Sharpening the Blade

In 1916 the Canadians' rough edges were being honed off.

First, in February, there is the tragic loss of the Parliament Buildings' Centre Block by a suspicious fire. Then, in May, Lieutenant-General Alderson's leaked memo damning the Ross Rifle ignites a political fire- storm. After the Canadian Corps' disaster at the St. Eloi craters, it doesn't take long for Major-General Sam Hughes to replace Alderson with Lieutenant-General Julian Byng. Within days, the Corps is struck by a devastating b...