ny one we came home, covered with mud, but happy in the
thought that we were approximating, as nearly as could be, the experience
of the boys at the front. Bomb-throwing squads were formed, and the best
shots in the battalion, the men who had made marksmen's scores on the
rifle ranges, were given daily instruction in the important business of
sniping. More generous provision for the training of machine-gun teams
was made, but so great was the lack in England of these important
weapons, that for many weeks we drilled with wooden substitutes, gaining
such knowledge of machine gunnery as we could from the study of our M.G.
manuals.

These new duties, coming as an addition to our other work, meant an
increased period of training. We were impatient to be at the front, but
we realized by this time that Lord Kitchener was serious in his demand
that the men of the new armies be efficiently trained. Therefore we
worked with a will, and at last, after nine months of monotonous toil,
the order came. We were to proceed on active service.

CHAPTER IV

ORDERED ABROAD

One Sunday morning in May we assembled on the barrack square at Aldershot
for the last time. Every man was in full marching order. His rifle was
the "Short Lee Enfield, Mark IV," his bayonet, the long single-edged
blade in general use throughout the British Army. In addition to his arms
he carried 120 rounds of ".303" caliber ammunition, an intrenching-tool,
water-bottle, haversack, containing both emergency and the day's rations,
and his pack, strapped to shoulders and waist in such a way that the
weight of it was equally distributed. His pack contained the following
articles: A greatcoat, a woolen shirt, two or three pairs of socks, a
change of underclothing, a "housewife,"--the soldiers' sewing-kit,--a
towel, a cake of soap, and a "hold-all," in which were a knife, fork,
spoon, razor, shaving-brush, toothbrush, and comb. All of these were
useful and sometimes essential articles, particularly the toothbrush,
which Tommy regarded as the best little instrument for cleaning the
mechanism of a rifle ever invented. Strapped on top of the pack was the
blanket roll wrapped in a waterproof ground sheet; and hanging beneath
it, the canteen in its khaki-cloth cover. Each man wore an identification
disk on a cord about his neck. It was stamped with his name, regimental
number, regiment, and religion. A first-aid