Short History of the London Rifle Brigade Part 5

The variety of the work on lines of communication provided scope for every type of individual--clerks to R.T.O.'s, telephone operators, guards, sh.e.l.l fuse setters, navvies on coal wharves, caretakers of a horse rest camp, hospital orderlies--while from time to time at small stations non-commissioned officers were left in complete charge.

_To face page 25._

[Ill.u.s.tration: SEC.-LIEUT. WALLIS AND "D" COMPANY.

_20th May, 1915._]

From September 2nd to 30th the following four officers were lent to the Gas Brigade, and took part in the battle of Loos:--Captain R. E. Otter, Lieutenant F. H. Wallis, and Sec.-Lieutenants A. B. White and F. D.

Charles.

On August 9th the composite Battalion was broken up, and each unit regained its individuality. This did not make any practical difference until October 2nd, when the London Rifle Brigade was transferred from the lines of communication to General Headquarters troops, and marched to Blendecques, the band of the Artists being kindly lent by their Commanding Officer to play it out.

While the Battalion was under canvas at General Headquarters, the officers messed in the Salle d'Honneur of the 8th Regiment of Infantry.

On leaving, a present of a gla.s.s inkpot, with the regimental crest of the London Rifle Brigade, was sent to this French regiment as a small memento of the occasion. A most cordial and charming reply was received by Colonel Bates from Colonel Roubert, in which the latter looked forward to seeing the London Rifle Brigade once again in his barracks after victory had crowned the Allies' arms.

[Sidenote: =Oct. 2nd--25th.=]

The stay at Blendecques was intended to be a period of training before being sent back to the front. The actual period was 23 days, but, as it took more than a week to collect all the details from the various railheads, little more than a fortnight's full training was possible.

The reluctance of the authorities at these railheads to part with their London Rifle Brigade detachments, even after their reliefs had arrived, although complimentary, was not a little annoying, but the grateful letters received by the Commanding Officer in some measure compensated for the delay.

These three weeks were a period of remobilisation. Most of the non-commissioned officers who had survived Ypres had taken commissions.

All the specialists had to be retrained. The transport and detailed equipment had to be indented for. The essentials were received by degrees, and actually completed a few days before the Battalion moved.

[Sidenote: =Oct. 25th.=]

The London Rifle Brigade moved by motor-bus in pouring rain to join the 3rd Division, which was resting east of Ca.s.sel. It relieved the Honourable Artillery Company in the 8th Infantry Brigade. The latter Battalion returned in the same buses. The transport had marched on the previous day.

Incessant rain and frequent inspections, combined with training on the lines laid down by the new Division, employed the time up to November 23rd.

_To face page 26._

[Ill.u.s.tration: SEC.-LIEUT. BARKER AND M.G. TEAM.

_20th May, 1915._]

_To face page 27._

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE BARRACKS, GENERAL HEADQUARTERS.]

[Sidenote: =Nov. 23rd.=]

The Battalion marched to Poperinghe. For the first time it now had a bombing section of 2 officers and 70 other ranks; a sniping detachment was also organised.

[Sidenote: =Nov. 29th.=]

The Battalion relieved the Liverpool Scottish in the front line. The trenches were in a desperate state, with very few traverses, no complete communication trenches or second line, and mud quite indescribable. They were also overlooked, and enfiladed by the enemy. The tour was normally seven days, with two companies in the front line and two in reserve near Battalion Headquarters.

Work was rendered very difficult owing to the water-logged nature of the ground.

Ration parties took as much as seven hours to accomplish one round journey.

On the whole, the Battalion was amazingly fortunate while in these trenches. It suffered casualties from occasional sh.e.l.ling and sniping, but on certainly two occasions the enemy bombarded the trenches and blew in fifty yards of parapet without inflicting a single casualty.

The march to and from the trenches was an exceedingly trying one. Only once was part of the Battalion able to use motor-buses, but, after the first tour, use was made of the "Ypres Express," to whose Commanding Officer the London Rifle Brigade will ever remain indebted.

The Battalion was in the trenches during the abortive gas attack on December 19th, but was not affected by the gas, which pa.s.sed just behind it. _To face page 28._

[Ill.u.s.tration: POPERINGHE, 1915.]

Christmas Day was spent in Poperinghe.

[Sidenote: =1916.=

=Jan. 4th.=]

On leaving the trenches on this date the Battalion was kept in Brigade reserve. Apart from heavy night-working parties, the week was not too uncomfortable, though baths were impossible.

[Sidenote: =Jan. 18th.=]

The London Rifle Brigade returned to rest under canvas instead of to billets.

[Sidenote: =Feb. 1st--8th.=]

Owing to the relief of the 3rd Division this period was one of variety.

The Battalion marched from trenches to rest, and back into reserve. It was attached to three different Brigades, and for a time was Divisional Troops. Eventually, on the 8th, orders were received to entrain the next day. The various outlying details were collected before midnight.

[Sidenote: =Feb. 9th.=]

The Battalion entrained for the South.

[Sidenote: =Gommecourt.=

=July 1st.=]

This fighting is too recent for any details, however bare, to be given.

Previous to this date the Battalion, now part of as fine a Territorial Division as France had ever seen, took its ordinary tour of training and trenches. It was, of course, known that the Division was going "over the top" at the beginning of the offensive, and all training was carried out with this great end in view.

_To face page 29._

[Ill.u.s.tration: VOORMEZEELE CHURCH.]

The following extract from the account published in the Press is given here, not because the writer of these notes does not feel able to give his own account, but because he might unwittingly say more than the Censor would feel able to pa.s.s:--

"I am about to give, on first-hand information, an account of the part which has been played by certain of our famous London Regiments. These regiments, which included the London Rifle Brigade, the Queen Victoria's Rifles, the Rangers, the Queen's Westminsters, and London Scottish, had a.s.signed to them certain objectives near Gommecourt, towards the northern end of our original line of advance, where, as is well known, owing to the extraordinary preparations which the enemy had made in that direction, we did not fare so well as we have done, and continue to do, further south. The London Regiments, which fought with magnificent gallantry and tenacity, did, in fact, accomplish their primary objects, but, owing to circ.u.mstances beyond their control, they subsequently had to retire to a line which nearly corresponds to that they occupied before the battle began. . . ."

For its work on this day the Corps, of which the Division formed a part, received a special verbal message of thanks, delivered by one of Sir Douglas Haig's A.D.C.'s. This was subsequently confirmed in writing by the Chief of the General Staff.