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Show CANADIANS HELD BACK THOUSANDS Ottawa, Maj 3 A statement supple-menian supple-menian to Saturday's eyewitneBB btory from Sir Max Aitkin, the official Canadian recorder, was issued by the militia department toda and gives the Canadian casualties in the battle of Langemarck as 5403 non-commissloned non-commissloned Officers and men killed, wounded and missing Including or fleers, the total casualties number about 6000, The statement in its details covers much the same gruund as that glen In reports of the official recorder heretofore made public. The statement tells how the Canadians Cana-dians held the extreme left of the British lines, covering a front of about three miles. On the afternoon of the 22nd. after M terrific artillery bombardment, tbe statement continues, the German.- I projected dense xolumes of deadly gei toward the allied lines This was followed fol-lowed by a German advance of upward of ten divisions and the French au. Belgians, over a front of more tnan fic miles, gave way and fell back almost six miles. By Uip sudden re- j tirenient of the French, it is stated. 4 I several heavy Canadian puns fell into th( hands of the Germans The statement theu tells of the des perate fighting of the Highlanders, in whicb the four big guns were retaken. reta-ken. "This was the position up to the forenoon ol April 23," the statement goes on to say "With the Canadian Highlanders extended to double their normal trench front, one-half of it in the open, and assisted by the Tenth battalion irom southern Alberta, Mani toha and Saskatchewan they not only held ten times their own number in check, but the actually retook the guns from the enemy and maintained their position; but the loss, as mu.it have been expected, was appalling" The statement tells of the Cermans advancing six miles to tho rear ot the French position and how large masses oi them, estimated as numbering num-bering about 60,000. got in the rear of the Highlanders, thus cutting them off. but they, refused to surrender and the firing was heard far info the nigh' the Germans being n front, on the left flank and on the rear. "Whether these gallant Highlanders were annihilated or taken prisoners Is not known, but as long as a cartridge car-tridge remained they fought." gaya the statement, which then tells of the reinforcements which came S;:tu and Sunday nnd how the line of de fense was reformed. oo |