Our Battalion

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OUR BATTALION

[Illustration]

by

L. RAVEN-HILL.

"Punch" Office 10, Bouverie Street London E.C.

OUR BATTALION.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: The Whitefriars Press.]

Bradbury, Agnew & Co., Ltd., Printers, London and Tonbridge.

[Illustration: 3 a.m.

Sentry: "Sunrises are all bloomin' fine in their way, but I'd rather be in bed."]

OUR BATTALION

Being some slight impressions of His Majesty's Auxiliary Forces, in Camp and Elsewhere.

by

L. RAVEN-HILL.

"An' you're sent to penny-fights an' Aldershot it."

RUDYARD KIPLING.

London: "Punch" Office, 10, Bouverie St., E.C. 1902.

[All Rights Reserved.]

Contents.

PAGE Recruits 9

On Instructin' 14

The System 19

On the G.O.C. 28

The Seven Ages of the Volunteer 32

What Might Happen 34

The Lost Patrol 47

Camp Diaries:

No. 1. Lt.-Col. Sir Digby Sandilands, M.P. 59

No. 2. Capt. and Adjt. "Jerry" Benson 66

No. 3. 2nd Lieutenant Fitzgerald Lawless 78

No. 4. Pte. Timothy Simmons 93

Blank Cartridges 102

Illustrations.

PAGE

3 a.m. Frontispiece.

The "Manual" 13

Not to be Trifled with 17

Flag-wagging 18

Our First Puttie Parade 24-25

Field Training 27

The Firing Exercise 35

Our Review 40-41

Army Orders 43

Patrols 46

A Fair Samaritan 51

Our N.C.O.'s (No. 1) 52

Our N.C.O.'s (No. 2) 53

Hints for Patrols 54

The Best Laid Schemes, etc. 56-57

A Conundrum 65

Studies 70

Ambushed 72-73

Field-Day Reflections 75

Tactics 76

Field-Day Tragedies 77

Philosophies 85

M.G. 86

More Army Reforms 88-89

On Guard 91

A Misunderstanding 92

Outposts 101

At Last! 104-105

Off Duty 108

Trouble in the Band 109

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Our Battalion.

RECRUITS.

The boy hesitated as he looked down the wet street of the little country town.

"I've 'arf a mind not to go," he said, "blessed if I ain't----;" then, after a pause, with hands in pockets and coat collar turned up, he lounged off, muttering, "I'll see what Bill ses."

Bill was waiting at the corner, looking somewhat sheepishly at the miscellaneous display in a "general" shop window.

"Goin'?" he said, as the other came up. "Don't think I shall--at any rate not to-night."

A depressing silence ensued, until a smart lad, with belt and bayonet, came by whistling and hailed them.

"Wot O! Bill; you ought to be down at the ord'ly room by now, the sergeant's bin there ever so long. I told 'im I'd bring you two along to-night. Wot are you scared about?" he continued, eyeing them critically.

"Ain't scared about nothing; we was only waiting till the rain cleared off."

"Well, 'urry up, I've got to go to the Arm'ry."

"All right," said the first boy. "Come on, Bill."

The boys stared furtively round the orderly-room, a little box partitioned off from the disused malt-house that served as drill shed. On the walls were highly-coloured posters, setting forth the various advantages of his Majesty's services, while in the corner a jumble of arms and equipment and a half-opened case of rifles caused them to nudge each other. A huge Sergeant was writing at a table covered with Army forms, drill books, and parade registers, amongst which a couple of cartridges attracted their attention.