6. Transport.—During the early days at Blackpool, when we first received a few horses and some old civilian waggons, and from the time at Upstreet, when we became possessed of the regulation transport, the tradition of smartness and efficiency never wavered. Lieutenant Hutchinson had a genius for mules and horse management in general, and was able to complete and consolidate the work begun by 2nd-Lieutenant Eccles. After his transfer to the R.F.C. in 1917, Lieutenant Freeman took over, with all the experience he had enjoyed during many years with the A.S.C. Consequently one expected not only well-groomed animals and spotless vehicles, but also a sound and efficient organization. The latter was always in evidence, and the former only varied in degree according to the situation presented by circumstances. In England Sergeant Walker and Sergeant Lloyd, and overseas Lloyd and latterly Sergeant McGowan, were the successive Transport Sergeants; while in France mention should also be made of Corporals Davis, Tweddle, Steele, and Raws.
The task of a regimental transport on active service is hard. The hours of work and mileage covered by the vehicles daily were often almost incredible. The transfer of the A.S.C. waggons to duties for which the pre-war regulations had not provided put an enormous strain on battalion transport. The increase in material and equipment also produced a legitimate quantity of stuff far in excess of the capacity of the vehicles, and on occasions when M.T. or G.S. waggons were not forthcoming meant heavy work for our horses.
The supply of rations and water to the battalion, when in the trenches or in a battle, always presented a problem requiring bravery and initiative. Never did our transport fail us, whether limbers or pack mules, no matter the difficulties, no matter the shelling.
7. Signallers.—The first beginning of the Signal Section can be traced to Liverpool; and though there was a section at Blackpool, under 2nd-Lieutenant E. C. Adam, regular training can hardly be said to have begun before the battalion reached Canterbury, when instruction of a very sound nature commenced under Sergeant Bowman, of the 1/6th K.L.R. 2nd-Lieutenant Rathbone was here made responsible for the section.
When the 43rd Provisional Battalion was formed, Sergeant Haydon became Signal Sergeant, and a large part of the success and efficiency of the section from then up till November, 1917, was due to his efforts. Lieutenant Wyatt had meanwhile followed 2nd-Lieutenant Rathbone as Signalling Officer. Flag wagging had by now been more than mastered; and the intricacies of the "D III" telephone were now being absorbed, and a limited amount of practical work done with this instrument. At Upstreet the first battalion line was laid, connecting Battalion and Brigade Headquarters. A further step in instruction was taken in the systematic and careful schooling of linemen, and the efficiency thereby obtained proved of the utmost value later. Corporal Gillison was particularly conspicuous in this direction.
The Signal Section soon after this came under the command of Lieutenant J. T. Hazell, a really brilliant exponent of the signaller's art. From the time the battalion went to Aldershot till it left for France, the training went on with fewer and fewer interruptions; and the high standard attained may be realized from the fact that at the official tests, held late in 1916, we produced twenty-nine first-class and four second-class signallers out of thirty-three candidates entered, thereby bringing our total up to about fifty first-class signallers, and, further, won easily the signalling in the Aldershot Command Efficiency Competitions, in spite of powerful rivals. The names of the competitors, all of whom received bronze medals, were as follows:—
During the time the battalion was in France the section not only fulfilled all calls upon its activities in a most efficient manner, but it was continually improving on its methods, learning the latest instruments—fuller-phones, power buzzers, Lucas lamps, and so forth. Not only was the system of telephones in every sector we occupied improved and simplified, and communication kept up no matter how often the enemy or wandering individuals smashed the wire, but in raids and periods of fighting, the section, both individually and collectively, showed itself as brave as it was resourceful. In Sergeant Payne was found a worthy successor to Sergeant Haydon. 2nd-Lieutenants Novelle and Thomas in turn acted as Signalling Officers, though the inspiration of Lieutenant Hazell, until he was evacuated shortly before the Armistice, was always present.
Esprit de corps, evident though it was in all ranks, was, if possible, more marked in the case of the signallers; and for their work, of which little can be said here, and of which, by reason of their success, much often passed unnoticed, the battalion owes a great debt.
8. Medical.—The hygienic and medical side of a battalion, whether at home or abroad, is of first-rate importance. As Medical Officer's Orderly, Corporal Lawton, Corporal Stubbs, and Corporal Henderson, each in their turn proved their worth again and again. On the sanitary side Sergeant Lawton and, latterly, Corporal Barwise were regular wizards in detecting anything wrong and providing the means to set things right.