The Story of the 9th Kings in France | Page 2

mobilization was satisfactory.
Difficulties immediately presented themselves, for the men had to be
housed and fed. The first night the men spent in the Hippodrome
Theatre, where the artists gave them a special performance in addition
to the public performances. Afterwards sleeping accommodation was
found in the Liverpool College. Through the kindness of the committee
of the Newsboys' Home in Everton Road arrangements were made to
feed the men. There were too many for them to be fed all at once, so
that meals had to be taken in relays. At Headquarters there was a
certain amount of congestion, for equipment, picks, shovels and other
mobilization stores took up a considerable amount of room. Besides
this there were collected at Headquarters civilian milk floats, lorries,
spring carts and other vehicles which had been pressed into service as
regimental transport. Horses with patched civilian harness gave the

transport the appearance of a "haywire outfit." After the officers had
gone to the trouble of collecting this transport it was taken away by the
Higher Command and given to another unit. The same fate befell the
second set of horses and waggons. The third was retained.
According to orders the Battalion entrained under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Luther Watts, V.D., on the 13th August, at Lime
Street Station, Liverpool. It was not known at the time whither the
Battalion was bound. In the afternoon Edinburgh was reached, where
there was considerable bustle on account of the departure of some
regular regiments for the front. Crossing the Firth of Forth, the men
saw with what activities the Naval Authorities were preparing for the
reception of further warships. Dunfermline proved to be the destination
of the Regiment, and on arrival supper was provided by some ladies of
the town. The men were accommodated first in tents at Transy, and
afterwards in billets in the Carnegie Institute, St. Leonard's and the
Technical Schools and the Workhouse. The inhabitants of Dunfermline
and district were extremely kind to all members of the Battalion, and
almost every man had an invitation to visit newly formed friends
nightly.
There were at this time not enough blankets in the possession of the
authorities, so that an appeal was made which brought forth an ample
supply of civilian blankets. Colonel Hall Walker, T.D., the Honorary
Colonel, gave the Battalion £500 when it was at Dunfermline, which
was expended on extra clothing and other comforts for the men. It was
a very generous sum and proved of great value.
The usual training took place, and considering the circumstances a high
standard of efficiency was attained. In October the Regiment proceeded
by train to Tunbridge Wells, where it remained until it proceeded
overseas.
The training here consisted of an early morning run followed later by a
Battalion route march or field practice. Judged from later standards the
training was not as intensive as it might have been owing chiefly to the
facts that, unfortunately, no parade ground was available, and little, if
any, assistance was afforded by higher formations. An occasional night

alarm also ordered by higher authorities discomforted everyone and did
little good. Recruits were sent to Sandwich for musketry, and the
Battalion assisted in digging trenches, machine gun emplacements and
other defensive works on the inland side of the canal, originally
constructed by French prisoners during the Napoleonic Wars, and
which skirted Romney Marsh. Half the Battalion--that is four
companies--was sent to assist with the London Defences near Ashford,
where the men learnt to construct what the Royal Engineers were
pleased to call "Low Command Redoubts," and which were badly sited
on forward slopes. The experience gained, however, proved very useful
afterwards in France.
Parades at Tunbridge Wells finished early in the afternoon which
afforded ample time for recreation. The townspeople were very
hospitable and extended cordial invitations to the men, who availed
themselves freely of them. At Christmas time the men fared
sumptuously through the generosity and kindness of their hosts.
In January a company was sent to guard cables and vulnerable points at
Birling Gap, Cuckmere Haven and Dungeness. Several other similar
duties afforded diversions from the usual training programme.
While at Tunbridge Wells the greatest keenness was displayed by all.
Officers were jealous of anyone who was lucky enough to be sent on a
course of instruction. There were voluntary classes for the study of
tactics at which the younger officers sedulously studied the principles
of out-posts, advance guards, rear guards and so on. Everyone wanted
to know more of his new profession. The thirst for knowledge was not
adequately quenched as there were unfortunately, too few courses and
too few instructors available.
Such an ardour possessed the men for the fight that in some it reached
the pitch of fear lest they should arrive too late upon the battlefield and