THE HISTORY OF THE
1/4TH BATTALION, DUKE OF
WELLINGTON’S (WEST RIDING)
REGIMENT.
1914–1919.
[Illustration: 1914.]
[Illustration: 1918.
THE CLOTH HALL, YPRES.]
THE HISTORY
OF
THE 1/4TH BATTALION
DUKE OF WELLINGTON’S
(WEST RIDING)
REGIMENT,
1914–1919.
BY
CAPT. P. G. BALES, M.C.
(Formerly Adjutant of the Battalion.)
PUBLISHED BY
HALIFAX:
EDWARD MORTIMER, LTD., REGENT STREET.
LONDON:
EDWARD MORTIMER, LTD., 34, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. 4.
1920.
STOTT BROTHERS LIMITED, PRINTERS, MOUNT STREET WORKS, HALIFAX.
TO
ALL RANKS
OF
THE 1/4TH BATTALION
WHO FELL IN ACTION.
PREFACE.
For more than two years I was responsible for keeping the War Diary of
the 1/4th Battalion, and it was this duty which first suggested to me
the idea of writing a History of the Battalion in the Great War. Soon
after the armistice was signed I submitted the idea to the Commanding
Officer, who expressed his strong approval and promised to assist in
every possible way. The present book is the result.
The “History” is based mainly on the official documents in the
Battalion’s possession. These have, on the whole, been well preserved,
particularly since the beginning of 1916. They have been supplemented
by the personal recollections of many officers and other ranks. Proofs
of each chapter have been submitted to at least two senior officers,
who were serving with the Battalion during the period covered therein,
and many alterations have been made as results of their criticisms and
suggestions.
My sincere thanks are due to Brig.-General R. E. Sugden, C.M.G.,
D.S.O., T.D.; Lieut.-Col. H. S. Atkinson, T.D.; Lieut.-Col. J. Walker,
D.S.O.; Major W. C. Fenton, M.C.; and Capt. E. N. Marshall, M.C., for
reading part, or the whole, of the proofs; for many valuable criticisms
and suggestions; and for much information. I desire also to acknowledge
my obligations to Major E. P. Chambers for much help with the earlier
period; to Sergt. E. Jones, particularly for his assistance with the
Itinerary; and to the many officers and other ranks, too numerous to
name, who have willingly placed their knowledge at my disposal. Most
important of all has been the help rendered by Lieut.-Col. A. L. Mowat,
D.S.O., M.C. Nothing has been too much trouble for him. He has read
through the whole of the proofs, and the book owes much to his kindly
criticism. He has relieved me of the whole of the business side of the
production. It is not too much to say that, without his constant help
and encouragement, this book would never have been published.
The book has been written primarily for the men who served with the
Battalion. If they experience as much pleasure in the reading, as I
have in the writing of it, its publication is more than justified.
P. G. BALES.
POSTSCRIPT.--Since this book went to press “The West Riding
Territorials in the Great War,” by Major L. Magnus, has been published.
Apart from three or four minor corrections, such as a date and the
number of a Division, I have seen no reason to alter anything set down
here.
P.G.B.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. MOBILISATION AND TRAINING 1
II. FLEURBAIX 12
III. YPRES, 1915: JULY TO OCTOBER; OCTOBER 16TH; THE WET
MONTHS; DECEMBER 19TH 29
IV. JANUARY TO JUNE, 1916 59
V. THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME: THIEPVAL WOOD; SEPTEMBER
3RD; LEIPSIG REDOUBT 69
VI. WITH THE THIRD ARMY: HANNESCAMPS; FONQUEVILLERS;
HALLOY; BERLES; RIVIERE 101
VII. WITH THE FIRST ARMY: FERME DU BOIS SECTOR;
CORDONNERIE SECTOR; ST. ELIE SECTOR 124
VIII. THE COAST: ST. POL AND GHYVELDE; LOMBARTZYDE SECTOR;
COAST DEFENCE AND TRAINING; EN ROUTE FOR YPRES 145
IX. THE BELLE VUE SPUR: OCTOBER 4TH–8TH; OCTOBER 9TH;
REST AND REORGANISATION 160
X. WINTER ON THE PASSCHENDAELE RIDGE: MOLENAARELSTHOEK
AND KEERSELAARHOEK; WORK AND TRAINING; REUTEL
SECTOR 176
XI. THE SPRING OFFENSIVE: ERQUINGHEM AND LE VEAU; NIEPPE;
BAILLEUL; ST. JANS CAPPEL; POPERINGHE; KEMMEL 203
XII. THE LAST OF YPRES: MAY, 1918; ZILLEBEKE SECTOR;
ZILLEBEKE RAID; QUIET DAYS IN THE YPRES SECTOR 237
XIII. THE LAST STAGE: MOVEMENTS AND TRAINING; OCTOBER 11TH
AND AFTER; REORGANISATION; NOVEMBER 1ST–2ND 254
XIV. DEMOBILISATION: AUBY AND DOUAI; THE RETURN OF THE
CADRE 276
APPENDIX
I. ITINERARY OF THE BATTALION 287
II. NOMINAL ROLL OF OFFICERS 295
III. NOMINAL ROLL OF WARRANT OFFICERS AND COMPANY QUARTER
MASTER SERGEANTS 304
IV. SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES 307
V. LIST OF HONOURS AND AWARDS 308
VI. THE BATTALION CANTEEN 312
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE CLOTH HALL, YPRES: 1914; 1918 FRONTISPIECE
Facing Page
LIEUT.-COL. H. S. ATKINSON, T.D. 8
MAJOR E. P. CHAMBERS; LIEUT.-COL. H. A. S. STANTON, D.S.O.;
CAPT. H. N. WALLER 20
CAPT. M. P. ANDREWS; CAPT. E. E. SYKES, M.C.; CAPT. W. F.
DENNING; CAPT. T. D. PRATT 32
LIEUT.-COL. C. J. PICKERING, C.M.G., D.S.O.; LIEUT.-COL.
G. K. SULLIVAN, O.B.E., M.C. 44
BRIG.-GENERAL E. G. ST. AUBYN, D.S.O. 64
CAPT. W. N. EVERITT, M.C.; CAPT. C. HIRST; LIEUT. J. T.
RILEY; CAPT. S. S. GREAVES, D.S.O., M.C., R.A.M.C. 74
LIEUT.-COL. J. WALKER, D.S.O. 88
BRIG.-GENERAL R. E. SUGDEN, C.M.G., D.S.O., T.D. 112
CAPT. A. E. MANDER; CAPT. J. G. MOWAT, M.C.; CAPT. E. N.
MARSHALL, M.C.; CAPT. N. GELDARD, D.S.O., M.C. 128
THE LOMBARTZYDE SECTOR: AEROPLANE MAP 148
R.S.M. F. P. STIRZAKER, M.C.; R.S.M. W. LEE, M.C.; C.S.M.
W. MEDLEY, M.C., M.M.; SERGT. A. LOOSEMORE, V.C., D.C.M. 164
THE YPRES SALIENT: WINTER, 1917–1918 184
MAJOR W. C. FENTON, M.C.; CAPT. N. T. FARRAR, M.C.; CAPT.
A. KIRK, M.C.; CAPT. P. G. BALES, M.C. 196
PRIVATE A. POULTER, V.C. 208
BAILLEUL CHURCH: AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT 218
CAPT. H. H. AYKROYD, M.C.; CAPT. W. N. BROOMHEAD, T.D.;
CAPT. W. GRANTHAM; CAPT. S. BALME 240
LIEUT.-COL. A. L. MOWAT, D.S.O., M.C. 256
WELLINGTON CEMETERY, NEAR ROEUX 270
THE CADRE AT HALIFAX: JUNE 18TH, 1919 284
LIST OF MAPS.
YPRES, 1915 facing page 58
THIEPVAL WOOD, 1916 „ „ 80
SEPTEMBER 3RD, 1916 „ „ 96
RAID NEAR FICHEUX, FEBRUARY, 1917 page 117
ST. ELIE RIGHT SUB-SECTOR, 1917 facing page 144
LOMBARTZYDE SECTOR, 1917 „ „ 156
BELLE VUE SPUR, OCTOBER 9TH, 1917 „ „ 172
RAID NEAR REUTEL, MARCH, 1918 page 195
ERQUINGHEM AND NIEPPE, APRIL, 1918 facing page 214
BAILLEUL, APRIL, 1918 „ „ 220
KEMMEL, APRIL, 1918 „ „ 234
RAID NEAR ZILLEBEKE, JUNE, 1918 „ „ 246
OCTOBER 11TH, 1918 „ „ 264
CAMBRAI AND VALENCIENNES „ „ 274
FLANDERS at end of book
FIFTH AND THIRD ARMY AREAS, 1916–1917 „ „
CHAPTER I.
MOBILISATION AND TRAINING.
At the outbreak of war with Germany, early in August, 1914, the West
Riding Territorial Division consisted of the following battalions:--
1st. West Riding Infantry Brigade: 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions
West Yorkshire Regiment.
2nd. West Riding Infantry Brigade: 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Battalions
Duke of Wellington’s (W.R.) Regiment.
3rd. West Riding Infantry Brigade: 4th and 5th Battalions King’s
Own Yorkshire Light Infantry; 4th and 5th Battalions York and
Lancaster Regiment.
Major-General T. S. Baldock, C.B., was in command of the Division,
and Brigadier-General E. F. Brereton, D.S.O., of the 2nd West Riding
Infantry Brigade. No change of battalions took place in any of the
Infantry Brigades until the reorganisation of the British Expeditionary
Force at the beginning of 1918, when each was reduced to three
battalions; and even then no fresh battalion was added to the Division.
The 4th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (W.R.) Regt, was under the
command of Lieut.-Colonel H. S. Atkinson, T.D., of Cleckheaton, and
Major E. P. Chambers, of Brighouse, was second in command. Capt. H. A.
S. Stanton, of the Royal Scots Regt., was Adjutant. Though the regular
army had recently been reorganised on a four-company basis, a similar
change had not yet been made in the Territorial Force, so that the
Battalion consisted of eight companies as follows:--
A Company (Halifax) commanded by Capt. V. A. Milligan.
B Company (Halifax) „ Capt. D. B. Winter.
C Company (Halifax) „ Capt. D. V. Fleming.
D Company (Brighouse) „ Capt. R. E. Sugden.
E Company (Cleckheaton) „ Capt. J. Walker.
F Company (Halifax) „ Lieut. E. P. Learoyd.
G Company (Elland) „ Capt. R. H. Goldthorp.
H Company (Sowerby Bridge) „ Capt. W. A. Laxton.
All the four companies from the out-lying districts were well up to
strength, but the Halifax companies were weak.
On July 26th, the Battalion went to camp at Marske-by-the-Sea for its
annual period of training. The time was one of intense anxiety and
excitement. On July 28th, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
Three days later general mobilisation was ordered by Russia, which
produced an immediate ultimatum from Berlin. The next day mobilisation
was ordered in both France and Germany; the latter, as is now well
known, had been mobilising and concentrating secretly on its French
and Belgian frontiers for some days. On August 2nd, the German
armies entered Luxembourg, and violated French territory without
any declaration of war. Two days later Britain sent its ultimatum
to Germany and as, on the same day, German troops entered Belgian
territory, war broke out between the two countries at midnight, August
4/5th. Such was the atmosphere in which the Battalion carried out its
training at Marske.
The camp should have lasted a fortnight, but it broke up at the end
of a week. The Special Service Section of 100 other ranks, under the
command of Capt. R. E. Sugden, with Lieut. H. N. Waller as his second
in command, was the first to leave. Orders for it to proceed at once
to Grimsby arrived during the church parade on Sunday, August 2nd, and
it left the same day. It was employed guarding the Admiralty Wireless
Station at Waltham, and the water and electricity works. On August 3rd,
the men of the Battalion returned to their homes, where they waited in
hourly expectation of orders to mobilise. These came on the evening of
the following day, and the same night the Battalion was concentrated
at Halifax, the men sleeping in the Secondary Schools in Prescott
Street. The Battalion was about 650 strong. Scarcely a man had failed
to report.
About 1-30 p.m. on August 5th, the Battalion[1] marched down Horton
Street to the Railway Station, and there took train for Hull, its
allotted station. There was no public send-off. War had come so
suddenly that people seemed hardly to realise what was happening. On
arrival most of the men were billeted in a big concert hall in the
town, the remainder occupying a Working Boys’ Club in one of the poorer
quarters, and buildings near the docks. At Hull the men were variously
employed. Guards were provided on the docks and at the Naval Signal
Station. Working parties were sent out to dig trenches at Sutton, part
of the new system of coast defences which was being prepared. Perhaps
the most congenial duty was the rounding up of a number of Germans in
the district; these were searched--some of them were found to be in
possession of revolvers--and were then marched off to S.S. “Borodino,”
one of the new Wilson liners, on board of which they were confined. The
guard on the vessel was found by the Battalion and this was considered
to be a good job.
During these first days of war the ration question was extremely
difficult. The carefully planned pre-war scheme had broken down the
very first day. The Battalion had no transport, and neither the Quarter
Master nor the transport personnel had accompanied it to Hull. Taxis
had to be requisitioned to take the place of transport vehicles; food
had to be obtained as and where it could be found. Great credit was due
to R.Q.M.S. F. J. Cooke and his staff for the way in which they pulled
the Battalion through the difficulty. At this time the men were armed
with the C.L.L.E. rifle and were fairly well equipped; difficulties of
equipment only became serious when drafts began to arrive. About 100
National Reservists joined the Battalion at Hull.
On August 11th, the Battalion was relieved by a Special Reserve
Battalion of Lancashire Fusiliers and moved by water to Immingham,
where it was stationed at the docks. Here it had its first experience
of war conditions. There were no proper billets. The officers all slept
on the floor of a granary, a part of the same building doing duty as
a Battalion Mess. The men were even worse off, having nothing better
than a number of sheds with concrete floors. At Immingham the Special
Service Section and the transport personnel rejoined. There, too, the
whole of the 2nd West Riding Infantry Brigade, except one battalion,
was concentrated. A further draft of National Reservists also joined.
Only two days were spent at Immingham, and then the Battalion marched
to Great Coates, where it remained for nearly five weeks. This was
the beginning of the long period of intensive training which preceded
its departure overseas. The men were billeted in barns, granaries and
stables, thus getting an early taste of what was to become their normal
mode of life for long periods in France. Training consisted mostly of
route marches, and battalion and company schemes. Great attention was
paid to musketry. Newly-gazetted officers began to arrive, and further
drafts of men brought the Battalion up to full strength before it left
Great Coates, though a good many National Reservists were rejected at
the medical examination. The weather was perfect. Days of glorious
sunshine followed one another with monotonous regularity.
On September 15th, the Battalion went under canvas in Riby Park, where
training continued for another month. At first there had been few
volunteers for service overseas. Little information was available as to
the conditions of service, and few men had yet realised the greatness
of the crisis. But when the situation was properly understood they
responded to the call well. The Battalion became definitely a foreign
service unit. All officers and other ranks who had not volunteered
for general service left it, and joined the 2/4th Battalion Duke of
Wellington’s Regt., which was being formed at Halifax. About the middle
of October, the whole Battalion moved to the neighbourhood of Marsden,
in the Colne Valley, to fire the General Musketry Course. Several
ranges were used by different companies, but the shooting was much
interfered with by the atrocious weather which was experienced there.
Here most of the men were inoculated, and leave was plentiful.
On November 5th, Battalion H.Q. moved by train to Doncaster, at
which place the whole of the 2nd West Riding Infantry Brigade was
concentrated during the next few days. There it remained throughout the
winter and only left when the time came for it to move to France.
It was not until the middle of January, 1915, that the Battalion was
reorganised on a four-company basis, in accordance with the system
adopted shortly before the war by the Regular Army. The original
companies were then amalgamated as follows:--
A and D Companies joined to form No. 1 (afterwards A) Coy.
E and G „ „ No. 2 ( „ B) „
B and C „ „ No. 3 ( „ C) „
F and H „ „ No. 4 ( „ D) „[3]
Companies were billeted in schools in the town. On the whole these
billets were made pretty comfortable, for the men were fast learning
how to look after themselves.[4] Officers occupied rooms in various
hotels and private houses, but had a Battalion Mess, first at an hotel,
but later in a house which was rented in Regent Terrace.
All available time was occupied in training and organisation. With the
exception of a few small guards, the Battalion had no garrison duties
to find. During the earlier part of its stay at Doncaster most of the
training took the form of field days. Training areas were allotted near
the town, and these were frequently changed in order to give variety.
Many fierce “battles” were fought both by day and night. Usually
the Battalion worked out its own schemes, but occasionally there
were Brigade and Divisional days, when the officers and men learned
something of the co-operation of the different arms. The training
was very strenuous and involved a great deal of route marching. The
Battalion would parade about 7-0 a.m. and march out, often a distance
of seven or eight miles, to the training area. A scheme would then be
worked out, and after it was over the Battalion would be marched back.
Considerable distances were thus often covered in a day, and the men
got into splendid condition. After the Battalion had been reorganised
into four companies, the system of training was considerably changed
for a time, as a completely new drill had to be learned. So an ordinary
day’s training became much as follows. After about half-an-hour’s
physical training, the Battalion marched down to the Race Course where
the morning was spent at the new drill; an hour’s bayonet fighting
in the afternoon completed the work for the day. Much attention was
also paid to musketry. This was carried out under the supervision of
Major R. E. Sugden, who lived at Battalion H.Q. for that purpose, and
thus was not able to see much of his Company. Ranges at Cantley and
Scunthorpe were used. A little trench digging was done near Armthorpe
but, as it was still hoped that the war would soon become one of
movement again, this form of training was not taken very seriously.
On one occasion the Battalion was inspected on the Race Course by the
G.O.C., Northern Command; but otherwise, little attention was paid to
ceremonial drill. Lectures on various military subjects were given
by the officers and, in order to give variety to the men and lighten
the work of the lecturers, senior officers went round the different
companies giving the same lectures to each.
Alarms were not infrequent but, only once, was there any real reason
for them. That occasion was the day when a few fast German cruisers
slipped across the North Sea, and bombarded Scarborough for a short
time. That morning the Battalion had marched out about eight miles to
do a scheme. It had just arrived when urgent orders to return at once
were received. Without any rest the men fell in and marched straight
back to Doncaster without a halt. It was very hot for the time of
year, and the march was no mean performance. For the rest of that day
all troops were confined to billets; but they were not called upon to
do anything further and everything was normal the next day.
The time spent at Doncaster was very pleasant. The townsfolk were very
kind to all the men, many of whom made good friends. Long after they
had gone overseas several men were still corresponding with Doncaster
people, and most of the survivors have warm recollections of the
hospitality extended to them. Christmas was celebrated right royally.
Few were able to get home, but everything possible was done to make the
season an enjoyable one. Dinners were served at the principal hotels[5]
of the town and, thanks to the generosity of the Doncaster Tradesmen’s
Association, about half the Battalion was entertained in the Corn
Exchange on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
But in spite of everything there was much discontent in the Battalion,
though one can hardly grumble at the cause of it. The men longed to
be at the “Front.” Most of them had expected to go overseas very soon
and, as the weeks dragged into months, some began to wonder whether
they ever would get there. This long delay was due mainly to shortage
of equipment. Practically everything was going to the New Armies, which
were in training, and there was little left over for the Territorial
Force. Furthermore, there was the ever-present fear of invasion, and it
was not deemed safe to send the Territorials overseas until new troops
were sufficiently trained to defend the country in case of need. But
few of the men understood these things. One man actually deserted in
order to enlist in another regiment, because he thought the Battalion
was not going out. Another wrote direct to the Secretary of State for
War to ask the reason for the delay and, of course, was well “told off”
for his pains. Rumours were plentiful, but, as nothing came of them,
they only served to increase the feeling of disappointment.
At length, one day early in April, definite news was received. A
tactical tour for the officers and senior N.C.O.’s of the Battalion had
been arranged, under the personal supervision of the Brigadier. When
the latter arrived he brought the news that the Battalion was to move
in a few days. Immediately there was a light-hearted feeling about that
party such as there had seldom been before.
The days which followed were full of excitement and activity. There
was an enormous amount of work to be done, and very little time to do
it. During the last few days there was little rest for officers and
N.C.O.’s. Up to that time it had been extremely difficult to obtain
articles of kit and equipment. Owing to the enormous demands of the
army already in France, and the fact that the productive power of the
British factories was scarcely a hundredth part of what it became
towards the end of the war, there was very little material available
for distribution to troops at home. But, now that the Battalion was
under orders for the Front, all kinds of stores were thrust upon it.
The miscellaneous collection of spring carts and vans, which had done
duty as transport vehicles, were replaced by the proper limbered
wagons; transport animals and harness arrived quicker than they
could be dealt with. Men were constantly being paraded to receive
some article of kit or equipment; one time it would be new winter
underclothing, another time new boots. These articles are particularly
worthy of notice. Why a Battalion should be fitted out with winter
underclothing early in April is a question which probably only the War
Office officials of the period could satisfactorily answer. While as
to the boots, it was not long before many a man was yearning for his
comfortable old pair. Right up to the end fresh stores were arriving
and being issued. Indeed, about midnight of the Battalion’s last night
in England--reveille was to be at 4-0 a.m.--A Company was hauled
out of bed by two enthusiastic subalterns to exchange its old web
pouches for new; the men of the company, it should be added, hardly
showed themselves so enthusiastic as their officers about the change,
particularly when they discovered in the morning that nearly all the
pouches received were for the left side. But, in spite of all, things
somehow got done.
[Illustration:
Lieut.-Col. H. S. ATKINSON, T.D.]
On April 12th, the transport men, with their animals and loaded
vehicles, entrained for Southampton. They were to move by a different
route from the rest of the Battalion. Major R. E. Sugden and Lieut.
C. Hirst, the Battalion Transport Officer, were in charge of the
party. Considering the men’s lack of experience, the embarkation went
very smoothly. On board elaborate drill in case of torpedo attack was
practised, but the voyage proved uneventful. They disembarked at Havre
and proceeded by train to Hesdigneul, where they rejoined the Battalion
on April 15th.
April 14th, the fateful day, arrived. Reveille was at 4-0 a.m., and,
after breakfast, preparations were soon complete and the Battalion
paraded ready to move off. The following is the complete list of
officers, warrant officers, and quartermaster sergeants who were to
accompany the Battalion overseas:--
_Battalion H.Q._
Lieut.-Col. H. S. Atkinson, T.D. (C.O.).
Major E. P. Chambers (Second in Command).
Capt. H. A. S. Stanton (Adjutant).
Hon. Lieut. T. Fielding (Q.M.).
Lieut. E. Lee (Machine Gun Officer).
Lieut. S. Balme (Signalling Officer).
Lieut. C. Hirst (Transport Officer).
Capt. A. T. Griffiths, R.A.M.C. (Medical Officer).
R.S.M. J. McCormack.
R.Q.M.S. F. J. Cooke.
_A Company._
Major R. E. Sugden;
Capt. M. P. Andrews;
Lieut. G. W. I. Learoyd;
Lieut. E. N. Marshall;
Sec.-Lieut. E. Taylor;
Sec.-Lieut. G. P. McGuire.
C.S.M. E. Bottomley.
C.Q.M.S. C. Southern.
_B Company._
Capt. J. Walker;
Capt. H. N. Waller;
Lieut. J. T. Riley;
Lieut. B. A. Bell;
Sec.-Lieut. J. G. Mowat;
Sec.-Lieut. H. H. Aykroyd.
C.S.M. A. Parkin.
C.Q.M.S. D. McKeand.
_C Company._
Capt. D. B. Winter;
Capt. E. E. Sykes;
Sec.-Lieut. W. C. Fenton;
Sec.-Lieut. F. Walker.
C.S.M. E. Lumb.
C.Q.M.S. W. Lee.
_D Company._
Capt. A. L. Mowat;
Capt. W. F. Denning;
Lieut. W. B. Yates;
Sec.-Lieut. T. D. Pratt;
Sec.-Lieut. W. L. Anderton.
C.S.M. C. C. MacKay.
C.Q.M.S. G. Jackson.
The 2/4th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regt. had come into Doncaster
a few days before and was encamped on the Race Course. Officers and men
turned out now to give their friends and townsmen a rousing send-off.
Their Band played the Battalion to the Railway Station, while their
men lined the streets. The townspeople also turned out in considerable
numbers to say farewell to their recently-made friends. A platoon of
A Company constituted the loading party, under the command of Lieut.
E. N. Marshall, who records that among the miscellaneous stores which
he helped to load upon the train was one coil of barbed wire. Even in
those early days he considered it unnecessary.
Two trains were provided for the journey. The first, under the command
of Lieut.-Col. H. S. Atkinson, T.D., carried A and B Companies. It was
due to depart at 12-0 noon. When all were entrained and everything
seemed ready, the driver, being a civilian, thought it was time to
start and began to move off. But, of course, that was all wrong. The
train was stopped, the “Advance” was blown on the bugle, and then off
they went. The other train, under the command of Major E. P. Chambers,
and carrying C and D Companies, started more quietly and with less
formality from a siding further down the line.
The journey was uneventful and slow. The trains circled round London,
and the first arrived at Folkestone Quay about 8-45 p.m. The men
immediately embarked on S.S. “Invicta,” which the Battalion had all
to itself, and were soon at sea. The night was quiet and the crossing
calm. Soon after 10-0 p.m. the vessel arrived at Boulogne, and the
Battalion had its first sight of the “promised land.” At last it was
really on active service, and was to take its place side by side with
the men who had made history at Mons, the Marne, Ypres, and a score of
other battles.