an hour later a further order
postponed the second attack until 12-30 p.m. Thousands had failed to take
the objectives in the early morning, and it was unlikely that hundreds
would succeed in the afternoon. This attack was ultimately cancelled, and
at 4-0 p.m. the Battalion was withdrawn. A further attack was delivered in
vain at 4-30 p.m. by other regiments in the Division. Though the Battalion
unfortunately accomplished little, it sustained almost a hundred
casualties, but it was fortunate in that it escaped the same fate as
befell four of the Battalions in the Brigade which were almost
annihilated. The battle from almost every point of view was a dismal
failure, and the rate of casualties was perhaps the highest then recorded.
It was during the 4-30 p.m. attack that the men were privileged to witness
one of the most magnificent episodes of the war, which was the advance
made by the 1st Battalion Black Watch and the 1st Battalion Cameron
Highlanders. This was carried out with parade-like precision in face of a
most withering rifle and machine-gun fire, out of which scarcely half a
dozen of those brave fellows returned.

Relieved in the evening, the "Ninth" marched to Essars and the next day to
billets at Bethune, and it was not until the 20th day of the month that
the Battalion was again in line, this time at Cambrin. It had now come
under the command of Major F.W. Ramsay, a regular officer from the
Middlesex Regiment. The remainder of the month of May and the month of
June were spent at Cambrin and Cuinchy, this latter place being renowned
even in those days for its minenwerfer activity. The Cambrin sector had
good deep trenches made by the French pioneers, which were strong, well
timbered and comfortable. This was the first occasion the Battalion
occupied trenches as distinguished from breast-works. Hitherto the nature
of the ground had made trenches impossible. The trenches at Cuinchy were
in front of a row of brickstacks, and in consequence of the water-logged
nature of a portion of the front were only dug three feet down, and a
sand-bag parapet was built; the trenches were not duckboarded, and were in
consequence wet. Around each brickstack was built a keep, and this was
garrisoned by a platoon in each case. Every time an enemy projectile hit a
brickstack large quantities of broken bricks were scattered as splinters
which multiplied the killing effect of the shell. In this sector there was
considerable mining acti