ed troops. But with vast new armies, recruited
overnight, it is not strange that there should be mismanagement and
friction at first. As the months passed, there was a marked change for
the better. British efficiency asserted itself. This was made evident to
us in scores of ways--the distribution of supplies, the housing and
equipping of troops, their movements from one training area to another.
At the last, we could only marvel that a great and complicated military
machine had been so admirably and quickly perfected.

* * * * * *

Meanwhile our rigorous training continued from week to week in all
weathers, even the most inclement. Reveille sounded at daybreak. For an
hour before breakfast we did Swedish drill, a system of gymnastics which
brought every lazy and disused muscle into play. Two hours daily were
given to musketry practice. We were instructed in the description and
recognition of targets, the use of cover, but chiefly in the use of our
rifles. Through constant handling they became a part of us, a third arm
which we grew to use quite instinctively. We fired the recruit's, and
later, the trained soldier's course in musketry on the rifle ranges at
Hythe and Aldershot, gradually improving our technique, until we were
able to fire with some accuracy, fifteen rounds per minute. When we had
achieved this difficult feat, we ceased to be recruits. We were skilled
soldiers of the proud and illustrious order known as "England's
Mad-Minute Men." After musketry practice, the remainder of the day was
given to extended order, company, and battalion drill. Twice weekly we
route-marched from ten to fifteen miles; and at night, after the parades
for the day were finished, boxing and wrestling contests, arranged and
encouraged by our officers, kept the red blood pounding through our
bodies until "lights out" sounded at nine o'clock.

The character of our training changed as we progressed. We were done with
squad, platoon, and company drill. Then came field maneuvers, attacks in
open formation upon intrenched positions, finishing always with terrific
bayonet charges. There were mimic battles, lasting all day, with from ten
to twenty thousand men on each side. Artillery, infantry, cavalry, air
craft--every branch of army service, in fact--had a share in these
exciting field days when we gained bloodless victories or died painless
and easy deaths at the command of red-capped