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Glassco, Gordon Bond, Hamilton, Ontario. Occupation: electrical engineer. Military Service: Lieutenant, Reg. No. McGill 276, 2nd University Co., PPCLI, Attestation Papers. Diary Reference: “Stood it for a while, when Glasgow [Glassco], our remaining officer gave the word to retire,” 2:3 Jun ’16. According to Hodder-Williams, 79, Lt. Glassco was wounded 3 June 1916 and struck off strength 24 April 1917. He was with the 3rd Canadian Division Headquarters from 1 August 1916.
Additional Biographical Information:
During the initial stages of the Battle of Sanctuary Wood, Captain Niven, the commanding officer was wounded, and all of his officers had either been killed or wounded when he was relieved at dusk by Lieutenant Glassco, who had been sent up from battalion headquarters. According to P. H. Ferguson, No. 2 Company withdrew from their front line trench at about 2:30 a.m. on June 3.
We could get no word from Headquarters and with no sign of reinforcements, the young Lieutenant [Glassco] who had crawled all the way on his hands and knees to relieve our wounded Captain decided we better retire. All the wounded officers had gone a couple of hours before going through the open and curtain fire and taking a chance on getting through. We had no rations and ammunition was getting low, and if we did not go then there would be no chance of getting anything until late the next day. By this time we had piled up about 20 more casualties, some severely wounded and these had to be carried out if they were to have a chance of living. There were about 45 of us left untouched in the company and as almost all the wounded had at least to be supported, if we took them out, there would not be enough left to hold the trench, so it was decided to leave. Well just as day was breaking and the third (artillery) attack was beginning we vamoosed taking all our stuff which was unburied and the machine guns.
It looked very much like going from the frying pan into the fire as we had to go through the curtain fire they were putting across about 300 yards to our rear. We went back behind the gap and nearly everyone got through – just how I don’t know.
P. H. Ferguson, Historical Notes, Regimental Museum Archives, quoted in Newman, With the Patricia’s in Flanders, 97.