1889–90--REFORMS AT ALDERSHOT
Colonel Grattan’s Reforms in purchase of Supplies--Divisional
Staff Brigadiers--Decentralisation--Useless Sentries--Cooking
Reforms--Colonel Burnett’s system--Lord Wantage’s help
in Field Training--Stanley, the Explorer--Sir John
Pender--Ober-Ammergau--Cavalry Manœuvres--Concession in
soldiers’ fares--Changes for Christmas-Day.
The day I joined at Aldershot I saw the Generals, Commanding officers,
and all the Staff officers in succession. I was struck by one face and
voice, Colonel Grattan of the Army Service Corps, and desired him to
wait until the Reception was over. I then said: “Colonel, I am puzzled,
because listening to your voice, and watching your eyes, I seem to
dream I knew you years ago, but have the impression that the man whom I
befriended materially in his career had a one-syllable name; moreover,
I have only known one Grattan in the Service, and you are not the man.”
He replied: “Your memory is quite accurate, Sir. I was once your clerk;
you got me made in succession, Camp Quarter-Master Sergeant, Garrison
Sergeant-Major, and eventually got me a commission as a Conductor in
the Army Service Corps, which I am now commanding at this Station. I
enlisted under the name of Smith, and reverted to my own name on being
commissioned.” Grattan enabled me to introduce many reforms, which
without his aid would have been impossible.
During my period of Command the Army Service Corps establishment was
greatly increased, the officers by volunteers from the Line. The
Commanding officers not knowing that 10,000, or one-third of our
Crimea army, died from want of adequate Departmental arrangements,
did not appreciate the necessity of recommending only thoroughly good
officers. Colonel Grattan and I rejected in one year one-third of
those sent as Probationers.
Soon after I assumed command the Forage contractors raised their
prices. The contractor for hay demanded a large advance; and being
financially assisted by others, bought all the available crop in the
four counties adjoining Aldershot. I declined the terms, and going
further afield, bought largely in the Eastern counties--over 3000 tons
in Essex alone; and even with the heavy railway rates, reduced the
original contract price by three shillings a ton.[298] We purchased
in most cases the hay in stacks in 1889, which was difficult, as it
required officers with much experience in judging quantity and quality,
with the further disadvantage that we had no market for “outsides,”
which are generally worth about 15s. a ton to farmers, for stock. We
did not buy in stacks in 1890, as the hay harvest was gathered in
very wet weather; but I maintained the practice of the Army Service
Corps buying the hay, as--affording practice for their duties in war;
secondly, to abolish the demoralisation of subordinates generally
attendant on the contract system[299]; and thirdly, on the ground of
economy, by eliminating the middleman.
In order to teach Cavalry officers to judge oats, I bought everything
on the London Corn Exchange, the Cavalry brigadier selecting his
Representative, while Colonel Grattan nominated an officer of the
Army Service Corps with a view to due economy being exercised. These
officers, supplied with the latest _Corn Circular_, were instructed
to note the quantities in the port of London; the anticipated
arrivals, and the customs of the market. In the result we bought oats
weighing nearly 40 lbs. a bushel, all expenses being included, with a
considerable saving on the contractor’s charge for oats weighing 38 lbs.
Colonel Grattan’s next marked assistance to me was in helping Colonel
Burnett,[300] Assistant Quarter-Master General, to defeat the tactics
of the Meat contractors. At the end of May 1901, the Firm which had
undertaken to supply us with live meat till the 1st November, refused
to fulfil the engagement, forfeiting the £100 deposit. The contract
was then offered to all other tenderers at their own prices, but they
refused to undertake it, and believing that there was a combination to
force up the price, on Sunday afternoon the 30th May I sent Colonel
Burnett, Colonel Grattan, and the Master butcher to Smithfield with
£1700,[301] which they spent soon after daylight before our former
contractors came on to the Market. The Government, all expenses
included, and even with the difficulty of disposing of the offal, made
a profit on the transaction, and we found another contractor at our
previous rates.
I was very fortunate in the officers on the Divisional Staff. Colonel
C. W. Robinson, Assistant Adjutant-General, who had a particular
polished manner, which ordinarily concealed considerable force of
character, was followed by Colonel Henry Hildyard,[302] who on going
to be Commandant of the Staff College was succeeded by Colonel James
Alleyne, considered, and with reason, to be the best Gunner in the
Army. Soon after he joined I observed to some senior Artillery officers
with whom I was on friendly terms, “Hitherto I have spoken to you with
an uncertain voice, but now I have got James Alleyne behind me, you may
expect much more decided criticism.”
Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Hutton[303] had been training Mounted
Infantry successfully before I took over command, and continued to do
that work, and much other, throughout my time at Aldershot. I have
often been congratulated on the efforts I made in training Mounted
Infantry, but I had little to do with it except to give Hutton a free
hand, and to support him with those who were senior to him. No work
was too much for him, and it was he who reorganised the Aldershot
Tactical Society, and Officers’ Library, besides undertaking other
useful work.
Mansfield Clarke[304] and Hildyard advised me on all Infantry matters,
while Lieutenant-Colonel French[305] of the 19th Hussars, after he
came to Aldershot, was a warm supporter of my efforts to improve the
Cavalry. I was unable to obtain for him written authority to carry
out the Squadron system in its entirety, but he did it, and with such
decision as to disregard the claims of seniority for the command of
Squadrons.
I endeavoured to follow Lord Bacon’s recommendation, “Preserve the
rights of inferior places, and think it more honour to direct in chief
than to be busy in all,” which might be expressed in the language of
the twentieth century, “Do nothing yourself that you can make another
man do.”
My first principle in teaching was de-centralisation. I tried to pass
the training from the Commanding officers, that is, the Adjutants
and Sergeant-Majors, to Squadron and Company officers. The Battery
Commanders did their own work in striving for mobility and smartness.
I to some extent satisfied the Commanding officers by giving them
twice a week, for two months, every man on their strength for parade,
the Generals and Staff having to give up their grooms and servants,
which sacrifice, good as it was for efficiency, did not add to my
popularity. I caused Coal and all other Fatigues to be done in the
afternoon, employing condemned waggons to carry the coal and firewood.
After abolishing Divisional fatigues, I assembled later a committee of
the five generals, who laid down the exact number of non-commissioned
officers and men who should be excused parades ordered to be “as strong
as possible.”
At the end of 1889 we had made some progress in reducing the percentage
of third-class shots, which fell during the year from 40–54 per centum
to 13–28 per centum in Cavalry units; and in Infantry units from 25–32
per centum to 13–28 per centum. I was not, however, satisfied, and
realising that we should never get the men to shoot fairly until we
had more officers as experts, I asked the commandant at Hythe if he
could not take some more classes. As this was impossible for want of
accommodation, I, with the sanction of the Adjutant-General, started
classes at Aldershot under Major Salmond, who had been an Instructor at
Hythe. The Hythe Staff objected, alleging that the instruction could
not be so thorough, and would not justify a Hythe certificate. This I
met by arranging that their Staff should examine the candidates, and
before the Aldershot classes were stopped we trained 118 gentlemen in
the first duty of an Infantry officer.
* * * * *
When inspecting what was then the First Division, Telegraph Battalion,
at Chobham in the summer, I saw the men lay an overhead wire of 2
miles 7 furlongs, and pass a message through it in forty-two minutes.
When the same Battalion were employed with troops the result was not
satisfactory, as the men being unaccustomed to work with men of other
units, made bad mistakes, and communication even for a short distance
was not maintained. This reflected no discredit on the Corps, as I
learned incidentally that this was the first time they had ever been
either inspected by a general in command, or had worked with troops,
having previously done their annual course as a separate and detached
Unit.
Up to July 1889, when a soldier was sent to hospital his dinner was
cooked regimentally, and sent to him in a tin can, involving often a
journey of over half a mile, with the result which can be imagined.
With the concurrence of the doctors I carried out an experiment of the
rations being drawn by the hospital authorities. Theoretically somebody
had less one day and more next day, but practically the 500th part of a
pound makes no difference in the messing arrangements, and the practice
is now established.
In the Autumn I was asked, by the Commander-in-Chief’s directions,
if I wished to be considered for the Bombay Command.[306] The
Adjutant-General, Viscount Wolseley, while unwilling to advise me, was
clearly against my accepting, and so I respectfully declined.
I found no difficulty in reducing the number of sentries, except in
the Mounted branches, and over the Hospitals, where our Conservative
instincts were amusingly illustrated by the objections of Commanding
officers and doctors. To my suggestion that one sentry would do to
watch the horses of X, Y, and Z batteries Artillery, it was said, “No;
‘Y’ stablemen will steal the tackle of ‘X’.” I retorted, “But ‘X’ will
have its chance next night, and so the result will be identical”; and
up to my leaving Aldershot, four years later, no damage had resulted
from the more reasonable arrangement, the Cavalry saving two-fifths,
Artillery and Royal Engineers two-thirds of the night sentries.
I did not make up my mind about watchmen for stables until I had learnt
the practice in London, where I again sent Colonel Grattan, who went
round the buildings of several London Companies using a great number
of horses, with the result that he found one watchman overlooking any
number, from 230 up to 800.
The Senior Medical officer protested that the removal of a sentry from
the Hospital gate would be attended with the worst results. I could not
agree with him, but ordered the Army Hospital Corps to find the guard
for the sentry, with the result that in a week’s time the sentry was
taken off by the Doctors, and has never since been replaced.
Soldiers were still doing the work of the General Post Office, so I
communicated with the Secretary, who not only put collecting boxes in
all the lines, but delivered letters at a central selected place in
each Battalion.
Early in 1890 the issue of the .303 rifle, with its greatly increased
trajectory, rendered the ranges at Ash unsafe, and some action
essential. The greater part of the shooting of the Infantry was then
done at Pirbright, where detachments occupied in succession huts
which were, if possible, worse than those which housed the Aldershot
Division. The Royal Engineers undertook work of considerable magnitude,
the working parties employed on the Western slopes of the Fox Hills
moving 260,000 cubic yards of soil, and the result has been very
satisfactory; for whereas in 1889 the Range practices were necessarily
extended for four months, the accommodation then provided enabled, two
years later, an increased strength of over 5000 to get through the
course in thirty-one firing days, and the ranges, moreover, afforded
facility for practice more like that occurring on service.
* * * * *
Before I joined, a Lecture had been given showing what might be done
in improving the soldiers’ meals, but no practical steps were taken
until early in 1890, when I invited Colonel Burnett,[307] who had
successfully tried in his Battalion what is now the Army system,
to come to stay with me at Aldershot, and to give a Lecture. He
demonstrated that the dripping alone in a Battalion of 1000 men is
worth £200 per annum, and I became a warm supporter of his theories.
One brigade took up the idea, and worked it successfully, becoming the
pioneers to the rest of the Army.
I was attacked in an amusing weekly journal,[308] and derided as
a mischievous busybody. Later, the Editor sent a Representative,
who not only visited the School of Cookery, then at work under
Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Hutton, but also questioned many of the Rank
and File, and in the result, published a handsome apology, stating he
believed the former assertions were based on information furnished by
individuals interested in the bad old system.
The day after the German Emperor left Aldershot in 1889, I went to
Churn, near Wantage, to inspect the Home Counties brigade, which
had done well under Brigadier Lord Wantage, V.C., at the Review the
day before, and I took the opportunity of riding over the Berkshire
Downs, and discussing with the Brigadier the possibility of having
some manœuvres for Cavalry in 1890. He met me with the greatest
generosity, undertaking not to claim compensation for any damage done
to his property, and he himself farmed on a large scale; moreover, as
a considerate landlord, and as Lord-Lieutenant of the county, he had
great influence, which was placed entirely at my disposal. No other
landlord ever helped me so much to improve the Field-training of our
troops; no man ever showed me and my Staff such consistent generous
hospitality as did Robert Lloyd Lindsay, V.C., Lord Wantage.
In the Spring of 1890 I examined the ground more closely, and sent
round officers, who visited 142 tenants; and later, I obtained War
Office sanction to my holding the Manœuvres, provided every landowner
and tenant consented to troops passing over his land.
Early in 1890, after a full discussion with the five general officers
serving under me, I changed, with their concurrence, our method of
criticising the work done in tactical operations. The evidence of
those taking part, as well as that of the umpire staff, which afforded
information likely to prove of value in the future, was collected, and
sifted on the spot, as in 1889, but the narrative and decision of the
Umpire-in-chief was published next day.
* * * * *
On the 1st May I received a telegram from Sir William MacKinnon, urging
me to go up to town next evening to dine with him at a welcome home
to Henry Stanley, the Explorer, on his return from the expedition to
succour Emin Pasha. I had known Sir William for many years, having
been introduced to him by our common friend Sir Bartle Frere, who
observed to me, “You should know MacKinnon, he has given us £10,000
to open a road through Uganda to the Lakes.” I having heard that
MacKinnon’s business aptitude had created the British India Steamship
Company, observed jokingly, “You do not expect, Mr. MacKinnon, that
£10,000 will pay a dividend?” He said quietly, “No, never to me; but
there is a great pleasure in having made enough money to be able to do
something for the sake of those who come after us.” I had known Mr.
Stanley since 1874, when he had dined with me on New Year’s Day at
Prahsu, the boundary between Fanti and Ashantiland, when already in
bearing, he showed the determination which distinguished him later as
one of the most intrepid explorers of the Victorian Age. I had dined
with Sir William MacKinnon at a Farewell dinner he gave, on the 19th
January 1887, to Stanley ere he set out, when he talked to me about the
officers to be employed under him, and regretted he had not consulted
me before they were nominated.
He disappeared for three years; and on his return, MacKinnon
telegraphed to me to come to London and redeem my promise to attend
his Welcome Home dinner. This I did; and on the evening of the 1st
May he walked into the room holding out his hand as if we had only
separated the previous day, observing, “I have often thought of you.
Do you remember what you said when we parted?” “Oh, I told you about
the officers.” “Yes,” said he; “but you put to me a remarkable question
which has often been in my mind. ‘So you are going to look for Emin, is
he worth the journey?’ That interrogation has often recurred to me in
my months of wanderings on Emin’s trail.”
* * * * *
Early in June I took advantage of two columns being at the south end
of Woolmer Forest to practise Infantry making a Frontal Attack on
Artillery in position. The Artillery umpires thought the Infantry would
have been repulsed, while the Infantry were of opinion they would
have carried the guns, though with considerable loss. This opinion
was shared by my friend Major Comte Pontavice De Heussy, the French
Military Attaché, himself a Gunner. It is interesting to recall the
advance in breadth of Military knowledge. When two years later the
Garrison at Aldershot had changed, I tried the identical Attack, with
the sole difference that I placed Infantry officers as umpires with
the guns, while Artillery officers accompanied the attacking Infantry;
on this occasion the Gunners thought that the Infantry had succeeded,
while the Infantry umpires thought that the guns had decidedly repulsed
the Infantry.
In June I had a note from my friend Sir John Pender, saying that his
wife was writing a Magazine article concerning soldiers, and would
like to come to Aldershot for a short visit. It happened that Colonel
Crease, Royal Marine Artillery, was with me, trying some Smoke balls
which were to be thrown down by skirmishers to hide the advance of
thicker lines. This experiment was in itself exciting, and against my
will Lady Pender overtaxed her strength by undertaking a 24-mile drive
in the afternoon, to visit the Gordon Boys’ Home, near Bagshot. I tried
to prevent her going, urging that she should lie down, for I saw what
was not apparent to others, that she was about to become seriously
ill; but she persisted, and, to my deep regret, died a few days after
her return to London.
During my Home Service I have practically never asked for leave of
absence, contenting myself with sport available from my residence,
but in July I asked for twelve days before the Cavalry Manœuvres. The
Commanding officers required a few days in which they might exercise
their units before proceeding to the manœuvre ground; and I was,
moreover, although I did not anticipate the calamity which I was to
suffer next year in losing my wife, anxious to give her the pleasure
of attending the Passion Play at Ober-Ammergau, which is acted only
once in ten years. I was just ten days out of office, and it is still a
consoling recollection to me that I was able to afford my wife so much
enjoyment. I do not think that she, or my daughter, although Catholics,
appreciated the reverential representation of the simple-minded
peasants more than I did as a Protestant. Indeed, the wonderful scenes
appeal to every Christian, irrespective of his religious form of
worship.
Soon after my return from Ober-Ammergau the Cavalry Division paraded,
3400 strong, prior to its marching to the Berkshire Downs, where I
obtained permission from landlords and tenants to manœuvre over a tract
of country 22 miles from east to west, with an average of 7½ miles
from north to south. Just before we were about to start I received a
telegram from the farmers asking if the manœuvres might be postponed;
so I proceeded to Ilsley on the Downs with my friend Colonel Sir Lumley
Graham, who was then living at Arlington Manor, and arranged matters
with the sheep farmers without any further postponement, which would
have been unfortunate, as about the middle of September the weather in
England generally breaks up. I had agreed to buy all articles in the
district as far as it could produce them, on condition that for oats I
was not to pay more than the London Corn Exchange price, plus freight,
plus two shillings a quarter. One of my strong supporters, a tenant
farmer, came to me a few days after the Cavalry had arrived at the
camps of Concentration, and complained that his oats had been rejected.
I had heard the story, and said, “Yes, my friend, but they were bought
in Mark Lane by you, and I can tell you exactly what price you paid,
and we never agreed to give you two shillings a quarter plus freight
for acting as a Buyer” He said naïvely, “I never thought that your
officers could tell the difference in oats.”
The Cavalry learned much on the Downs, in reconnaissance work, and in
the fitting of saddlery and equipment, which can only be tried under
service conditions. After the last day’s work, in which Colonel John
French,[309] 19th Hussars, showed considerable tactical skill, I rode
with the Divisional Staff into Aldershot direct, the Cavalry returning
in two marches.
* * * * *
We tried some interesting experiments in training Infantry as cyclists,
and ascertained that men who had never ridden before, required two
months’ training to make them fairly expert, and to harden their
bodies. Men can ride carrying rifle and ammunition and equipment, and
average 8 miles an hour when travelling as a company, and can easily
make 20 miles a day when moving in large bodies. The Irish Rifles
Detachment on returning to Holyhead travelled 70 miles the first day,
and 50 next day, without difficulty.
* * * * *
I was able to help materially the Auxiliary Forces during my time at
Aldershot. I established the principle that the Auxiliaries being at
Aldershot for a short time only, the Regulars were to give way to
them as regards the use of ranges, and use of ground for tactical
purposes. The result was a large increase in the number of applications
to attend, thirteen battalions of Militia coming in my second year,
instead of six, and eventually the applications for Volunteer Corps to
train at Aldershot had to be checked by one of my successors, as more
wished to come than the ground could accommodate.
Many Commanding officers thanked me, I quote two. Lord Wantage wrote:
“This has been the best week’s big drill that I ever remember.... I
can assure you that the Volunteer Forces greatly appreciate the marked
interest you take in their welfare.” And the other: “I am a volunteer
of thirty-three years’ service, and thank you extremely for the
interest you have shown in the Force, in which there has been a great
and marvellous advance, in drill and attention to details.”
I had been trying for several years to interest Directors of Railways
in a scheme I had propounded for soldiers when proceeding on furlough,
to be granted a Return ticket at single fare, but had no success until
the middle of October, when I called on Mr. W. P. Dawson, the Managing
Director of the Railway Clearing House, at Euston. I explained to him
the importance of the question from a Recruiting point of view, and
mentioned that prior to the embarkation of the Devon Regiment for
Foreign Service, only eighty men had gone on furlough from Aldershot
to Exeter, the double fare being prohibitive. Both Mr. Dawson, and Sir
Miles Fenton, Managing Director of the South-Eastern, and Mr. Charles
Scotter, Managing Director of the South-Western, received my suggestion
in a generous spirit; and from the 1st December the boon was conceded
to soldiers, not only on these lines, but throughout Great Britain. In
the following year I obtained a similar concession from the steamboat
companies plying round the United Kingdom.
When I left the Aldershot Staff, eleven years earlier, although
there were few outward breaches of discipline, yet officers and men
agreed that more alcoholic liquor was consumed at Christmas than was
desirable; and now being in command I encouraged officers to send their
men on furlough for a week at Christmas, with the result that from 1890
onwards, about half the garrison spent the day at home.
There had been, moreover, great improvement in the moral tone of the
troops, mainly due to the strenuous exertions of the Reverend J. C.
Edghill, who came to Aldershot in 1861, for a three years tour of
service; returned in 1873 and again in 1880, ministering in the Iron
church, South Camp.
There he had three Communicants in 1861; on Easter Sunday, 1862, the
number was 136, and later it averaged 200.
His church was filled at every Voluntary service. The Royal Engineer
officers helped him nobly, and gradually, before 1893, when he assisted
to consecrate St. George’s Church, South Camp, a higher sense of
religious duty had spread throughout Aldershot, for as Chaplain-General
he had weeded out the negligent, and encouraged the earnest workers in
his Department.