply of hand grenades. The British troops in this action
were the soldiers of a British division and a Canadian brigade. The
latter included the First Ontario Regiment, the Second and Fourth
Canadian Battalions, the Third Toronto Regiment, and the East
Yorkshires.

The Ontario regiment was directed against a fortified part of the
German line which was called Stony Mountain. To the south of Stony
Mountain, about 150 yards, was another fortified position called
Dorchester. This also was to be taken by the Ontario men. If they
succeeded in their work the right flank of the British division would
be protected. But it was Stony Mountain that was of most importance to
the British. Its machine guns and its northern defenses menaced the
route which the British must take to make an advance. In order to
prevent the Germans from giving their undivided attention to the
Canadians, the British division on the left made an advance against
the Teutons north of Stony Mountain. The British artillery had been
shelling this part of the German line day and night many days as a
preparation for this advance. Its projectiles crashed into the brick
fields near La Bassee, and in front of the wrecked village of Quinchy.

The German machine-gun crews were hidden behind the brick stacks which
were square blocks of burned clay upon which the British shells burst
without perceptible effect. The shells that went over the stacks,
however, did much damage. Beyond the brick field to the north were the
ruins of farm buildings which were also hiding places for the Germans
and their machine guns. All the buildings back of the German line had
been turned into fortresses whose underground works were concreted and
connected with their headquarters by telephone. While the British
artillery was attempting to destroy these fortresses it was also
hurling lyddite shells into the trenches.

The German artillery fire greatly exceeded the British in volume.
Nevertheless the British forces were in the more comfortable
position. They had comparatively little to do except wait until they
were needed, which would be when their artillery had completed the
preparation for the inevitable charge. On the other hand the German
soldier had a nerve-racking part to play. He knew from the preparation
that an attack in