The opening battle of the 100 Days campaign had been successfully executed at Amiens on Amiens August 8-10, 1918 spearheaded by the Canadian and Australian Corps.  The tactical strategy for the campaign was based on using deception and surprise to conduct material heavy attacks that would see a shifting series of concentric attacks to keep the enemy off balance forcing them to react and commit their dwindling reserves. As had happened at Amiens, once the limits of the breakthrough and penetration of the German line had been successfully executed and the German resistance stiffened as they committed reserves, the attack would stop. The spearhead would then rapidly shift to a new location and conduct a new attack.

In late August 1918, the Canadian Corps left the ground captured during the Amiens battle and shifted to the Arras to begin operations against the Hindenburg Line. By August 26^th the Corps was advancing on a broad front with the main road from Arras to Cambrai as their axis of advance.  Units of the 1^st Canadian Division, including the 15^th Battalion, were on the right of that axis advancing through Wancourt and Cherisy towards the main objective which was the Drocourt-Queant Line near Hendecourt , Cagnicourt and Buissy.  Guarding the approach to the D-Q Line was The Crow’s Nest which the 15^th Battalion would assault on September 1^st.

463892 Lance Corporal Joseph Reid was a 22 year old teamster originally from Terrace Port Gordon, Banfshire, Scotland with prewar service in the Militia with the 12^th York Rangers when he attested into the 62^nd Battalion at Aurora, ON in August 1915. In the UK he was transferred to the 3^rd Reserve Battalion and then to the 134^th Battalion before being sent to the 15^th Battalion in a reinforcement draft in May 1916. He served in the 1916 trench tour at Hill 60 that month as well as Observatory ridge (Mount Sorel) in June and the trench tours in July at Hill 60 and The Bluff. LCpl Reid was wounded at Regina Trench on the Somme in September, fought at Vimy in April 1917, served in all the 1917 trench tours and was wounded again at Hill 70 in August. He rejoined the battalion in early 1918 and served attached postings in March to the 3^rd Australian Tunnelling Company and the 1^st Entrenching Battalion before returning to the battalion to take part in the battle of Amiens in August.  On August 29^th, his company was sheltering in ‘funk holes’ when the position was shelled and Private Reid was killed by shell that burst near his position. He was buried nearby at Sun Quarry Cemetery.

NOK: Mrs. E. Reid (M) 20 Richmond Terr., Port Gordon, Banffshire, Scotland