During the first three months of 1916 fourteen drafts of "Derby" recruits were received, numbering in all 319 men. Some of these men we thought were rather old at first, but they turned out splendidly. These drafts were distributed into squads under specially selected instructors, whence they were drafted as they became qualified into the companies to which they had been posted. The care and attention lavished on these men were productive of excellent results, as the records of many of them can testify. A Brigade N.C.Os.' class was also held during this period at Old Park, and was conducted by Captain Barnett.
Training, owing to the weather, was apt to be confined to the "vicinity of billets" or the Presbyterian Hall. Dane John was generally tenanted by signallers or other specialists. We also had occasional field days at Bridge, and withheld stoutly the attacking Germans who had invariably landed at St. Margaret's Bay.
In February our first Lewis guns were received, and the number went on increasing from that time till about the spring of 1918, when we reached a total of twenty-eight. Rumours of the separation of machine gunners into a new machine gun corps had been for some time afloat, and on May 2nd twenty-two men of the battalion were discharged and re-enlisted in the Machine Gun Corps. The quick promotion which practically all these obtained is a proof of the good tone of the battalion and of the magnificent instruction which the men had received under Lieutenant Bowring. A draft of 150 men had been sent just prior to this to the Third Line en route for overseas, but the majority reappeared shortly after. A party, under Captain Gilling, was detached at Birchington for some time, working on the defences, and a small observation post for hostile aircraft was stationed at Wootton, and a party was also kept at the R.F.C. ground, Bekesbourne.
On April 19th the battalion was inspected at Sturry by General Right Hon. Sir Arthur Paget, who expressed himself favourably impressed; and on May 8th the Commanding Officer went to France for a tour in the line, bringing back many valuable hints. He spent his time in front of Gommecourt, a spot that was to be very familiar to us later on.
Musketry was now resumed at Sandwich in intensely hot weather, the march—some sixteen miles—proving too much for some of the men who had not experienced that training in march discipline with which the older members of the battalion were acquainted. The balance of the battalion not so employed were inspected, with the rest of the 57th Division (we had ceased to be the 2/1st West Lancashire Division and 2/1st Liverpool Infantry Brigade, the latter now being designated the 171st Infantry Brigade), at Westbere by Sir John French, who had recently been appointed Commander-in-Chief Home Forces. He endeavoured to explain our continued presence in England, which was in no way connected with inefficiency, but was due to the lack at the moment of any adequate force of trained troops for Home Defence.
The continued rumours of early foreign service, however, still buoyed us up, in spite of their failure to materialize, and it speaks wonders for the battalion that they endured two and a half years of training in England, with every kind of alteration in policy, without losing to any extent their cheerfulness and their keenness.
Canterbury, with its church parades in the Cathedral, with its general training at the Parsonage Farm, its company training and battalion operations, its company concerts and its comfortable billets, was now about to join Blackpool and Margate among the memories of the past.
Advanced parties were now at Gore Street, where a joint camp was being constructed for the 2/5th K.L.R. and ourselves. Excellently situated on a branch from the main road between Monkton and Minster, it was only some four miles from our old camp at Upstreet. Standing, however, on higher ground, it looked over the Thanet Marshes, and so escaped the disadvantages of damp and mist which belong to such low-lying ground. The tents were also particularly good. The only disadvantage was a lack of space, the area, limited as it was, being further cramped by the presence of the Wessex Field Ambulance, a pleasant party though they were.
Digging operations now recommenced, in addition to the usual round of general and specialist training. A visit by Sir Francis Howard with an Ordnance inspector who murmured of "foreign service" filled us with the highest hopes. Our equipment was condemned, and likewise our rifles, which had replaced the Japanese weapons some months previously. Apparently we were to have everything we wanted, proceed to Aldershot for final training, and then to France. Before we left Gore Street some very successful sports were organized in conjunction with the 2/5th K.L.R. and many amusing sideshows were added. A practice night alarm for hostile aircraft caused some merriment when Captain Moon was seen hurrying to report attired in a service cap, nightshirt, British warm, and a pair of gum-boots. One memorable field day must be recorded, which was known for long after as the Battle of Pluck's Gutter, the scene of operations.
The command of "C" Company passed to Captain Eccles about this time. He had relieved Lieutenant May as Transport Officer when the latter joined the Home Service unit, but had handed over this duty shortly after to Lieutenant Hutchinson.