This 'Foreign Service Battalion' was never actually sent out, so Lieutenant Lusk lost nothing by not being chosen for it. During that first winter of the War, his work was in Falkirk, and during most of it, it was that of Staff Captain to the Scottish Rifle Brigade. He took up these new duties on November 6th, and resigned them on March 9th. The reason of his resignation was that a short time previously his own Battalion had been told that they would shortly be sent abroad without the rest of the Brigade, and he wanted to go with them.
A few extracts from his letters illustrate the life of that winter:—
OCTOBER 23, 1914.
It is difficult to overtake all that seems to be before me waiting attention just now, but I am well and glad to be able to do it.... It will be some little time before I take up my new duties at Headquarters.... The Headquarters' Staff consists of:—Brigadier-General S. W. Hare, commanding No. 3 Brigade Area, (including S.R. Brigade; Royal Field Artillery; Army Service Corps; and Field Ambulance Corps): (2) Captain E. S. Girdwood (Brigade Major): and (3) your unworthy brother (Staff Captain). So you see I shall have dealings with all these different arms of the Service.
NOVEMBER 12, 1914.
I am writing in the office of Brigade Headquarters at the Crown Hotel. It is a very comfortable room with a fire in it, and five tables and a sideboard, with no end of papers spread on them all. There are two Orderly Room clerks always writing or typing something, and they always like either the Brigade Major or the Staff Captain to be in the room, or at least on the premises. There are three telephones. One direct to Sir John Spencer Ewart's room in Edinburgh (Commander of the Forces in Scotland); another direct to General Egerton at Bridge of Allan (Commanding the Lowland Division); and a general telephone, which is kept going most of the day. There seems to be an impression now that the 6th will not go for some time, and that they have changed their minds about sending it without the 7th and 8th: but this may be only rumour; it is difficult to tell when no one seems to know, not even the Generals themselves.
FEBRUARY 21, 1915.
There has been some rumour of the possibility of the 6th going out without the rest of the Brigade, and if they do I mean to resign my Staff appointment and go with them. They may not let me give it up, but it is considered unlikely that they would refuse to release me if I wanted to go.
MARCH 14, 1915.
We had a nice Communion Service in the Parish Church this afternoon. I played the organ, and it was a real pleasure to play the things that I like so well. Just before the Service began. I played 'O Saviour of the World.' I do like it, and it does so remind me of other days and other places. Then we had Psalm 46 to Stroudwater, Paraphrase 35 to Kilmarnock, and Paraphrase 2 to Salzburg, then the National Anthem, and then I played Bennet's 'Lord now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace.' I chose everything myself, and there was no one to say that they liked what had been chosen or the music, and it all meant a great deal to me.