Arras.
It was soon decided that the Army was to be used for salvage work on the devastated area, and accordingly orders came for a move to the Arras area. On the 3rd December the Battalion left Lille, and after a march of roughly 15 miles it reached Carvin and spent the night in some German ammunition huts in a wood. The next day the Battalion passed through Lens, and one was surprised to see how near the Highlanders must have got to the town at the Battle of Loos. After leaving Lens the Battalion marched right through the centre of the district in which the Vimy Ridge Battles had taken place. The whole region was now desolate and deserted. After a march of twenty-one miles three of the companies marched to their billets at Etrun without the loss of a single man. This was a striking example of the efficiency of the Battalion and the standard of its march discipline.
A few days were spent in billets at Etrun and then the Battalion moved to a Nissen hut camp a short distance away at Maroeuil. Twelve months ago the Battalion had spent a night at the camp on its way to Lisbourg. The camp had been empty for some months and was in a bad condition,
so that a great deal had to be done to make the huts habitable. Beds and tables had to be constructed, cook houses established and ovens built. Duckboard tracks had to be laid as the ground was muddy. In this work the men were assisted by some German prisoners who worked very well and thoroughly. No enmity was evinced by the men, who would give the prisoners food if not watched. So soon had the British soldiers forgotten their hatred of the Germans. The Battalion was given a large area to clear and every day large parties were engaged on salvage work. The afternoons were devoted to games and some very keen football matches took place.
Christmas time was an occasion for great rejoicing. A competition for the best decorated dining hut was held. Materials were not easily available and the ingenuity of the officers was taxed to the utmost. One company commander had a scenic artist among his men and he managed to secure an ample supply of paint. Others telegraphed to England for table decorations and some things could be bought in Arras. One sergeant-major borrowed bed sheets from some lady friend and these served as table cloths. The dining huts were consequently well decorated and comfortable, and eventually "B" Company secured the prize. Christmas Day was one of feasting. A cross country run the next day, in which all from Commanding Officer downward, took part wore off any evil effect.
Early in January a "Colour Party" left for Liverpool, where it received the colours of the Regiment from the Lord Mayor on the 7th January, and later brought them to the Battalion.
Demobilisation commenced in January, and by the end of February the disintegration of the Battalion was proceeding rapidly. The numbers
dwindled so steadily that at length parades ceased. Men who had served and lived together for so long were parting and might perhaps never see each other again. Friendships of months' standing were now to come to an end. No bugle would ever call these men together again. They were each to return to their civilian life once more, and there seek their several fortunes.
The members of the Battalion took different paths. A large contingent ultimately made its way to Egypt as part of the garrison there. Others, members of the cadre, came home with the Colours in June and were received with due honour by the Lord Mayor. One or two isolated members crept up to the Rhine Army, where they had the pleasure of seeing the result of their comrades' work, and the Germans dejected and defeated. It was indeed gratifying to see British soldiers quartered in Bonn University, that home of "kultur" where the late Kaiser Wilhelm was educated. A reunion took place in St. George's Hall on the 30th May, 1919. Afterwards the Battalion ceased to exist as infantry, as the War Office changed it to a Battalion of Royal Engineers called the 2nd Battalion West Lancashire Divisional Royal Engineers, to which several of the officers transferred.
The work of the Battalion is done. By the bravery and industry of the officers and men, by the soldierly spirit with which all were imbued, by the discipline and good comradeship which kept all together working in harmonious union, the Battalion earned for itself a high reputation for efficiency in every direction. The work it was given to do has been done in a cheerful and thorough manner, and let there be inscribed, with due honour, upon the list of the illustrious
regiments which have deserved well of their country, the name of the 9th Battalion of The King's (Liverpool Regiment) Territorial Force.
APPENDIX.
List of Decorations earned by officers and men while serving with the Battalion.
A BAR TO THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER.
Lieutenant-Colonel Lord H.C. Seymour.
THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER AND THE MILITARY CROSS.
Captain R.C. Wilde.
THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER.
Major-General F.W. Ramsay
Lieutenant-Colonel H.K.S. Woodhouse
Lieutenant-Colonel F.W.M. Drew
Major F.S. Evans
Major J. Mahony, R.A.M.C.
THE MILITARY CROSS AND A BAR.
Captain E.H.G. Roberts
Captain C.G.R. Hill
Lieutenant S.H. Randall
Lieutenant A.O. Warde
THE MILITARY CROSS.
Major J.W.B. Hunt
Major P.G.A. Lederer
Captain S.T.J. Perry
Captain E.L. Mackenzie, R.A.M.C.
Captain W. Raine
Captain A.G. Warde
Captain E. Payne
Captain L.L.S. Richer
Captain L.S. Elton
Captain F. Atkinson
Captain G.F. Buckle
Captain C.B. Johnson
Lieutenant R. Darling
Lieutenant G.E. Morton
Lieutenant A.C. Shepherd
Lieutenant F.E. Boundy
Lieutenant R.C.H. Ellam
Lieutenant A.M. Adams
Lieutenant W.L. Gelderd
Lieutenant W.G. Harrison, R.A.M.C.
Lieutenant W.J. Lunnon
Lieutenant L.T. Locan
Lieutenant A. Roe
Lieutenant W. Davenport
Lieutenant A.T. Barker
Lieutenant C. Stent
Lieutenant E.H. Maxwell
Regimental Sergeant-Major F.W. Miller
Regimental Sergeant-Major D. Roberts
Company Sgt.-Major F.E. Ash
THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL, MILITARY MEDAL AND A BAR.
Sergeant W. Griffiths.
THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL AND THE MILITARY MEDAL.
Company Sergeant-Major J. McCarten
Sergeant H. Williams
Sergeant H. Chisnall
Sergeant J.S. Morgan
THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL.
Company Sergeant-Major P. Byrne
Company Sergeant-Major J. Owens
Company Sergeant-Major T. Brammer
Sergeant R. Williams
Sergeant A. Bennet
Sergeant J. Midghall
Lance-Sergeant J.W. Heap
Private W. Smith
Private F. Fowler
THE MILITARY MEDAL AND A BAR.
Sergeant R.D. Walker
Sergeant L.L. Delmas
Sergeant L. Bentley (D.C.M. with 4th Kings)
THE MILITARY MEDAL.
Company Sgt.-Major Meadows
Sergeant Gilmartin
Sergeant P.J. Hall
Sergeant E. Jones
Sergeant McCarthy
Sergeant Shaw
Sergeant W.T. Pope
Sergeant R. Lee
Sergeant C. Madden
Sergeant Stapleton
Sergeant McNiffe
Sergeant T. Ball
Lance-Sergeant Pennington
Lance-Sergeant B. Madden
Lance-Sergeant W. Mawer
Corporal Winrow
Corporal E. Hyland
Corporal H. Read
Corporal W. Griffin
Corporal Brown, R.A.M.C.
Corporal J. Clarke
Corporal Leather
Corporal L. Jones
Corporal J. Corless
Corporal A. Salmon
Corporal W.H. Cockayne
Corporal J.R. Service
Lance-Corporal A. Hilton
Lance-Corporal H. Cooper
Lance-Corporal H. Johnstone
Lance-Corporal A. Otty
Lance-Corporal Shields
Lance-Corporal Marchbank
Lance-Corporal Lewis
Lance-Corporal Westwood
Lance-Corporal Rainford
Lance-Corporal H. Montgomerie
Lance-Corporal T. Gill
Lance-Corporal J. Taylor
Lance-Corporal W. Salmon
Private W. Williams
Private A. Turnbull
Private W. Hankey
Private R. Napier
Private W. Tyldesley
Private W.W. Oswald
Private T.W. Meers
Private T.V. Anderson
Private T. Buxton
Private J. Dilworth
Private J. Hanna
Private W. Hopley
Private T. Lloyd
Private W. Bleasdale
Private Foulkes
Private Morris
Private Shallcross
Private Entwistle
Private McDonald
Private Walker
Private Brough
Private E.O. Parry
Private Mottram
Private T. Hughes
Private H. Walmesley
Private Mullard
Private T. Harrison
Private F. Lamb
Private G. Clues
Private J. Jallimore
Private W. Boyd
Private C.L. Allen
Private J. Sturdy
Private J. Petrie
Private W. Beckwith
Private R. Yates
Private C. Mosley
Private J.C. Howes
Private H. Baillie
Private A. Rowlands
Private R. Hall
Private E. Higginbottom
Private H. Lawrenson
Private F.C. Mulvey
Private A.E. Pearce
Private A. Coppach
Private T. Groom
Private C.H. Hooper
Private A. Marsh
Private J. Tyson
THE MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL.
Regimental Quarter-Master-Sergeant A.J. Ford
Regimental Quarter-Master-Sergeant W. O'Brien
Company Quarter-Master-Sergeant A. Jones
Sergeant W.G. Edington
Sergeant T. Muncaster
Sergeant Graham
Sergeant Conolly
Sergeant H. Kenniston
Lance-Corporal R. Grayson
FRENCH DECORATION. MEDAILLE MILITAIRE.
Company Sergeant-Major P. Byrne
BELGIAN DECORATION. CROIX DE GUERRE.
Corporal H. Read
RUSSIAN DECORATION. CROSS OF SAINT GEORGE.
Sergeant H. Chisnall
MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES.
Major-General F.W. Ramsay, D.S.O.
Lieutenant-Colonel Lord H.C. Seymour, D.S.O.
Lieutenant-Colonel F.W.M. Drew, D.S.O.
Lieutenant-Colonel H.K.S. Woodhouse, D.S.O.
Lieutenant-Colonel C.G. Bradley, D.S.O.
Major J.W.B. Hunt, M.C.
Major F.S. Evans, D.S.O.
Major S.C. Ball, M.C.
Major J. Mahony, D.S.O., R.A.M.C.
Major P.G.A. Lederer, M.C.
Major N.L. Watts
Major A.W. Fulton
Captain B.W. Howroyd
Captain J.H. Halliwell
Captain D.H.D. Wooderson, R.A.M.C.
Captain H.H. Covell
Captain E.D.H. Stocker
Captain W.R. Perry
Captain R.C. Wilde, D.S.O., M.C.
Captain E. Ashton
Captain C.B. Johnson, M.C.
Captain A.G. Warde, M.C.
Second-Lieutenant C. Nott
Regimental Sergeant-Major F.W. Miller, M.C.
Regimental Quarter-Master-Sergeant A.J. Ford
Company Sergeant-Major J.C. Ward
Company Sergeant-Major J. Owens, D.C.M.
Company Sergeant-Major R. Grayson
Company Sergeant-Major J.J. Snaith
Company Quarter-Master-Sergeant A. Jones
Company Quarter-Master-Sergeant J. Meadows
Sergeant J.E. Smith
Sergeant T. Ball, M.M.
Corporal R.L. Roberts
Lance-Corporal E. Moss
Private W.J. Hanna
Private A. Bowyer
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