The Fourth Battalion, The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) and the Great War

by W. F. A. Wadham; J. Crossley

It was not to be expected that men fresh from the country, many of whom had never seen an express train before, could carry out these duties on a section of line such as the one for which the Battalion was responsible, without some casualties occurring. During the time the Battalion was employed on this duty several good men lost their lives in the service of their country, who would no doubt have preferably made the same sacrifice, had the opportunity been given them, against a more vulnerable foe than an express train.

The Battalion Reserve (chiefly composed of recruits) remained at Slough, where it underwent the usual course of Infantry Training, including a certain amount of Musketry at Runnymede, a very different thing however, at the beginning of the War, from the course of training which developed as the War proceeded.

It would be difficult to exaggerate the strain upon discipline involved in stringing out a Battalion of young and inexperienced soldiers upon a 30 miles length of railway, in close proximity to London and other places of interest and pleasure, or the additional responsibility thus thrown upon the Officers and N.C.O.’s, especially when all were anxious to proceed overseas at the earliest possible moment, and realized that, after being withdrawn from the duties of guarding the railway, it would be necessary for them to undergo a period of Battalion and Brigade Training before being considered qualified to do so. Naturally, some little impatience was displayed, but the Battalion’s reputation for good discipline was well maintained.

Any spare time was chiefly devoted to football and cross country running, with a view to getting the members of the Battalion as fit as possible. The Battalion teams, drawn from all the stations on the line, achieved considerable success in both these forms of sport.

For the mounted Officers, and those aspiring to become mounted, the proximity of Windsor Great Park proved a great attraction, and effected considerable improvement in their equitation. The Golf Clubs of Stoke Poges and Burnham Beeches were kind enough to make the officers of the Battalion honorary members, but no time was found in which to take advantage of this privilege.

For the men a Club was organized by the Vicar, who was throughout most kind in doing all in his power to make the visit of the Battalion to Slough one which would call forth pleasant memories in the future. In fact, the general hospitality and kindness extended to all ranks of the Battalion during the time it was stationed in Slough was extraordinary, and was most gratefully appreciated.

Whilst at Slough an enquiry was received from the War Office as to whether the Battalion would proceed to Egypt to join the East Lancashire Brigade. To this a reply was sent to the effect that the Commanding Officer preferred that his Battalion should remain with the West Lancashire Brigade. At a later date an order was received to send two Companies to join the East Lancashire Brigade in Egypt, and these were withdrawn from the line and equipped ready to proceed. In the meantime a protest was made against the breaking up of the Battalion, and, at the last moment, after two Companies from a Battalion from the West of England had arrived at Slough ready to take over the duties of the Companies withdrawn from the line, a message was received cancelling the order, with instructions to return the two Companies to the West of England.

On November 9th the Companies of the Battalion, except those at Paddington and a few posts at other places, were withdrawn from the line, and on November 26th orders were received to move to Sevenoaks to join the remainder of the Brigade, which had moved there on the 11th. The Battalion left Slough in two trains, the first at 11 a.m. and the second at 1.15 p.m., on the 27th November, reaching Sevenoaks the same evening.

At Sevenoaks the Battalion was billeted in the St. John’s end of the town, in empty houses, which, like the railway waiting rooms, were totally devoid of beds or furniture of any kind. The absence of any large buildings or halls suitable for drill, recreation or social purposes, in the area allotted to the Battalion, was also noticeable, and hardly conducive to comfort or efficiency.

The time at Sevenoaks was devoted to Battalion training, various areas for this purpose being allotted in turn to the Battalions forming the Brigade, amongst these being Knole Park, The Wilderness, Chevening Park, etc.