nies, entrained at Hornchurch for the new camp at Clipstone.
There it went through brigade training, was equipped with its
regimental transport, and afterwards moved to Candahar Barracks,
Tidworth, to undergo divisional training with the 33rd Division, of
which it formed a part.
Finally, after being reviewed with the Division by Queen Mary, acting
in place of His Majesty the King, who was suffering from his accident
sustained in France, all was in readiness for the next and biggest
move of all.
+-----------------------------------------------------+
| SERVICE OVERSEAS--HEAVY FIGHTING ALL ALONG THE |
| FRONT, AND A TRIUMPHAL MARCH INTO GERMANY |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
SERVICE OVERSEAS--HEAVY FIGHTING ALL ALONG THE
FRONT, AND A TRIUMPHAL MARCH INTO GERMANY
The day of the move overseas arrived. This was on November 15, 1915,
when the regimental transport entrained at Tidworth for Havre,
followed one day later by the Battalion, which proceeded to
Folkestone, Boulogne being reached on November 17, Ostrohove Rest Camp
being the first objective. No time, however, was wasted there, for on
November 18 the Battalion entrained at Pont-de-Briques, joining the
transport which had come up from Havre.
It was at Steenbecque, reached a day later, and where billets were
found in barns and farmhouses, that the sound of artillery in action
was first heard by the Battalion. Four days were occupied here in
sorting things out generally, the companies parading, route marching,
and being inspected.
On November 23 a move was made to Busnes, the first part of the route
being over badly cut up second-class roads, and the remainder on pave.
The men, the war diary tells us, marching in greatcoats, and carrying
blankets, found the march very trying. Billets in the area La
Miquellerie were reached at 3 p.m. Distance, 111/2 miles.
Then came a very important thing from a soldier's point of view. Pay
was drawn from the Field Cashier, and distributed for the first time
in France. Next came the notification that in conformation with the
policy of re-forming the 33rd and the 2nd Divisions by forming
brigades, each consisting of two new battalions and two regular
battalions, the 99th Brigade was to lose the 17th and 24th Battalions
Royal Fusiliers, receive the 1st Royal Berks and the 1st King's Royal
Rifle Corps and join the 2nd Division.
On November 25 the Battalion paraded t
|