from man to man; it
came to me at last; it went on ... it got to our Commander.

_"No. 1 platoon missing!"_

The C.O. came up to us, struck a match and counted us. Only three
platoons--we were a platoon short.

The rumour was true!

We never saw that platoon again. Its story, as we piece it together from
the tales of park-keepers, policemen and other non-combatants, is as
follows. It failed to hear the order "About-turn" and marched straight
forward. In the Regular Army a combination of obedience with initiative
is taught the recruit; we are still at the implicit obedience stage. No.
1 platoon had its orders. It came to some railings three hundred yards
further on and climbed over. At the Ornamental Lake it took to the
water. The survivors continued the march south. They were seen for a
moment at the Marble Arch, and then again at Epsom. Nothing more is
known definitely; but a specimen of the Corps badge has been found on
the beach at New Shoreham, and it is supposed.... Well, well--we shall
miss them.

These, then, are some of the dangers which we who drill in the evenings
face cheerfully. But there are other spirits, less brave but more
energetic, who drill in the early mornings. I have been told the hour at
which they fall in, and I tried at once to forget it. I am in bed then.
But there is, I know, one hero who comes up thirty miles from the
country to attend. In order to be there punctually he has to get up
three days beforehand each morning, and have his breakfast over-night;
but he does it.... And I think the Germans ought to know.

However, he and all of us had our reward last Saturday, when we marched
down to camp five hundred strong. It was not so much the remarks of the
spectators (many of whom foolishly mistook us for Belgian refugees)
which flattered us, as the respectful way in which the police held up
the traffic to let us pass. Five hundred men take some time passing; to
delay for that time the taxi of some impatient War Office official,
bulging with critical despatches, gave one an importance never to be
acquired in civil life. For a mere editor not even a tricycle would be
held up.

As I have said, our exact status in the military world was
misapprehended by the spectator. It so happened that our more elderly
members were on the left or pavement side, and it was from the pavement
side that I heard the remark (evidently from one who felt that his
relief-fund subscription had not really been wa