Note 71 — Chapter VIII · ARRAS November 1916 to April 1917

At the end of January a party of the Division proceeding along the road to Arras was accosted by a Canadian soldier. “Hullo, what crowd are you?” “Ninth Division” was the reply, and then came the exclamation, “Huh! the scrappin’ Ninth.” The Canadian’s tone of mingled friendship, admiration, and uneasiness betrayed more clearly than any words his firm conviction that storm-troops were gathering for a battle.