THE 1ST DIVISION.
Next morning the Battalion disembarked at Le Havre and marched to a camp
at Sanvic. It was not to remain here long, and on the 14th the Battalion
entrained to join the First Army. The train journey was long, and the men
experienced for the first time the inconveniences of travelling in French
troop trains, being crowded fifty-six at a time into trucks labelled
"Hommes 48: Chevaux en long 8." Chocques was reached on the 15th and the
men marched therefrom to billets in a village close by called Oblinghem.
The Battalion was soon incorporated in the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the 1st
Division, a mixed brigade consisting of four Regular battalions reinforced
by two Territorial battalions. A few days were spent in Divisional Reserve
at Oblinghem during which time all the officers and several
non-commissioned officers were sent to the trenches at Festubert or
Richebourg for instruction by the Regular battalions which were holding
the line.
At Oblinghem the men learnt for the first time what French billets were
like and experienced the insanitary conditions prevailing on the small
farms and the draughty and dirty barns. Looking around the countryside all
seemed quiet and peaceful. The ploughman ploughed the fields, others sowed
and the miners went to their daily tasks as usual. At times it was
difficult to realise that the firing line was within a few miles, but the
boom of the distant guns and the laden Red Cross motors indicated the
proximity of the fighting. A lot of old ideas as to the rigours of a
campaign were lost, and warfare in some respects was found not to be so
bad as had been expected. Wine and beer at any rate were plentiful, though
the potency of the beer was not quite sufficient for the taste of the
older men. Other regiments, lent officers to give a helping hand in
organisation and training. Company messes for officers were formed, as
anything in the nature of a battalion mess was impracticable.
The men soon learnt that the estaminets were the equivalent in France of
the public houses at home, and thither they repaired in the evening to
spend their time. Many good young men who had never taken a drop of the
more invigorating liquors learnt that soldiers drank them, and the cause
of teetotalism began to wane.
On the 24th a move was made to Les Facons, a straggling village outside
Bethune. Here on quiet nights one could easily hear the fusillade in the
trenches while the distant gun flashes lit up the night sky. The terrors
of the trenches were coming nearer.
Early in April the various companies were attached each in turn to another
battalion in the Brigade, and went into the line for instruction in trench
duty at Port Arthur by Neuve Chapelle, and it was here that the first
casualties were sustained. It is claimed that the first shot fired by the
Battalion killed an enemy sniper. The men soon learnt the duties that fell
upon them as a consequence of trench warfare: the early morning stand-to,
the constant vigil of the neutral ground between the lines, and the
imperative necessity of keeping one's head low. Hitherto the men knew
little of the nature or use of guns, but now glimmerings of the mystery
surrounding artillery fire soon dawned. The men learnt the natures of
German shell, and the difference between shrapnel and high explosives and
what targets the enemy generally selected. Facts like these were explained
to them by the "real soldiers" of the Regular units to which they were
attached. On relief the Battalion marched back to Oblinghem once more,
where it stayed a week or two, and later in the month took over a portion
of the line at Richebourg St. Vaast where it was subjected to a very heavy
artillery bombardment on the 1st May.
The military training of the men can be said to have been complete as
regards pre-war standard, but the war had introduced the use of two new
instruments of death. One was gas, the other the bomb. A primitive form of
respirator was given out in consequence of the use by the Germans of
chlorine at the Second Battle of Ypres. Instruction was given in the use
of bombs, of which the men had hitherto no knowledge. In those days the
bomb first in use was the jam-tin bomb. The men were taught how to cut
fuses, fix them into the detonator, attach the lighter and wire the whole
together preparatory for use against the enemy. Jam-tin bombs were soon
discarded for the Bethune bomb, and there was no regular bomb until much
later, when the use of the Mills bomb became universal. The Hairbrush and
Hales bombs were also studied in addition to the Bethune. A few also
received some instruction in a rather primitive form of trench mortar.
In April, Lieut.-Colonel Lloyd, V.D., was invalided home, and in his stead
Major T.J. Bolland took over the command of the Battalion.
THE BATTLE OF AUBERS RIDGE
The disastrous enterprise of the 9th May was the first major action of the
war in which the "Ninth" took part. Shattered at its inception, the whole
attack soon came to an end. The lack of high explosive shells and the
consequent failure of the British artillery to destroy the enemy wire
entanglements were probably the main causes of the holocaust that took
place on that day. Though one of the biggest disasters the British arms
sustained throughout the war, it was scarcely noted in the newspapers, and
would seem to a casual observer quite insignificant compared with the
sinking of the "Lusitania," which had taken place some days before,
although in the battle it is believed that the 2nd Infantry Brigade lost a
bigger proportion of men than had ever been previously known in warfare.
On the 8th May, the Battalion took up its battle position in rear of the
Rue du Bois at Richebourg l'Avoué, and there awaited the attack on the
morrow. The detail that obtained in battle orders of later dates was
wanting, in view of the fact that greater responsibility was in the early
days placed upon Commanding Officers. The Battalion was to support the
attack as the third wave. The flanks were given and in the event of an
advance the Battalion was to keep Chocolat Menier Corner on its immediate
right. The fight commenced with an ordinary bombardment of forty minutes
chiefly by field pieces, which according to the text book are primarily
intended not for bombardment but for use against personnel. A battery of
heavy howitzers was also in action. The ordinary bombardment was followed
by an intense bombardment of ten minutes.
At 5-30 a.m. the Battalion advanced to the third line of trenches
immediately in rear of the Rue du Bois, and several losses attributable to
machine guns and shells were sustained. At 6-0 a.m. the Battalion was
continuing the advance to the support line when the 2nd King's Royal
Rifles asked for immediate support in the attack. The Battalion therefore
passed over the support line and quickly reached the front line. The
advent of a fresh unit made confusion the worse confounded. The trenches
which afforded little shelter were filled with men, and the enemy was
using his artillery freely. Machine guns in profusion were disgorging
their several streams of bullets. Communication trenches had been blotted
out. Despite the lessons of Neuve Chapelle there was no effective liaison
between artillery and infantry as the telephone wires were soon cut, and
as a consequence the inferno was intensified by the short firing of the
British artillery, a battery of 6-inch howitzers being the chief offender.
Numerous casualties had been suffered, and among them was the Commanding
Officer, who was killed. The command then passed to Major J.W.B. Hunt, who
decided that it was useless to attempt to assault the enemy position
without further artillery preparation, as the enemy's barbed wire was
practically intact, and the only two gaps that were available were covered
by enemy machine guns. A report on the situation was made to
Brigadier-General Thesiger, and instructions were received that on no
account was the Battalion to leave the front line, and it was to hold the
same against a possible and probable counter attack by the enemy.
At 10-0 a.m. the Battalion was ordered to prepare to take part in a second
attack to be launched at 11-15 a.m. Half an hour later a further order
postponed the second attack until 12-30 p.m. Thousands had failed to take
the objectives in the early morning, and it was unlikely that hundreds
would succeed in the afternoon. This attack was ultimately cancelled, and
at 4-0 p.m. the Battalion was withdrawn. A further attack was delivered in
vain at 4-30 p.m. by other regiments in the Division. Though the Battalion
unfortunately accomplished little, it sustained almost a hundred
casualties, but it was fortunate in that it escaped the same fate as
befell four of the Battalions in the Brigade which were almost
annihilated. The battle from almost every point of view was a dismal
failure, and the rate of casualties was perhaps the highest then recorded.
It was during the 4-30 p.m. attack that the men were privileged to witness
one of the most magnificent episodes of the war, which was the advance
made by the 1st Battalion Black Watch and the 1st Battalion Cameron
Highlanders. This was carried out with parade-like precision in face of a
most withering rifle and machine-gun fire, out of which scarcely half a
dozen of those brave fellows returned.
Relieved in the evening, the "Ninth" marched to Essars and the next day to
billets at Bethune, and it was not until the 20th day of the month that
the Battalion was again in line, this time at Cambrin. It had now come
under the command of Major F.W. Ramsay, a regular officer from the
Middlesex Regiment. The remainder of the month of May and the month of
June were spent at Cambrin and Cuinchy, this latter place being renowned
even in those days for its minenwerfer activity. The Cambrin sector had
good deep trenches made by the French pioneers, which were strong, well
timbered and comfortable. This was the first occasion the Battalion
occupied trenches as distinguished from breast-works. Hitherto the nature
of the ground had made trenches impossible. The trenches at Cuinchy were
in front of a row of brickstacks, and in consequence of the water-logged
nature of a portion of the front were only dug three feet down, and a
sand-bag parapet was built; the trenches were not duckboarded, and were in
consequence wet. Around each brickstack was built a keep, and this was
garrisoned by a platoon in each case. Every time an enemy projectile hit a
brickstack large quantities of broken bricks were scattered as splinters
which multiplied the killing effect of the shell. In this sector there was
considerable mining activity. The mine shafts, of which there were about
three per company frontage, were each manned by two men who acted as
listeners. As the front lines were only about twenty-five yards apart
there was a considerable exchange of grenades.
No cooking was allowed in the trenches, as the smoke which would have been
occasioned by cooking would only have encouraged enemy fire. Therefore
ration and hot food parties had to go four times a day along a
communication trench called Boyau Maison Rouge, one and a half miles long,
and which was not duckboarded. After heavy rain it became very muddy, and
the men cut down their trousers which led to the adoption of shorts
throughout. Hosetops were improvised by cutting the feet off socks and
later they were bought. The colour ranged at first from light heliotrope
to flatman's blue, but later was standardized as salmon pink. The expense
of providing these hosetops was a heavy drain on any available funds, but
fortunately friends of the Battalion came to the rescue.
On relief from the Cambrin trenches on the 7th July the Battalion spent a
little over a fortnight in Brigade and Divisional Reserves at Sailly
Labourse and the Faubourg d'Arras in Bethune respectively. On the 25th it
was in line at Vermelles. This sector was quiet except in that portion
which was opposite the Hohenzollern Redoubt, from which huge aerial
torpedoes were fired.
August was spent doing tours of duty in Annequin and Vermelles. During the
last tour in Vermelles the whole Battalion assembled every night in no
man's land and successfully dug under fire jumping-off trenches for the
forthcoming operations, the casualties being comparatively few, owing to
the speed with which the men dug.
During the first three weeks in September, the Battalion was out of the
line and spent most of the time at Burbure, a quiet little village outside
Lillers, where the men enjoyed a period of peace well removed from the
battle zone. The training was devoted almost entirely to the practice of
the attack preparatory to the impending fight.
During the summer a horse show took place in the First Division, and the
"Ninth" secured all the prizes for mules, the first prize for a field
kitchen and two jumping prizes, thus obtaining the second place in the
Division for the total number of marks gained. This was a signal honour
for a Territorial unit, and perhaps came as a surprise to some of the
Regular soldiers, who thought that they were "the people." This
demonstrated the fact that though the Battalion had but a few months'
experience of active service, it had soon accustomed itself to the rigours
of warfare, and that the transport section at any rate had attained a
high pitch of efficiency. The horse shows which were held from time to
time as occasion permitted provided diversions and did much to maintain a
high standard of efficiency in the first line transport.
Improvements had been effected in the organisation of the Regiment since
its advent to France. Clothing and food became more plentiful and the
latter was better cooked. Efforts were made to improve the comfort of the
men in billets. Proper sanitation was rigorously observed. Officers were
encouraged to display the greatest solicitude for the welfare of the men,
and the cumulative effect of these measures resulted in improved morale.
THE BATTLE OF LOOS.
For three weeks in September the Battalion practised the attack in
Burbure, which it left on the 20th. Before leaving Burbure an amusing
incident took place. The Battalion had paraded and was ready to move off.
Suddenly two young women who were watching dashed into the ranks, embraced
two of the men, kissed them with resounding smacks, and then disappeared
in the gloom. The consternation of the two men caused great amusement to
all. The "Ninth" moved up by stages, marching via Lapugnoy and Verquin, to
its battle position in trenches by Le Rutoire Farm, which it reached on
the 24th. The Battalion and the London Scottish formed a body called
"Green's Force," to which was given as a first objective the German front
line trenches in the vicinity of Lone Tree, as this objective was left
uncovered by the diverging advance of the 1st Brigade on the right and the
2nd Brigade on the left.
In the grey light of the morning on the 25th September the British guns
opened with a furious fire after many days of artillery preparation. The
great battle had begun. For some time, and according to orders, the
Battalion remained in its position. It was not to advance before 8-0 a.m.
At this time the men left the assembly trench to move over the open to the
front line. The enemy machine gunners had the range, and several were
wounded almost on leaving the trench. The advance was made by sectional
rushes, each section seeking what cover there was. Those who were wounded
while actually advancing in many cases received slight wounds, but those
that were hit while lying down were generally killed, as the bullets
struck them in the head or traversed the vital organs for the length of
the body. It required a courageous heart to advance seeing one's comrades
thus desperately wounded or lying dead. The shell fire was not heavy, and
few casualties were attributable to it. Lieutenant-Colonel Ramsay led the
attack in person, and he was easily recognisable by the wand which he
carried. One of the Battalion machine guns was pushed forward about 2-0
p.m. and under the covering fire it afforded the advance was continued.
The advance had been slow and losses were severe, but at 3-30 p.m. the men
had succeeded in establishing themselves in one line about a hundred yards
from the German trenches. A few minutes afterwards the Germans
surrendered, and between three and four hundred prisoners were taken. They
chiefly belonged to the 59th and 157th Infantry Regiments. A harvest of
souvenirs was reaped by the men, many of whom secured the then coveted
Pickelhaube helmet. The prisoners were sent to the rear, and the Battalion
continued the advance and ultimately established a line on the
Lens-Hulluch Road. It is to be observed that the Battalion was the only
one that got its field kitchens up to the village of Loos on the first day
of the battle. At 4-0 a.m. next morning the Battalion was withdrawn to the
old British line. Later in the day it moved forward to the old German
trench system as reserve in the continued operations, sustaining several
gas and shell casualties. On the 28th September the Battalion moved back
to Mazingarbe, as the men thought, for a rest. They were soon
disappointed. At 7 p.m. on the same day orders were received to take up a
position at the Slag Heap or Fosse at Loos, known as London Bridge. At 9-0
p.m. the Battalion left its billets in a deluge of rain and marched back
to the line in splendid spirits in spite of the fatigue resulting from the
recent fighting. It was relieved from the trenches on the 30th September,
and after one night spent in the ruined houses of Loos went to
Noeux-les-Mines for a few days to re-organise and re-equip.
On the 7th October the Battalion returned to the front line which was
alongside the Lens-Hulluch Road to the north of Loos. The trench had
evidently once been the ditch on the side of the road. It was very
shallow, and it was decided to deepen it the next night as the men were
too tired after their long march. This was a good resolution, but it was
not carried out. The enemy commenced next morning about half-past ten with
heavy shell fire. In the afternoon it became intense and an attack seemed
imminent. There was no shelter in the shallow trench, as there had not
been sufficient time to make any dugouts. The men could do nothing but
wait. Minutes seemed hours. The shelling appeared endless. So terrific was
the enemy fire that it was doubted by the artillery observers in rear
whether any of the front line garrison was left alive. All who might be
lucky enough to escape physical destruction would at any rate be morally
broken. The Germans who had concentrated in the Bois Hugo attacked about
4-30 p.m. They were repulsed by rifle and machine gun fire, and it is
gratifying to know that two of the Battalion machine guns caught the enemy
in enfilade and executed great havoc. So exhausted were the men that the
Battalion was relieved that night and taken to the neighbourhood of Le
Rutoire Farm.
Acquitting themselves with a noble fortitude, the stretcher bearers--whose
task was, perhaps, the worst of all--remained and toiled all night in
evacuating the trenches of the wounded. To stretcher bearers fall the most
trying duties in war, but in accounts of battles little mention is made of
their efforts. While the fight is on they share all the dangers of the
private soldier, and often they have to remain when the others are
relieved to finish their duty. The terrible sights of open wounds, bodies
that have been minced by shell splinters, torn off limbs, dying men
uttering their last requests, are enough to unnerve the bravest men. The
stretcher bearers nevertheless continue with their task, well knowing what
fate may soon befall them.
For the second time in a fortnight the 9th King's had been called upon to
play an important part, and worthily had the men acquitted themselves on
each occasion.
The following letters were received by the Battalion and show the value of
the good work done:--
To G.O.C., IV. Corps.
This was a fine performance and reflects the greatest credit
on all ranks.
I particularly admire the splendid tenacity displayed by our
infantry in holding on to their trenches during so many long
hours of heavy shell fire, and the skill with which they so
gloriously repulsed with bomb and rifle the enemy's most
determined onslaught.
Our gunners, too, must be complimented on their timely and
accurate shooting. And lastly the Commanders, from General
Davies downward, deserve praise for the successful combination
of the two arms, for the handling of their units, and for the
well-judged advance of the supports to the aid of those in the
fire trenches.
I am very glad to hear of the great deeds of the 9th Battalion
Liverpool Regiment on the 8th October. They have proved
themselves most worthy comrades of the 1st Liverpools who
started with me from Aldershot and have consistently fought
like heroes all through the campaign.
Please convey my very hearty congratulation to all concerned
and to the 1st Division, in which I am proud to see the
determined fighting spirit is as strong as ever, in spite of
heavy losses.
D. HAIG,
General,
Commanding 1st Army.
10th October, 1915.
* * * * *
To 1st Division.
In forwarding Sir Douglas Haig's remarks, I desire to endorse
every word he says, and to congratulate the Division on the
well deserved praise it has received from the Army Commander.
I hope before long to see them personally and to speak to them
on parade.
H.S. RAWLINSON,
Lieut.-General,
Commanding IV. Corps.
11th October, 1915.
* * * * *
1st Div. No. 604/2 (G).
To 2nd Infantry Brigade.
The General Officer Commanding wishes to place on record his
appreciation of the steady defence made by the 2nd Infantry
Brigade against the German attack yesterday afternoon. He
especially wishes to commend the soldierly qualities and
discipline displayed by the 9th Liverpool Regiment and the 1st
Gloucesters, which enabled them to endure the heavy shelling
to which our front trenches were subjected, and there to meet
and repulse with great loss the German infantry attack.
The result of yesterday's attack again proves how powerless
the enemy's artillery is against good infantry, properly
entrenched and the superiority of our own infantry over that
of the enemy at close quarters.
The General Officer Commanding wishes to record his
appreciation of the good work done by the artillery in support
of the infantry.
H. LONGRIDGE,
Lieut.-Colonel,
General Staff, 1st Division.
9th October, 1915.
* * * * *
The above remarks were communicated to the men, and they were all very
proud of the achievement of their unit and that it had so highly
distinguished itself in the defence of their country. For a few days the
Battalion remained in support, sending forth working parties each night
for the battle that was still continuing.
On the 13th October the 1st Division attacked the village of Hulluch. An
intense barrage was directed against the enemy trenches in the early part
of the afternoon, and after a discharge of cloud gas an attempt was made
in vain to reach the enemy trenches. The 9th was held in close support,
ready to exploit any success that was gained, but, unfortunately, the
attack was a total failure. The Battalion came in for some very heavy
retaliatory shell fire.
On the 14th October the Battalion was taken out of the line and marched to
Noeux-les-Mines, where it entrained for Lillers. Here the men were
accommodated in houses in the centre of the town in the vicinity of the
Church and the Rue Fanien. The billets were good, the parades not severe,
and several of the officers who were well quartered felt to some extent
the comforts of a home. The training area was near Burbure, where the
Battalion had trained for the battle. Many faces were missing that had
been present at the jovial little gatherings that had taken place before
the battle, and the survivors wondered at times who would be wanting at
the next divisional rest.
As the parades were not onerous, there was plenty of time for recreation.
Concerts were arranged in the local concert hall at which the latent
talent of the Battalion came into evidence. Leave opened, and the prospect
of a trip to England was cheering to those who expected one. The rest at
Lillers was pleasantly spent and it was a long time before the men enjoyed
a similar holiday.
On the 15th November the Battalion paraded on the Church Square and then
marched to Houchin, a particularly dirty little village, where a week was
spent. From there it went to Brigade Reserve in the mining village of
Philosophe, in which, though very close to the line, a few civilians still
remained. Butter, milk and other articles of food could be obtained from
the French shop-keepers, and English newspapers could be bought in the
streets the day after publication. It was a fairly quiet place, though
one's hours were punctuated by the intermittent firing of a battery of
4·7 guns in the colliery in rear, which fired over the billets.
One of the Regular battalions of the 3rd Infantry Brigade was too weak in
numbers to do trench duty, and the 9th had the honour of replacing it, and
on the 26th November the Battalion found itself once more in the front
line and in exactly the same position as the one in which it had so
signally distinguished itself on the 8th October.
Snow was lying on the ground and it was freezing hard. Henceforth the men
were to know the hardships of a winter campaign. There were no deep
dugouts and there were not sufficient shelters for the men to sleep in.
During the course of the winter, exposure alone killed some. Ever since
the battle the Loos sector had been very active, especially on Sundays,
and the trenches and alleys which led up to them were in a very wet
condition. The numbers lost in the recent fighting had not been made up,
and "C" Company, the weakest, had a trench strength all told of only 67
officers and men.
The relief from the front line on the night of the 29th November was
particularly severe. Following the frost came rain on that particular day,
and the relief was carried out on a very black night in a steady
downpour, and everyone was quickly wet through. The trenches filled with
water and the men had first to wade through deep sludge and then over
rain-sodden ground ankle-deep in mud. The men's clothes became caked with
the mud from the sides of the trench, which increased the weight to be
carried.
During the tours of duty in this sector the paucity of the numbers and the
length of the communication trenches made the difficulties of food supply
very great. Behind the front line in the Loos sector was a devastated
region extending backwards for over two miles. There seemed a big gap
between the front line and any form of civilisation. Usable roads were
wanting, so that the transport could not approach near to the Battalion.
Consequently each company had to detail its own ration party of twenty to
twenty-five men, and these would assemble just after dusk and wander along
Posen or Hay Alley back to the vicinity of Lone Tree, and there pick up
the rations and water from the transport wagons. The communication
trenches contained a lot of water and caused great hardship to those men
who were not fortunate enough to possess gum boots. These ration fatigues
lasted from three to five hours, after which the men had to continue their
trench duties. Each man cooked his rations as best he could, in his own
mess tin; this meant that he did not get a hot meal which was so badly
needed in the intensely cold weather.
In this sector there was a great shortage of water. Washing and shaving
were impossible, and at times there was not enough to drink. On one
occasion a man was known to have scraped the hoar frost off the sandbags
to assuage his thirst, and some drank the dirty water that was to be found
in shell craters.
At this time there was a great danger of a gas attack, and it was
customary to have a bugler on duty in the front line to sound the alarm
when gas was seen coming over--a scheme which was scarcely likely to be
efficacious, for in a few moments he would have been gassed himself. Each
man had two anti-gas helmets--one with a mica window, and the other with
glass eyepieces and a tube through which to breathe out, and which was
known later as a P.H. helmet. There were Vermorel Sprayers here and there
in the trench, which were entrusted to the care of the sanitary men.
Instruction was given from time to time in anti-gas precautions, but
viewed from a subsequent standpoint these defensive measures were not
good.
Steel helmets were in possession of the bombers, who were then called
"Grenadiers," and wore little red cloth grenades on their arms. These
helmets were called "bombing hats," and regarded as a nuisance. Each man
of the Battalion had a leather jerkin and a water-proof cape, and the
majority had a pair of long gum boots.
There was only one Verey light pistol in each company, and this was
carried by the officer on duty. There was no special S.O.S. signal to the
artillery. Telephonic communication from the front line existed, and this
was freely used. It was not known at the time that the enemy had evolved a
means whereby he could hear these conversations. To prevent an illness
known as "trench feet" each man had to grease his feet daily with whale
oil, which was an ordeal on a bitterly cold day in wet, muddy trenches.
With such meticulous care was this done that the Battalion had not more
than three cases of trench feet during the whole of that winter--a
circumstance which reflects much credit on the men. The defence scheme at
this time was to hold the front line in the greatest strength available,
and the supports were rather far away. The system of echeloned posts had
not yet been developed. Machine guns were kept in the first trench and on
account of the intense cold had to be dismounted and kept by lighted
braziers to keep the lubricating oil and water in their jackets from
freezing. The entanglement in front was very poor and consisted only of
one fence.
When not in the line the Battalion rested at Noeux-les-Mines or
Mazingarbe. At this latter village Christmas Day was spent. Companies were
told to make their own arrangements for providing the men with a good
dinner on this day. The officers provided the funds and the difficulties
of supply were overcome through the aid of Monsieur Levacon, the French
interpreter attached to the Battalion. Pigs and extra vegetables were
bought; apples and oranges came from somewhere. After great exertions a
few barrels of beer came on the scene. Christmas puddings came from
England. The school at Mazingarbe made an excellent dining room for two of
the companies and through the kindness of a Royal Engineer company in the
village the officers were able to secure the necessary timber to improvise
tables and chairs. The dinner was a great success and contributed not a
little to the good feeling which existed between officers and men.
The next day the Battalion returned to the line. Though not known at the
time this was to be the last tour of duty with the 1st Division. Early in
January the truth became known that the Battalion was to leave the
Division, and on the 7th it proceeded by train to Hocquincourt.
In the 1st Division it had had the honour of serving alongside some of the
most illustrious regiments of the Regular Army. The example set by these
famous regiments was readily copied, and in some respects emulated, and it
is not untrue to say that none of these Regular battalions assumed an air
of superiority, but displayed a sense of admiration that Territorial
soldiers could have so quickly learnt the profession of war. So good was
the human material in the Battalion that, in the space of a few months
spent on active service, a body of men picked in a desultory fashion from
various trades and occupations was quickly formed into an entity which was
able to take its place alongside experienced units of the Army.
The Regiment had already won its laurels at the Battle of Loos. Its
glorious achievements were known in Liverpool. It was a Battalion to which
all its members were proud to belong. The fame of a military body is a
bond of unity which those who have not been soldiers can scarcely
understand. The reputation of one's regiment is a matter of personal
pride. It is a kind of cement which holds it together at all times. The
old spirit soon permeates the newcomers, the recruits become imbued with
the spirit which led the veterans to victory, and so it was with this
Battalion.