Milton’s World War I Field Gun

Milton’s World War I Field Gun. . Unbeknownst to many, the field gun situated here is not Canadian; it is a German gun. This field gun was a capture by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Battalion in World War I, during the famous period of "Canada's Hundred Days," from August 8th to November 11th, 1918, which were the last 100 days of World War I., A report of the Award of War Trophies, published in 1920, documented that the 77 mm Field Gun (No. 9563) was captured on September 27, 1918 on the Arras-Cambrai Road northwest of Raillencourt. The log book also reports that this gun was allotted as a war trophy to Milton, Ontario., On the right is an except from documentation on the Historical Society website (Milton's War Trophy by Richard Laughton) that summarizes the hard-fought battle in which this gun would have been fired at Canadian soldiers., "The Canal du Nord was a formidable obstacle, in an area south of Sans-lez-Marquion that had been flooded by the Germans. With construction of the canal halted by the outbreak of the war, some parts were completed and others remained dry. It was in that dry section that the Canadians chose to cross. The Germans had turned this area into a strong defensive line with heavy wire entanglements and machine gun emplacements. There were no remaining bridges, the dry area where the crossing was to be made was limited and the eastern banks were themselves an obstacle to the advancing Canadians. Bourlon Wood, held by the Germans, looked down upon this area. In his detailed analysis of Canada's Hundred Days, Canadian author John Livesay described in detail the formidable area that would have to be taken by the Canadians. The eastern slope of the uncompleted section of the Canal du Nord was 40 to 60 feet in depth which was edged by steep banks and masonry. From the top of the eastern slope of the canal at a 60 metre elevation, the hill sloped steadily back up to the 110 metre crest of Bourlon Wood. The topography provided a commanding view of the Canadian assault area and an ideal location for enemy machine guns and artillery. A second heavily wired defensive line existed 200 to 500 yards east of the canal referred to as the Canal du Nord Line. In between was the heavily fortified Marquion Line and back of Bourlon Wood, the Marcoing Line. Fortified shell holes and wire in between the three trench lines presented the Canadians with a defensive maze that would result in many casualties."