At St. Hilaire the battalion spent a month, and from the first it became apparent that the "rest" was only a preparation for a "push." The first day was spent by the Commanding Officer in inspecting the battalion. This is a far more lengthy process than might be supposed, and it is surprising what a length of time can be spent on it without the inspector realizing that he has taken more than a few minutes.
The next day training areas, which had been duly allotted, were covered with the men performing various mysterious evolutions. Here you would see a whole company endeavouring to perform a wheel in close column, with the Company Sergeant-Major and Platoon Officers now urging on, now checking, the onrush of what from a distance is apt to look like a race crowd breaking on to the course. From another part of the field a sudden series of unearthly shouts betokens the efforts of a final assault party to inspire terror in the hearts of rows of disinterested sacks. Here, again, stand a group of men solemnly waving their arms in a slow and stately movement. There comes a sudden order, and in a trice the whole crowd are off, like a pack of hounds, to some neighbouring object and back again. "Physical jerks," if properly carried out, are full of variety.
In an adjoining field two rows of men are standing opposite each other, roaring orders to the full extent of their lungs. This is a rough and ready form of instruction in voice production, technically called "Communication" or "Shouting Drill." In retired corners little groups of men may be seen examining the intricacies of a Lewis gun or a field telephone. Theirs is a more peaceful form of existence during training, and one that is apt to lapse into story-telling, or even solo whist, if opportunity permits. But all the while the Commanding Officer and Adjutant (Captain Wilson, recently returned from his course in England), the Regimental Sergeant-Major, the Company Commanders, the Specialist Officers, and frequently the Brigadier and the Brigade Major, are hovering about, asking questions, correcting, suggesting, and generally supervising. Their assistance, it must be confessed, is often more readily given than desired; but still that is part of the business. "Red hats" have little terror for us. We are not worried with that type of Staff Officer so frequently upbraided. Our Brigadier and Brigade Major, our Divisional Commander and General Staff, are in the main helpful and sympathetic.
In the midst of all this activity markers are called for, and a general sigh of relief goes up. Training continues, and everyone has an eye for the four men facing the Regimental Sergeant-Major. Here comes the Adjutant at last. "Get your company together, Captain X., and fall in on your marker as soon as you are ready." Work may have been proceeding languidly till now, and you might have thought the men were tired. Perhaps they were, but there is little sign of it now. Everyone is suddenly galvanized into intense activity. In a remarkably short time the battalion is formed up in mass, a few short orders are given, and the column winds its way back to St. Hilaire for dinner. The day's work is over. The afternoon is devoted to football matches and other forms of amusement; the evening to the estaminet. On Sundays the full ceremonial of Church Parade would be gone through, the band of the 6th (now the Divisional Band) supplying the music.
On September 21st a further draft of 130 men arrived, and the battalion was now stronger than it had ever been previously in France. This last draft came from the East Surreys, and a very fine lot of men they were. About this time General Bray met with an accident while riding, and Brigadier-General F. C. Longbourne, D.S.O., arrived to take over the Brigade. He was somewhat younger than General Bray, and of the very best type of officer—considerate, courteous, and capable. He was as popular as he was respected.
Training now became of a more specialized type, and it was obvious that we were destined in due course to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres, which was still raging with great fierceness, in spite of the almost insuperable difficulties of the ground and the weather. Attacks on strong posts by platoons and companies figured prominently in our training, and the general formations for attack by a battalion were the subject of continual study. Unfortunately, which is the best form of attack was (and probably still is) a matter of warm dispute on the part of the Higher Command. Some advocated two companies in front and two in support; others three in front and one behind. Others, again, supported "blobs," and another school "worms"; while a third body of opinion pronounced "leap-frogging" the only feasible scheme. The training in the attack, therefore, if lacking in continuity, was certainly not lacking in variety. Sheets of instructions poured in upon us in the most bewildering fashion, till even the most careful student was muddled beyond hope of recovery. Eventually all officers more or less abandoned any hope that they may have cherished of solving the higher mysteries of the attack, and devoted their whole attention to musketry, bayonet fighting, bombing, and so forth, trusting to the general efficiency obtained to solve the final problem as set by the enemy.
The commands of companies had now been arranged as follows: "A" Company, Captain McWilliam; "B" Company, Lieutenant Penrice; "C" Company, Captain Ormrod; "D" Company, Captain Fell. Regimental Sergeant-Major Smith had returned from hospital, and Company Sergeant-Major Heyworth, who had been acting in his place, became Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant.
On October 8th the Division had the honour of being inspected by the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Douglas Haig. Great preparations were made for this important event, but, unfortunately, the day proved of the wettest. We started at 8 a.m. and marched for about two hours in pouring rain along bad roads and worse field-tracks to some exposed ground above Estrée Blanche, where the whole Division was assembled. The position was swept by a biting wind, and there we stood for nearly two hours waiting for the Field-Marshal to arrive. After a general salute, he rode round the ranks, and then the usual march past took place. Everyone was soaked to the skin and half frozen, and right glad they were to get on the move again.
Field operations on a large scale now took place several times a week. They were conducted with such realism as modern resources can provide, and under the eyes of General Maxse, the Corps Commander, and other important personages. The former had a bright and breezy manner in dealing with the problems of training, and his presence generally produced considerable animation among those participating in the operations. From the point of view of the ordinary man in the ranks, these "stunts" are apt to be laborious and tiresome; but at the same time there is no doubt that only under these more or less realistic conditions can officers and N.C.Os. appreciate the value of the lessons learnt in theoretical training.