We had now left the reserve training area of the north, and were in the zone of possible invasion. The First Line Division had gone overseas piecemeal, and their Divisional and Brigade Staffs now took charge of us. Major-General J. B. Forster, C.B., commanded our Division, which was a unit of the Central Force, commanded by General Sir Ian Hamilton; while our Brigade was commanded by Brigadier-General A. R. Gilbert, D.S.O., with Major Fulton, of the Worcesters, as Brigade Major, and Captain Beazley, of the 1/6th, as Staff Captain.
Soon after our arrival in Margate, Major Temple, to our great regret, left us, being seconded to the Navy for special service, with the rank of Commander. He had been the principal pioneer of our battalion, and had done all that industry and money could do to further our interests. Though detached from us, we are glad to think he followed our movements and furthered our schemes by every means in his power.
We now entered on a series of inspections by many Generals, including Lieutenant-General Hon. Sir Frederick Stopford, Commanding the Second Army, Central Force, in Dane Park, when he was good enough to say that we were one of the best units he had seen.
Equipment now began to arrive, and Japanese rifles, which we could really fire, and we began to feel that we were becoming a fighting, and not merely an ornamental, battalion. We were responsible for the Margate defences, and alarms, practice or otherwise, occurred at most inconvenient moments with most unpleasant frequency. Many are the stories connected with these alarms, but lack of space prevents their narration. Easter Monday morning, in particular, saw us marching hurriedly to Broadstairs at 5.30 a.m., where the remainder of the Brigade met us from Canterbury. This was believed to have been a genuine alarm, but it ended in nothing. Zeppelins were the only form of enemy we saw, and they dropped no bombs on Margate while we were there.
Musketry parties were now busy at Sandwich, where they were billeted in the Golf Club-house; and a Vickers' machine-gun was received, which enabled Lieutenant Bowring to teach his most efficient section with something more satisfying than a wooden dummy.
In the middle of April those who had not signed the form in which the obligation to serve overseas was accepted were separated, and formed, with others, the 43rd Provisional Battalion for Home Defence. This left us only 700 strong, but the defence of Margate and the entrenching in connection with it passed from our hands, and left us more time for training. It may be worth recalling that some of the men who elected to join a Home Service Battalion actually proceeded overseas, by reason of the Military Service Act, before we did.
On May 17th the Third Line Depots were formed, and a nucleus of officers and N.C.Os. were dispatched to Weeton Camp, near Blackpool, to organize our new unit. Amongst the former were Captain G. L. Fletcher to command and Captain A. T. Miller to act as Adjutant. Captain Clarke also left us to take command of the Depot at Liverpool. Captain Moon soon after was appointed to command "B" Company, vacated by Captain Miller, which had been temporarily commanded by Lieutenant R. L. Dobell, who was attached to us for a short time. "C" Company was given to Captain Parker on Captain G. L. Fletcher's departure.
About this time the Central Force was amalgamated with the Eastern Command, and we came under the orders of that Command for operations. General C. L. Woollcombe, C.B., lost little time in coming to inspect us, and confirmed the good reports already made by inspecting officers.
Two serious changes now occurred in our Battalion Headquarters Staff. Lieutenant Barnett, while acting as umpire at a big field day, was knocked down and sustained a fracture of the skull. He was away for some time, returning eventually as Captain and Adjutant; his place as Quartermaster, after it had been held as a temporary measure by Lieutenant Kelk, being taken by Sutherland, till then orderly-room sergeant, who more than filled the post he took over. In addition, Colonel Wilson on June 20th resigned command owing to pressure of business which demanded his personal attention. As has already been said, he had laid the best foundations that a battalion could wish for. A keen "rifleman" himself, he had never been content with anything but the best. If he worked us hard, if he was stern and exacting, he always himself set the example, and the spirit of leadership with which he inspired Officers and N.C.Os. remained with the battalion till its last days.