December, 1935.
1/4th BATTALION THE KING’S OWN
(ROYAL LANCASTER REGIMENT)
AND THE GREAT WAR
This narrative commences on the 10th June, 1915, the date on which Lieut.-Colonel Wadham’s notes entitled “Early Days” ends.
CHAPTER II.
Festubert.
We left England under the impression that our military training was complete. There was one item, however, of which we had learnt little, and that was bombing. It was now impressed upon us that this weapon would play an important part in trench warfare. A Bomb School was therefore formed at a farmhouse between Lacouture and Richebourg St. Vaast. Qualified instructors were appointed, and a party under Lieut. G. F. Taylor was furnished from the Battalion. Material was scarce and equipment primitive, consisting at first of the home-made Battye. These were roughly made of cast iron. The bombers had to cut their own fuses, fix them into the detonators, attach the patent lighter, and wire the whole together—a laborious and lengthy task. The bomb when completed was unsuitable for transport, but could be easily thrown. There were other types being tried, percussion and time fuse. The percussion (Hale) soon lost favour, and we went through many varieties of time fuse, the light and heavy R.L., the Pitcher and the Hairbrush, until finally a selection was made of the Mills bomb, which stood the test well, being handy, portable and effective.
We now had the misfortune to lose the services of the Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Col. W. F. A. Wadham, who was ordered to the Field Ambulance, and eventually to England on medical grounds. He had done fine work for the Battalion, and it must have been largely due to his efforts that we were enabled to land in France at all. The strain had taken its toll. It was bad luck to lose him, but medical opinion admits of no argument.
June, 1915
The Command devolved upon Major R. Thompson (promoted acting Lieut.-Colonel) with Major N. E. Barnes as Second-in-Command.