Recruits for the New Army were at first trained at the depot, though in practice they were trained by regular officers, lent for the purpose. As the strength of a company was raised, it was sent with the officers as a complete unit to its battalion; but this system did not last, recruits being afterwards sent direct to their battalions. Other training and the preparation of drafts for the front was carried out by the 3rd Battalion and, later, by the 9th as well.
The Officer Commanding the depot was also in charge of the East Kent Recruiting Area. The barracks were very soon crowded by the number of recruits, and, as new recruiting conditions developed, a large staff of men and women were employed in the recruiting offices, making it necessary for extra accommodation to be provided in the town. The Territorial battalions had their separate recruiting arrangements. It is interesting to recall the helpfulness of the recruits in the early days in making the best of a difficult and only partially organized job, and of old Buffs, non-commissioned officers and men, who re-enlisted for the depot and active service. It may be noted that while special efforts were made to get stout fellows for the Buffs, these efforts had to be co-ordinated with the duty of the Recruiting Area to obtain recruits for the Army generally.
The depot gradually acquired many and varied duties both towards the regiment and the Service generally. To mention a few: the storage and cataloguing of the heavy baggage of the regular battalions and of innumerable kits; the supply of clothing and necessaries during the early months by direct purchase from dealers; the charge of the 2nd Battalion band boys; and—a difficult task for the adjutant—the responsibility for all invalids of the regiment from overseas. These, taken on the strength of the depot, had to be traced in the various hospitals and touch kept with them till passed to the 3rd or 9th Battalion on discharge from hospital. Convalescents were for a long period sent to the depot for hardening before rejoining for service. A novel feature was the Agricultural Company, under a special officer, comprising men of different regiments from overseas or on home service. These men were employed in large numbers on farms, the depot being responsible for their general supervision and for arrangements with the farmers as to employment, pay, board and lodging.
Among old Buffs and others serving at different times during the war at the depot and in the Recruiting Area were: Majors F. Bradley Dyne, R. G. A. Marriott, D.S.O., G. A. Porter, A. H. Tylden-Pattenson, D.S.O. (Adjutant), and Captain H. H. C. Baird, D.S.O.; Major W. Tufnell, M.B.E., and Captain V. T. Dampier Palmer, O.B.E. (Recruiting Officer), late 3rd Battalion The Buffs; Captain S. Kelsey Burge (Agricultural Officer), late 4th Battalion; Major H. Paine, late Cheshire Regiment; Major G. Croft (Quartermaster), late Royal Sussex Regiment; R.S.M. J. W. Harris, C.S.M. G. Holmes, Col.-Sgts. F. H. Wright and F. H. Sheppard, Orderly Room Clerk F. Freeman.
III. The 3rd (S.R.) Battalion
As regards details of the various battalions which in 1914 were either home units or being raised in England, the 3rd had, when Militia, served with distinction in South Africa. It was now, as has been said, under the command of Lt.-Colonel Hirst, but its duties, as well as its name, had undergone marked change. Fifteen years before it had volunteered as a unit for active service, had been accepted and had proved its value. Now a much more weary and thankless task was required of the Special Reserve. It must accept thousands and thousands of recruits, equip them, train them and then, as soon as the men showed promise of doing the battalion real credit, draft them off to the other Buffs at the seat of war, never to see them again unless, returning maimed or worn out, a few should drift back to Dover marked for “home service only.” Truly a heart-breaking job for the colonel and his staff.
The station of the battalion was the Citadel at Dover, and its strength at times exceeded a hundred officers and two thousand other ranks. Drafts for service were constantly being despatched and the gaps thus left as constantly being filled up, mostly by fresh recruits, both officers and men; either those joining late because they at first had failed to understand the urgent need there was for their services, or because they were so many months older than when war commenced and now could pass muster as men, often by the help of a little forgetfulness as to the exact date of their birth. It was quite remarkable not only in Kent, but throughout the country, how many young lads, thorough men in everything except years, struggled to get accepted as officers or soldiers. Many people in 1914 entertained the idea that the British race had deteriorated in manly qualities from the old stock, but the spirit shown at home, as well as the work done abroad, very conclusively proved the contrary.
The history of the 3rd Battalion during the momentous years was a monotonous one. It could be nothing else. It took men, trained men and sent men out, but how it trained them and what sort of men it sent out is well exemplified by the following official report written by Lieut. A. Howard Reed (4th Battalion) to Colonel Hirst relative to a draft despatched by him for the 10th Battalion late in the year 1917: “I have the honour to report on the conduct of the men of the draft from your Battalion on the occasion of the torpedoing of H.M.S. ... as follows:—
“The whole draft paraded at their station with the utmost calmness. L.-Sgt. Canfor (who had been blown up by the explosion, and who was severely shaken) called the roll ... whilst the men detailed cut loose the rafts, the remainder sang until the rafts were launched. L.-Corpl. Baker volunteered to jump from the rails to secure a raft which had no painter. This he did, and succeeded in bringing it alongside, thereby assuring the safety of about twenty men. Owing to their splendid discipline, I was able to get every man safely into the water, and clinging to rafts. After about two and a half hours in the water we were rescued, with the exception of one man (Pte. Howlett) of whom I can find no trace. Whilst on the rafts the men sang continuously, and cheered the work of rescue, and generally behaved in a most gallant manner. I am unable, of course, to give you any details of the terrible affair, which was enough to try the courage of the bravest men, but I wish to say, Sir, that the behaviour of these men was above reproach. I am proud to have been in command of such a draft, and, in my opinion, their conduct nobly upheld the honour of our Regiment, and deserves a place in the history of the deeds accomplished by it. Recommendations have been asked for, and I have submitted the names of Sgt. Canfor, L.-Corpl. Baker and one Private.”
Commenting privately on this adventure, Howard Reed stated: “I had planned out in advance exactly what to do if we got hit, as it was up to me to do the best for them when the emergency arose. I was fortunate in having men who unhesitatingly obeyed my orders, showed absolute trust in myself and behaved like heroes.” The name of the vessel was the Aragon, and the date of the disaster the 30th December, 1917.