About 1.30 p.m., on a fine cold day, we embussed for St. Hilaire, arriving there about 4.30 p.m. All were glad to find themselves back in this pleasant area again after a good spell of trench warfare and our fair share of digging. No one anticipated much of a rest; in point of fact, everyone expected lots of work, as we were to be polished up and trained in view of the impending German offensive. The Commanding Officer was full of zeal for modern methods of training. His enthusiasm had been fired by the training theories of the Inspector-General of Training. The principle was to sustain interest by constant variety, and also to sharpen the intellect by lightning changes from (say) close order drill to bombing, or from rifle exercises to physical drill. With really efficient instructors in sufficient numbers the scheme might have had obvious advantages. For the average battalion, however, it was hardly practicable, though it certainly did inspire our men with a brisk and business-like air which they had been in danger of losing. St. Hilaire presented very reasonable training areas and ranges. Moreover, the Corps Staff Officer responsible for training combined enthusiasm with efficiency, both qualities of some rarity. Things moved apace under the personal supervision of the Commanding Officer, who spared no one, least of all himself, in his efforts to increase the efficiency of the battalion.
On March 8th General Harper, the Corps Commander, inspected the Brigade and presented decorations. Luckily, it was a very fine day, and the march past of the battalion in column of fours after the ceremony was warmly praised by the General, who was good enough to say that "he had never seen a regular battalion march better." Two days later a select party of officers and N.C.Os. were conveyed a great distance by motor lorry to Enguinegatte to see a tank demonstration, which was quite instructive, and ended in a more amusing performance in the shape of joy rides. It was arranged that the Brigade should participate the following week in a counter-attack scheme in co-operation with tanks, and a G.O.C.'s inspection was also scheduled for that week.
However, late on Sunday night—or, more accurately, early on Monday morning—March 10th, a warning "chit" arrived from Brigade intimating an early move by motor bus. Sudden moves are always tiresome; indeed, when out in "rest" that adjective is hardly strong enough. Everything conceivable had been unpacked, and in anticipation of a G.O.C.'s inspection nine-tenths of the transport was dismantled and covered with wet paint. Accordingly, word was sent round at once, and by a stroke of luck orders for an emergency move had been drawn up and circulated only the previous day, so in a short time everyone was astir. Transport men with candles in their hands were hurrying about the transport lines collecting nuts and screws; parties were streaming into the Quartermaster's stores with blankets and other gear; while others were carrying articles of various kinds to the Town Major's office.
Further orders were received during the early hours that we were to move at 8 a.m. by motor buses, the transport to proceed by road at 8.30 a.m. Looking back, one can but feel that we accomplished a very creditable performance. Everything went like clockwork; the Medical Officer, an American but recently arrived, and unused to sudden changes, alone proving not ready at the appointed time. He had forgotten to alter his watch to summer time, which started that day, and was accordingly an hour late in his movements. He was pushed into his clothes and helped into the last lorry just as the column moved off. The Brigadier then appeared on the scene, and seized upon lorries like a gentleman hailing taxis in London, with the result that all our baggage went with us, though it is to be feared that the 2/7th K.L.R. were in consequence grievously short of mechanical transport legitimately theirs.
At 11.45 a.m. the battalion debussed at Arrewage, a small hamlet in rear of Merville. The companies were widely scattered, but the billets were not bad, and the weather fine and warm. We at once received orders to be ready to move at two hours' notice. The 33⅓ per cent. battle reserve were told off, evacuation parties for civilians detailed, and we really felt that the day of the great battle was actually at hand.
The next day the G.O.C. inspected the battalion, which made a very creditable turn-out, albeit the transport was entirely coated in thick dust well embedded in what had been wet paint. In conversation with the General Staff, one learnt that a German attack was reckoned to be imminent; and arrangements for reinforcing the Portuguese, who were holding the Laventie area, were pushed forward with even more than the usual zeal. Additional Lewis guns had been issued, making the total twenty per battalion, and Major C. W. Wilson had returned from hospital.
Heavy shelling of Merville was now a daily occurrence, and the countryside, not to mention the billets, was thronged with unfortunate civilians flying for safety, surely one of the saddest sights of war. Meanwhile reconnoitring parties hurried round the Portuguese area, usually to be arrested as spies, while others went off to examine the Sailly bridgehead defences.
In spite of the prospect of early hostilities, an inter-battalion rifle competition was commenced on the miniature range in a corner of the great Forêt de Nieppe, and was finally won by No. 14 Platoon of "D" Company. A Brigade inter-platoon football competition was also started.
An amusing incident of this rather trying period occurred at XI Corps Headquarters, where our guard of riflemen relieved the old guard, which had been formed from a Line Battalion. The Corps Sergeant-Major expended considerable effort in trying to effect a formal relief between the two, but got so involved over sloping arms and fixing bayonets that he finally left the two guard commanders to come to some natural and more satisfactory arrangement.