HOME AGAIN.
11th Nov., 1918. 28th June, 1919.
For the first few days after the signing of the Armistice we remained in
Sains, the outpost line was maintained, roads to the East were
reconnoitred, and everything was made ready for a resumption of
hostilities. But it was soon obvious that the Germans had no more fight
in them, and our only interest was in whether or no we should form part
of the Army of Occupation. It was known that the 4th Army was going to
Germany, and some of us hoped to go with it, but it was not to be, and
we were transferred to the 3rd Army, XIIIth. Corps. When we went,
General Rawlinson, genuinely sorry to lose us from his Army, expressed
his appreciation of our services during the past three months, in a
farewell letter, copies of which were given to all ranks. Soon after our
transfer, we moved to the Landrecies area, and went into billets in the
dirty little town of Bousies.
Our duties were now threefold--to clean up France, to get demobilised,
and to amuse ourselves in our spare time. Cleaning up was a gigantic and
not very pleasant task, for it meant filling up shell holes, collecting
empty bully-beef tins, and generally becoming scavengers.
Demobilisation, though more congenial, was at first inclined to be
slow, and it was with considerable annoyance that we saw among the first
to go, young men who had joined us since the Armistice, because they
were "pivotal." Coal-miners were soon called for, and under this heading
we lost many of our oldest and best soldiers, so that by Christmas the
Battalion was no longer the same. To amuse us, various sports meetings
were arranged--all rather hampered by the weather, though we managed to
gain much credit in football and running, while the Divisional Rugby
football side won the Corps Championship. In these games we were lucky
to have the assistance of a new Padre, the Rev. H.P. Walton, who came to
take the place of Padre Buck. Concert parties became more numerous, and,
in addition to the "Whizzbangs," who worked very hard, the Brigade had a
show of their own, known as the "138's."
While at Bousies we marched one Sunday to Landrecies, where H.M. the
King paid a visit. It was an informal affair, no guard of honour and no
lining the road, and none of us will ever forget the scene. The King of
England followed by his officers, all on foot, walking down the little
street of the old French town, while both pavements were packed with
soldiers and French civilians, who cheered, shouted, sang and rushed
into the road to gain a nearer view of His Majesty.
In January we moved to Pommereuil, a clean little village, where Mayor
and people did their utmost to make us comfortable. Here, under the new
scheme, demobilisation became more rapid, and the older soldiers were
sent home in consideration of their service. We also learnt for the
first time that the Battalion was to be reduced to a Cadre, and all
short service or retainable soldiers would be sent to the 11th Battalion
on the Rhine. Before this last move could take place, we moved again--to
Solesmes, where we stayed for a fortnight and then moved to St. Hilaire.
A new feature was now introduced in the "amusements" department, which
was much appreciated by all of us. Once or twice a week we were given
one or two motor lorries to take parties to Douai, Valenciennes or the
recent battlefields. We had many pleasant trips, and saw several towns
in France which we should never otherwise have seen.
At St. Hilaire the C.O. left us to rejoin the Connaught Rangers, and we
were reduced to a Cadre, consisting of five officers, forty-six men and
the Colours. A large draft of 200 all ranks, with Lieuts. Steel,
Ashdowne, Todd, Dunlop, Argyle and other officers who volunteered for
further service, went to the 11th Battalion, and the rest were
demobilised. The Cadre was chosen so as to include as far as possible
W.O.'s, N.C.O.'s, and men of long and distinguished service, who would
form a suitable guard for the Colours; at the same time we tried to have
representatives of each of the larger towns in Leicestershire, and in
this we were successful.
In April we moved to Inchy Beaumont, where we stayed until the Cadre
finally went home in June. Wagons and all transport were sent to Caudry,
and we settled down to a wearisome existence, having too little to do.
Cricket succeeded football, and we beat the 4th Battalion at both, and
had several other victories. Finally, on the 28th of June, leaving Capt.
Nicholson, 2nd Lieut. Griffiths, R.Q.M.S. Gorse and 11 others with the
stores, the remnant of the Battalion sailed for England, landed at
Dover, and reached Leicester the same night. The next day the Mayor
(Ald. Coltman) and people of Loughborough turned out to give us welcome,
and our long months of waiting in France were soon forgotten in the
fervour and enthusiasm of the greeting we received, as we marched
through the old town and placed our Colours in the Hall. Six weeks later
the baggage guard returned, and the Battalion was finally disembodied.
APPENDIX 1.
OFFICERS WHO SAILED TO FRANCE WITH THE REGIMENT, FEBRUARY,
1915.
Lieut. Colonel C.H. Jones.
Major R.E. Martin.
Captain and Adjutant W.T. Bromfield.
"A" COMPANY. "C" COMPANY.
Major W.S.N. Toller. Captain T.C.P. Beasley.
Captain P.C.J.R. Rawdon Hastings. Captain C. Bland.
Lieut. A.T. Sharpe (Machine Lieut. R.D. Farmer.
Gun Officer). 2nd Lieut. G. Aked.
Lieut. J.D.A. Vincent. 2nd. Lieut. G.W. Allen.
2nd Lieut. D.B. Petch. 2nd Lieut. R. Ward Jackson.
2nd Lieut. J.W. Tomson.
"B" COMPANY. "D" COMPANY.
Captain J.L. Griffiths. Captain H.J.F. Jeffries.
Lieut. A.P. Marsh. Captain J. Chapman.
Lieut. E.G. Langdale. Lieut. A.G. de A. Moore.
2nd Lieut. C.H.F. Wollaston. 2nd Lieut. R.C.L. Mould.
2nd Lieut. C.W. Selwyn. 2nd Lieut. C.R. Knighton.
2nd Lieut. R.B. Farrer. 2nd Lieut. J.D. Hills.
Transport Officer Lieut. J. Burnett.
Quartermaster Lieut. A.A. Worley.
Medical Officer Lieut. G.H.H. Manfield, R.A.M.C.
APPENDIX II.
HONOURS.
~V.C.~
Lieut. J.C. BARRETT.--Pontruet, Sept. 24th, 1918.
C.M.G.
C.H. Jones.
R.E. Martin.
D.S.O.
W.S.N. Toller.
J.L. Griffiths.
M.C. & BAR
G.B. Williams.
G.E. Banwell.
D.B. Petch.
J.D. Hills.
M.C.
A.G. de A. Moore.
M.H. Barton.
C.H.F. Wollaston.
A.N. Barrowcliffe.
T.P. Creed.
J.R. Brooke.
R.H. Stentiford.
C.P. Shields.
W.M. Cole.
H.G. Lovett.
A.E. Brodribb.
W.B. Jack.
C.B.W. Buck.
S.G.H. Steel.
A.E. Hawley.
K. Ashdowne.
T.H. Ball.
S.D. Lanning.
C.H. Davies.
D.C.M. & BAR.
T. Tunks.
A. Wilbur.
D.C.M.
H.G. Starbuck.
W.H. Hallam.
R.E. Small.
J. Emmerson.
C. Hurley.
E.M. Hewson.
J. Hill.
T. Needham.
A. Brooks.
A. Passmore.
J.B. Weir.
C.W. Jordan.
P. Lane.
W. Toon.
J. Wardle.
H.G. Lovett.
J. Cooper.
W. Hubbard.
M.M. & TWO BARS.
T. Marston.
M.M. & BAR.
J. Burbidge.
R. Downs.
A. Thurman.
W. Lilley.
F.W. Gorf.
M.M.
J.T. Knott. R. Hollingsworth. A. Hewerdine.
W.A. Berridge. A.W. Martin. W. Smith.
H. Beardmore. J.W. Tookey. G.W. Tomblin.
G.A. Bent. H.W. Stone. L.F. Crocker.
W. Braybrook. T. Andrews. E. Cooper.
F. Clapham. D. Mackey. H. Edge.
E. Diggle. H. Whitmore. W. Mouldsworth.
E. Foulds. G.O. Pickles. S.W. Taylor.
R. Goodman. W. Raven. W. Orton.
C.B. Love. J.H. Bullen. W. Powell.
M. O'Brien. H. Cato. A. Daniels.
W. Pickering. A.H. Culpin. J. Coles.
T. Slaymaker. A.E. Palmer. A. Holmes.
B. Staniforth. A. Baker. R.B. Haynes.
T. Hawkesworth. F.P. Pymm. G. Emmitt.
F. Eastwood. E.R. Smith. G. Bedford.
A. Passmore. W. Bennett. F. Smith.
J. Meakin. J. Balderstone. P. Thompson.
T. Marshall. H. Pollard. J.H. Caunter.
H. Dawes. J. Ryder. F. Bindley.
A. Carr. T. Starbuck. L.H. Fortnum.
J.T. Allen. J. Hyden. R. Redden.
E.V. Woolley. S.G. Barber. A. Sharpe.
E. Crow. F. Bloodworth. A. Beaver.
J.W. Putt. A. Wedge. H. Shepherd.
A. Hickling. S. Dawson. T. Parker.
W.E. Lester. H.B. Garrett. A. Randall.
S. Satchwell.
M.S.M.
J. Cooper. H. Foster. J.H. Robinson.
W. Fairbrother. R. Gorse. N. Yeabsley.
C.F. Bailey.
MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES.
C.H. Jones (2). W. Fisher.
W.S.N. Toller. H. Swift.
W.T. Bromfield. A.A. Archer.
J.L. Griffiths (2). J.A. Walton.
E.G. Langdale. T. Foster.
C.H.F. Wollaston. R. Gorse.
M.H. Barton. W. Agar.
A.G. de A. Moore. C. Brown.
J.D. Hills (2). A. Hurst.
J. Burnett (2). T.F. Marston.
C.F. Shields. J. Lincoln.
G.W. Allen. F.J. Williamson.
T.W. Tomson.
W.R. Todd.
F.G. Taylor.
FOREIGN DECORATIONS.
FRENCH.
Légion d'Honneur (Officier) C.H. Jones.
Croix de Guerre (with palm) L.H. Pearson.
Croix de Guerre (with silver
star) A.D. Pierrepont J. Whitworth.
Croix de Guerre (with bronze
star) J.D. Hills W. Green.
Medaille Militaire E. Angrave.
BELGIAN.
Décoration Militaire A. Wilbur.
APPENDIX III.
THE CADRE AND EQUIPMENT GUARD.
Major J.D. Hills, M.C.
Captain G.E. Banwell, M.C.
Captain C.S. Allen.
Captain and Quartermaster W.A. Nicholson.
2nd Lieut. G.H. Griffiths.
R.Q.M.S. Gorse, R. L/Cpl. Underwood, A.
Col.-Serjt. Hanson, A.W. " Caunter, J.
Corpl. Lincoln, J. Pte. Lewis, B.
Serjt. Yeabsley, N. " Clarke, G.L.
Pte. Hughes, E. Corpl. Baker, A.
" Ribbons, F. Pte. Deacon, W.
" Rawlings, G. " Morley, G.
" Mutton, E. " Hunt, G.
" Nichols, L. L/Cpl. Tookey, J.
" Hewerdine, A. Pte. Wormleighton, R.
" Major, T.O. " Sear, W.J.
" Bradshaw, R. " Myers, J.T.
Corpl. Bartram, E. " Godsmark, G.
Serjt. Sills, R. Corpl. Mead, B.
Pte. Rock, F. L/Cpl. Law, A.B.
" Webbs, H. " Harris, J.
" Rogers, A.A. Pte. Allen, W.
" Riley. S. " Moule, F.T.
" Beards, A. Corpl. Goss, J.
" Brampton, T.C. Pte. Smith, E.A.
Sig. Rollson, E. " Neaverson, R.
C.Q.M.S. Hurst, A. " Hayward, J.R.
Serjt. Slaymaker, T. " Ratcliffe, G.