The reckless exhilaration of breaking the Drocourt-Queant Line was past. As the battalion bound its wounds and paused for breath, the Captain summoned D Company's N.C.O.s together.

"Men, we've broken the Drocourt-Queant Line. Ahead lies the Canal du Nord. D Company has been detailed to reconnoitre ahead and see whether the Germans have retreated across the Canal, or whether they're trying to hold on this side. The going is bad - swampy land, and forest. Be careful and get word back as soon as possible."

John summoned his platoon. Briefly he outlined their task. He wished that he had Charlie Lickers with him, but his scout was now Fred Rose. Fred was an oddity - a Newfoundlander in a battalion of Ontarians and British Columbians. John had asked him how he had ended up in the 102nd. Fred had been a butcher before he enlisted, and D Company had fared well when it came to meat.

"Well, b'y, I wis in North Ontario, and I'se decided to jine up. Too far t'go down home."

Moving through the darkness, John and his men felt their way forward. The land was raked periodically by machine gun fire. Where it was coming from was impossible to say. They took casualties, but kept going.

As they skirted a wood they were fired upon. Some Germans evidently were west of the Canal.

Finally they reached the Canal. John sent men crawling just back of the bank. Their report was not encouraging. The Canal was dry, but all the bridges were down. There would be no easy way across. They made their way back to report.

He called the roll. Shaw, Duguld, Carnie, Broadford, Speyer were missing. So was Fred Rose. One of the men volunteered, "I saw Fred take a machine gun bullet to the throat."

"I guess we'll have to do our own butchering, now", John said. "And I'll need to find another scout."

(All the names are real members of the 102nd who were killed September 3, 1918. Fred Rose was my wife's great uncle. He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial. It is unknown whether he was a scout or not, but if he was, he is buried in Dury Mill Cemetery as an unknown member of the 102nd.)