A Rifleman's Journal

19th March 1917

Applied pass (road) to Daisy's. (sister)
Squad physical, bayonets, musketry.
Lecture by Lt. Larens (?) - "Drill pack".

Original diary entry

The snow and ice of the past few weeks had practically disappeared and in brilliant sunshine the company fell in and marched to the assembly ground for church parade at Holy Trinity.

Church parade was always regarded as an occasion for emphasising ‘Pride of Regiment’ and spit and polish was at a premium. In due course the RSM reported all companies present and correct and ready to march off. The colonel followed by the adjutant, impressively mounted on glossy chargers, cantered briskly down the line and back to the head of the column adding a final touch to the dignity of the parade. In a few moments the band would strike up and the march to the town commence. D Company was positioned half way up the column and from the upstairs windows of the shops and buildings onlookers were watching the spectacle. Precisely as the colonel and adjutant passed by a chamber pot was lowered on a line strung from a first floor window. The perpetrators of this monstrous contempt were, in fact, certain members of B Company held in quarantine following an outbreak of spotted fever in the middle of February. That day they were untouchable but even quarantine would end in due course.

Original diary entry

17th March 1917

Squad and physical.
Anti-gas.
Bapaume captured.

Original diary entry

Capture of Bapaume described here

16th March 1917

Bayonet course - parries, butt tricks, etc.
Whole final assault course.
Zepps.
Russian Revolution.

Original diary entry

Russian Revolution on Wikipedia here

15th March 1917

Bayonet course continues.
Parries and short points, etc. Games, etc.
Vaccination a failure.
Soldiers Rest.

Original diary entry

14th March 1917

3 day bayonet course began.
9 foot trench jump with swords fixed; also high parapet trench.
Parries - Rings, etc.

Original diary entry

13th March 1917

Route march to Horley, about 8 miles.
Cookhouse fatigue.
Moved to close billets - 61 Frenches Road, Mrs Elsey with E.J.Smith.

Original diary entry

61 Frenches Road, Redhill on Google Maps in 2017

12th March 1917

Miniature range all day.
3 inch group application 18/20.
3 inch group application 9/20.
Snap shooting and rapid fire.

Original diary entry

11th March 1917 (Sunday)

No church parade - church full.
Cranfield died.
Moving to Richmond?

Original diary entry

10th March 1917

Spotted fever about.
General spring clean - fire - and high tea.
Musketry. Club.
Moving to Tadworth?

Original diary entry

9th March 1917

Route march about 10 miles with rifle in blinding snowstorm.
Pay day at club.
No weekend leave.

Original diary entry

8th March 1917

Squad and rifle drill in road.
Parade at MO's for dentistry - stopping.
Rifle drill etc until 5.

Original diary entry

7th March 1917

Ruddy awful day - freezing hard - physical and bayonet work in snow.
Vaccinations.
New rifle - BSA Lee Enfield 1917 make No. 142.

Original diary entry

6th March 1917

To range and back without firing - musketry - jerks - now 13th Platoon.
Tea with Wardale.

Original diary entry

5th March 1917

Miniature range - 3 inch group.
2nd target - 17/20
Afternoon - miniature range in pouring rain.

Original diary entry

4th March 1917 (Sunday)

St Matthews was not large enough to accommodate the greatly augmented 3rd Battalion and the overflow, consisting of one or two platoons, were denied entry. There was much jockeying for the last position in the parade and the 'lucky' ones were dismissed for the day at the Church door. So far as the ‘Other Ranks’ were concerned their ambition to forego devotions was not an indication of a heathen attitude but mainly a problem of swagger sticks. These were not carried on Church parade but were compulsory with normal walking out dress and the billet was at the other end of the town. This was an irritation that could not be overcome. We thought we had found the solution by stuffing the thin cane sticks inside the trouser leg, supported by the closely bound puttees. The idea was good for standing on parade, even for marching, albeit with some difficulty – but the ear-splitting noise produced by the congregation on seating was disastrous.

Initiative in the ranks was not encouraged and the experiment proved expensive to both pride and pocket because it was necessary to seek replacements from the quartermaster and disclose our enormity and we had to pay for the replacements. The end of the day marked our half way period of training.