HUFFMAN, John Harvey

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         4th Canadian Infantry Division
                                             10th Infantry Brigade
                                             47th Battalion  -  West Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Brigade
SERVICE NO:                   651233
RESIDENCE:                    Walkerton – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            August 12, 1873
                                             Riversdale – Greenoch Township – Bruce County - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           September 2, 1918               45 years
CEMETERY:                     Dury Mill British Cemetery – Dury –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             I     E     4
PARENTS:                         Mr. John & Charlotte Huffman – Stratford – Ontario
SISTER:                              Mrs. Jessie Brindley – Walkerton – Ontario.
Occupation:                        Labourer                               Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         January 10, 1916 – Walkerton 
Enlistment Age:                 41 years     5 months

Private Huffman was referenced in the County of Huron War Memorial booklet. His parents at one time had lived in Wingham.
This soldier departed Halifax and Canada in mid October of 1916 and arrived in Liverpool on October 28, 1916. He transferred from the 160th Battalion to the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion at Witley Camp – Surrey on February 23, 1918. At the end of March, he transferred to the 47th Battalion and went overseas to join his unit in the field.
The Canadian Corps were fighting along their front when the 4th Division received orders that they would begin an advance onto the Drocourt-Queant line on September 2nd. Their advance would begin from the small valley situated between Harcourt and Dury. The 46th & 50th Battalions reached Dury but could not push the enemy from their positions. South of Dury the Battalions were mowed down from the very heavy enemy fire. Casualties here were heavy.
On September 2, 1918, “B & D” Companies were right / left assault and “A & C” Companies were right / left support. The infantry went “over the top” at 5 am and followed the creeping barrage. Much of the enemy wire was uncut but a few spots were cut and the rest was cut by hand. Upon reaching the 2nd line the support Companies leap-frogged and advanced to the fourth trench line.
The enemy protective barrage was prompt and it was heavy, but the infantry got away quickly resulting in a few casualties. The enemy put up stiff resistance mainly from the machine guns but they were still overrun.
When the Battalion achieved its final objective the 46th leap-frogged through and after re-organizing took up new assembly positions on the western slope of Mont Dury and ready to continue the advance.
This advance cost 12 men their lives, 122 were wounded and 34 men were missing.
Private Huffman was killed in the performance of his duties while he advanced with the men of his Company near Dury. He suffered fatal wounds to the head from the fragments of a high explosive shell.