hen the temperature rose to 124 deg. in the shade, and the one thing one
prayed for was the hastening of sunset; but if the officers or men
slept or tried to sleep during those trying hours it was not so with
the Colonel, at almost any time one visited his tent it was to find
him busy; he did not seem to know what it was to suffer from fatigue,
and during all those trying summer months, when with one solitary
exception every officer was off duty ill for some period of time,
however short, the Commanding Officer was only confined to his tent
for half a day. Duties commenced soon after sunrise and very often
before, every opportunity being taken to make as much use of the
coolest and light hours of the 24. A very strict course of intensive
training was gone through and the results were to make themselves
manifest early the next year. Bombing was practiced morning and night.
Bayonet fighting was excelled in, and attacks by bombers and
bayonetmen were practiced with frequency in trenches especially
prepared for the purpose. Officers were trained to march by compass
and stars and some were even given a course of riding lessons, nothing
being left to chance. The long hot trying summer was not wasted; it
was a preparation for what was to come. Long marches were out of the
question, but short night marches were often practiced, sometimes by
the Battalion alone, sometimes by the whole Brigade with an attack at
dawn. These manoeuvres were very popular with everyone; it was
possible to enjoy moving about in the cool of the night and the
quietness and silence with which it was possible for a whole Regiment
to advance on to a supposed enemy position often impressed one. Having
marched to a certain point from which an attack was to be delivered,
the pre-arranged signal having been given, the bagpipes would burst
forth into music and with a wild cheer the whole Regiment would charge
forward in wave after wave and the supposed enemy driven from their
stronghold. A few moments' rest would be given and the C. O. would
call his officers around him and explain, praise or condemn various
things which had struck him and, as the sun rose over the Pusht-i-Kuh
hills, we would march back to camp. A keen rivalry and competition was
established among the various platoons as to which would mount the
best guard, and a very searching examination was conducted each
evening by the Adjutant and Sergeant-Major. This led to great interest
being taken by th