HISTORY OF 1/8th BATTALION
ENGLAND
August 4th, 1914.—February 25th, 1915.
When the 8th Sherwood Foresters concentrated at Hunmanby, at the end of July,
1914, for their usual annual training, the International horizon was clouded
with the diplomatic conversations which had followed the murder of the Archduke
Francis Ferdinand of Austria by Servians at Sarajevo. Many hoped, no doubt, that
the experience of the Morocco incident of 1905 and the Agadir incident of 1911,
would again be repeated and that once more the clouds of a world war would be
dissipated, but when we reflect upon this period of the world's history it is
easy now to see that war with Germany, sooner or later, was inevitable.
The atmosphere was so charged with electricity that it was impossible to settle
down to the normal routine of training, and there was little surprise when on
August 3rd, Bank Holiday, Germany declared war on France, and when on the
following day, August 4th, Great Britain herself, following upon the violation
of the neutrality of Belgium, joined forces with Russia and France.
Territorial Camps were at once broken up and all ranks ordered home, with
instructions to hold themselves in readiness for any emergency.
The Royal Proclamation for the embodiment of the 8th Battalion Sherwood
Foresters (Notts. and Derby Regiment) was issued at 6.45 p.m. on Tuesday, August
4th, and notified to all units in the briefest possible telegram—"Mobilise."
During Wednesday and Thursday, August 5th and 6th, all Companies were
endeavouring to purchase locally and issue to every man, underclothing and
necessaries according to scale. This was a big undertaking, as the scheme for
earmarking such goods in the case of embodiment had not been completed, and
there was, therefore, some delay in obtaining all requirements. The strength of
the Battalion on mobilisation was 29 officers and 852 other ranks.
On Friday, August 7th, the Battalion concentrated at Newark, under the Command
of Lieut.-Col. C. J. Huskinson, T.D., with Major G. H. Fowler second in Command,
and Capt. E. N. T. Collin, Adjutant, Companies and their Officers at this time
being as follows:—
A Company—Retford.—Lieut. W. R. Smith, 2nd Lieuts. L. Rose and E. C. A. James.
B Company Newark.—Capt. L. C. B. Appleby, Lieuts. C. Davenport and A. H. Quibell.
C Company Sutton-in-Ashfield.—Lieut. M. C. Martyn, 2nd Lieuts. H. G. Wright and
R. H. Piggford.
D Company Mansfield.—Capt. A. C. Clarke, 2nd Lieut. J. W. Turner.
E Company Carlton.—Lieut. F. G. Cursham, 2nd Lieut. H. Kirby.
F Company Arnold.—2nd Lieuts. G. Clarke and A. F. O. Dobson.
G Company Worksop.—Capt. E. W. E. Tylden-Wright, Lieut. W. H. Allen.
H Company Southwell.—Capt. J. P. Becher, Lieut. J. K. Lane, 2nd Lieut. H. B. S.
Handford.
Lieut. A. L. Ashwell was Machine-Gun Officer; Capt. F. W. Johnson, and
Surgeon-Capt. H. Stallard, Medical Officers, and Rev. J. P. Hales, Chaplain;
Major W. N. Sarll was Quarter-Master, but, being medically unfit, at once handed
over his duties to Capt. R. F. B. Hodgkinson, who joined from the Territorial
Force Reserve. Capt. R. J. Wordsworth mobilised with Brigade Headquarters.
The Battalion was billeted for the most part in Schools: B Company were detailed
for various duties in the town, and H Company found guards on bridges and other
points on the Great Northern Railway, the most important being the Tubular
Bridge. Nothing of interest happened except that a too keen sentry one night
loosed off at some suspicious looking persons, who turned out to be innocent
platelayers returning home from work. Fortunately there were no casualties.
On Monday, August 10th, at 9.30 a.m., we paraded in the Market Place ready to
begin our move to concentration areas. The Mayor (Mr. J. C. Kew) and Corporation
were present, accompanied by Canon Hindley, Vicar of Newark, and other Clergy,
and there was a dense crowd of onlookers. After an address by the Mayor, who
wished us God speed, and a short service, we marched off via the Fosse Way to
Radcliffe-on-Trent, leaving behind H Company under Capt. Becher, to guard the
railway.
For the first time in its history the Battalion had complete First Line and
Train Transport with it, this being under the command of Lieut. Davenport, who
had been appointed Transport Officer. The vehicles were not exactly regulation
pattern, but little fault could be found with the horses, all of which had been
purchased locally. Floats from Warwick and Richardson's and Hole's formed the
majority of the Small Arm Ammunition and tool carts, whilst Dickens's Mineral
Water drays and Davy's Brewery drays made fairly good General Service wagons,
when fitted with light wooden sides. A furniture van full of blankets, two
Corporation water carts, and a bread cart with a large red cross on each side,
completed the collection. We feel sure that few Regimental Transports can have
looked more like a circus than did ours as we left Newark.
The march of 14 miles to Radcliffe-on-Trent was completed about 4 p.m., and
after a good night's rest we left early on August 11th, and proceeding via
Nottingham, arrived at Derby at 6.30 p.m., after a 23 mile march. This was a
very severe test for all, as few were really "hard" enough at that time for such
a long trek. Route marches were accordingly carried out, on each of the three
extremely hot days spent at Derby, as the main part of our programme.
Whilst at Derby the main subject of discussion was that of Imperial Service for
Territorial units. So far as we were concerned a considerable number of officers
and men had already volunteered. There were many others who had not actually
done so, but there was no doubt as to what their answer would be. Of the
remainder many were practically disqualified from serving abroad by reason of
age, unfitness, family and business ties, and other reasons, and for them, in
the light of the little we knew then, the decision was most difficult, and the
need for it we hardly thought fair. The demand for volunteers was in the first
instance put rather baldly, with little notice, and with apparently little
realisation of the enormous difficulties under which so many were labouring, and
it was not surprising that this appeal met with little response. A second
earnest appeal, reinforced by the feeling that the honour, even the existence of
the Battalion was in danger, resulted in over 800 volunteering, which was
eminently satisfactory, though it is impossible to avoid the feeling that many
who volunteered then did so against their better judgment, and that the decision
should have been made for them.
All the other units in the Division having more or less similarly settled this
vital question, training was started in earnest.
The first area allotted to the Division was Hertfordshire, and we entrained on
August 15th, for the first time, and by no means the last. Hours went by after
our scheduled time before there was any sign of the train. In an adjoining
field, however, the various Company entertainers had full scope and played to
large audiences. Eventually we got off in two trains, and detraining at Leagrave
marched the last three miles to Luton, where we arrived in the early hours of
August 16th. Here we stayed for six days and carried out a little training,
mostly at Luton Hoo and Markyate. We cannot say that we regarded this as the
most pleasant of our experiences, as our billets were not of the best either for
Officers, who were mostly crowded into a few cottages, and took turns at bathing
in small tin baths in the sculleries, or men who were also crowded in somewhat
unwholesome schools, while our menu consisted monotonously of bully beef and
pickle, and army biscuit and cheese.
Better things fortunately were in store, for on August 21st, we moved on a few
miles to Harpenden, where we were destined to stay for three months, and where
we received on all sides the greatest possible hospitality. We are sure that all
who were billeted at Harpenden will look back with the greatest pleasure to the
time spent in that delightful district. The men for the most part were billeted
in small houses, three or four together, and with the more than ample rations
and billeting allowances then in force, both men and billet owners were
exceedingly well off.
Here we had also the 5th, 6th and 7th Sherwood Foresters, which, with ourselves,
formed the Notts, and Derby Infantry Brigade, under the Command of
Brigadier-General C. T. Shipley, who had Major E. M. Morris as Brigade Major,
and Capt. R. J. Wordsworth as Staff Captain. The Stafford and Lincoln and
Leicester Infantry Brigades completed the North Midland Division, which was
commanded by Major-General The Hon. E. J. Montagu Stuart-Wortley.
Fortunately the weather for some time was splendid, and the Battalion soon began
to shew the result of constant and regular drill, and the turnout and smartness
improved rapidly. Training comprised almost every possible form that could be
required to make both officers and men efficient, and went so far as to include
the detailing of Sergt.-Instructor Mounteney to carry out the by no means easy
task of trying to turn Officers into swordsmen. It is no disparagement of his
efforts to congratulate ourselves that we never had to put our lessons to the
test of stern reality. "Infantry Training" and "Field Service Regulations" were
studied and more or less followed out in practice in all we did. Most of our
drill, musketry instruction, bayonet fighting, physical exercises, and outpost
drill were carried out on the splendid Common at Harpenden, but our training
area extended to most of the surrounding parks and farms, where the bulk of our
more advanced work in attack practice and tactical exercises was carried out.
Perhaps some of the best remembered places are "High Firs," where we first spent
a night in bivouacs, Sandridge, where there was a small range, Rothamstead Park,
Redbourn, Ayre's End, Hammond's End Farm, Annable's Farm, Mackery End, Thrale's
End Farm, where barbed wire entanglements were put up, the like of which we
never saw in France or anywhere else, and Cold Harbour. At Sundon, not far from
Dunstable, we dug and occupied our first real trench system, which after a
preliminary skirmish at night, when rockets were used to guide the attacking
troops, had to withstand a heavy dawn attack by the Lincoln and Leicester
Brigade.
Classification practices were fired at Wardown and Galley Hill ranges, near
Luton, on thoroughly wet and disagreeable days, with ammunition not intended for
the rifle we were using, and altogether under such adverse conditions, that good
scores were impossible.
In addition to Brigade and Divisional schemes in the neighbourhood of Harpenden
we had big shows on two days at Kinsworth, near Dunstable. Of our indoor
classes, probably the most entertaining were the French lessons given after mess
sometimes by a kind friend from the Y.M.C.A.; he did his best, but we fear that
it was not quite the right time of day to find a class of Officers in a mood for
imbibing instruction.
Meanwhile there were many changes in personnel: Lieut. James took over A Company
from Lieut. Smith, who was unfit; Capt. Appleby and Lieut. Cursham proceeded to
Dunstable to take charge of Home Service men; Lieut. Quibell went to the Depôt
at Newark; Capt. Tylden-Wright being unfit, G Company was handed over to Capt.
Allen; Lieut. Turner took over the Machine-Gun Section on Lieut. Ashwell
becoming Assistant Adjutant; Lieut. G. Clarke was Musketry Officer; Lieut. H. B.
S. Handford, Signalling Officer; and Lieut. Piggford, Scout Officer. Subalterns
who joined during these early days included 2nd Lieuts. W. H. Hollins, J. V.
Edge, A. Hacking, E. M. Hacking, W. N. Wright, J. R. Eddison, B. W. Vann, J. M.
Gray. J. S. C. Oates, R. E. Hemingway, A. P. F. Hamilton, and W. C. C. Weetman.
Hamilton soon left us to join the Divisional Cyclists and afterwards served with
the Tank Corps, winning the M.C. In other ranks there were also changes: Sergt.-Instructors
Hancock, Holmes and Walker went to other units, a number of men went to
Dunstable, and a good many were discharged medically unfit, but our numbers were
constantly being swelled by the arrival of recruits who kept coming in batches
at frequent intervals from the Depôt, and made up our strength practically to
establishment.
Lieut.-Col. G. S. Foljambe, who had joined from the Territorial Force Reserve,
was in charge at the Depôt, and later commanded for some time the 3rd Line, with
the unenviable task of getting together and training in an extraordinarily short
space of time, personnel to replenish the 1st and 2nd Lines. Many young Officers
and others who passed through his hands in those days look back with pleasure
and affection to the happy times spent under his kindly care at Newark and
Belton Park.
Recreations in these early days were run on the usual lines. Padre Hales had a
reading room and organised Battalion Concerts from time to time, at which much
local talent was displayed, but with everyone living in houses organised
entertainment was not so necessary as we later found it to be in isolated camps,
or at out-of-the-way villages in France.
We were inspected three times during this period; once at Harpenden by
Lieut.-General Sir Ian Hamilton, commanding the Central Force, again on
September 29th, by Lord Kitchener in Luton Hoo Park, when we thought we made a
very creditable display, and lastly, on October 6th, after we had carried out an
attack scheme ending up on the Sandridge Rifle Range, when the Battalion had the
honour of marching past Lord Roberts.
The air, of course, was full of rumours. As early as September 1st, we were told
that we should be off to France in a month: later the date was fixed for October
30th, and then November 7th, Bordeaux being mentioned as the elusive objective.
On this last occasion it seemed so certain that we were going that a farewell
sermon was preached, which turned out to be decidedly premature. We heard with
every conceivable detail the delicious stories of the thousands of Russians who
kept pouring through Nottingham, and like others we had the usual excitements of
spy scares, all of which were very entertaining, and one at least highly
dangerous, when one of our chases took some of us over the railway embankment
armed with loaded revolvers.
Whatever the possibilities of our going out early may have been, one step was
taken which could have had only that object in view, viz. inoculation against
typhoid. We can only hope that the Medical Officers who operated on us got more
fun out of the operation than we did.
Marching orders came eventually, and as ever, when least expected. Late on
Sunday evening, November 15th, we were told to be ready to move at an hour's
notice. This was presumed to be due to a feared raid and landing on the East
Coast—at any rate one hopes there was some equally good reason for it, for quite
a number of Officers and men had been allowed to go on week-end leave, and had
to be recalled by telegram, whilst the following day was to have been a holiday.
We shall not easily forget that night—the energy we expended in packing valises,
brows sweating, tempers bad, language beyond description,—all trying the
impossible feat of making the wonderful collection of kit we had got together on
the advice of one friend or another keep within the allotted allowance of 35lbs.
Apart from our own individual troubles, we had the additional enormous task set
of issuing new equipment to everybody. The 1908 bandolier pattern had been
withdrawn, and new leather equipment (pattern 1914) had arrived on the previous
Friday and Saturday, and the Quarter-Master's staff had been busy marking it and
getting it ready for issuing. This all had to be issued during the Sunday night,
and was carried round to billets in blankets. The language of something like 900
men all trying to put together an entirely new set of equipment, the like of
which they had never seen, may well be imagined. We were the first Battalion to
be issued with this equipment, which on the next day's march proved very
unsatisfactory, many buckles and straps pulling right out of the webbing of the
packs and haversacks. We were glad when a month later it was all withdrawn, and
we were issued with the much more popular and lasting web equipment.
Eventually the Battalion paraded at 9 a.m. on November 16th, one hour late, and
in consequence instead of leading the Brigade we had to march in rear. We got to
Harlow, a distance of something like 26 miles, about 8 p.m. This was a very
trying march, and as many men had only been issued with new boots during the
night, it was not surprising that several fell out. On this march we first
realised what a difficult and technical job "supply" can be. The supply and
baggage wagons appear to have been hopelessly overloaded, and in consequence
both rations and blankets failed to reach us that night. It was largely owing to
the extreme kindness and hospitality of the inhabitants of the delightful little
village of Harlow, amongst whom was the evergreen veteran Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C.,
that we were fed and breakfasted and able to continue the march the following
day, 14 miles to Dunmow. This proved more trying than the previous day, and the
Medical Officer and stretcher-bearers had a busy time attending to those who
fell out.
On the 18th, we finished the journey by a nine mile march to Bocking, and there
settled down into billets for the rest of our time in England. Though we were
spoilt at Harpenden, we are sure that all ranks have nothing but pleasant
recollections of the time spent at Braintree and Bocking, where one and all
treated us with the greatest kindness, and we hope were sorry to lose us. Where
all were so kind it is almost invidious to mention names, but one feels (though
they themselves would be the first to deny it) that a special debt of gratitude
is owed to the Nuns of the Convent at Booking, whose kindness and care for those
who were billeted at the Convent, and for all with whom they came in contact,
were beyond all praise.
In order to prepare for any possible German landing on the Essex coast orders
had been issued for a series of trenches to be dug to form defensive lines for
the protection of London, and we were at once set on to this work, which was
pushed on as rapidly as possible, systems of trenches, redoubts, gun positions,
and other defensive works being put in hand. Our work was mainly at Panfield,
Marks Farm and Black Notley. It was not an ideal season for trench digging,
especially in the clay of Essex, which was the "genuine" article, and we were
glad when the bulk of it was finished by Christmas. This work was carried out
under Royal Engineers' supervision and was in some ways instructive, although we
thought that the principles we had been taught in the Military Manuals were
frequently violated by the siting of trenches along the sides of prominent
hedgerows. Nevertheless, what we did was more after the nature of what we were
to meet in France, and therefore of considerable practical value. That our work
was satisfactory was testified to by the insertion in Central Force Orders of
January 23rd, 1915, of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief's keen
appreciation of the soldierly spirit and enthusiasm shewn for the work by all
ranks. All the same, we have no regrets that it was never necessary to occupy
the trenches for actual warfare.
Owing to another scare Christmas leave was cancelled. Scarborough had been
bombarded on December 22nd, and there was apparently a bit of a "breeze."
According to one writer this was due to a little lack of liaison between our
Naval and Military authorities. The former had apparently spread a rumour that
an invasion of the German Coast was to take place, and the enemy concentrated
numbers of troops there in case it happened. This concentration came to the
knowledge of our military spies, who, however were not told of the cause, and
their report appears to have caused our War Office to think that an invasion of
England was contemplated. We were not, however, by any means dull at Christmas.
On December 24th, we beat the 6th Battalion 2—1 in the first round of the
Divisional Football competition, Vann being skipper, and in the evening the
Warrant Officers and N.C.O.'s had a dance at Braintree Corn Exchange. On
Christmas Day there was Church Parade at Braintree, when the Bishop of Derby
preached. Later, dinners were issued on a sumptuous scale, and in the evening
the Officers were entertained at the White Hart by the Colonel and Major Fowler.
In a later round of the Divisional Cup Competition, we beat the Divisional
Mechanical Transport Column 3—0, and got into the semi-final, when, however, we
were badly beaten by the 4th Leicesters at Bishop's Stortford, by 3 goals to
nil. In a Brigade paper chase which was held on December 26th, Pvte. Allen of E
Company came in first.
On December 28th, we returned to Luton by train to carry out final firing
practices at the Wardown and Galley Hill Ranges, and field firing practice at
Dunstable in appalling weather, when frost, snow and rain made accurate shooting
perfectly impossible, and we were glad indeed to get back to Bocking on January
6th, 1915.
The rest of our time was spent in final training, mainly carried out at Gosfield
Park and Abbot's Hall, and in preparations for going out, in which the
inspection and completion of equipment of all kinds played a prominent part.
This was not too easy a job for the young Company or Section Commanders, as the
men by this time were up to all the "old soldier" tricks, and were very clever
at making one article appear almost simultaneously in half-a-dozen different
kits. Drill included a certain amount of new bayonet fighting and other
exercises under Major A. C. Clarke, who had attended a course at Chelsea. Mules
arrived in January and were objects of much interest; our miscellaneous
transport vehicles were discarded and replaced by new ordnance pattern issues,
to which were added two Lune Valley Cookers, kindly presented by the ladies of
Nottinghamshire. At the end of January the Battalion had to be completely
reorganised in order to come into line with the regular Battalions: the old
8-Company system was abolished, and the 1914 Double Company organisation
introduced, entailing an immense amount of work and keeping us busy right up to
the time of our departure. The situation was not helped by the absence of Major
Fowler with eight Subalterns and 407 recruits, who were away carrying out
musketry classification practices at Luton from February 3rd to 20th.
Our chief relaxation at Bocking in the early part of 1915 was night searching
for elusive spies, who were supposed to carry on lamp signalling; more often
than not when these were tracked down they turned out to be innocent stable
guards doing their nightly rounds. At other times we picketed the roads to hold
up motor cars which were supposed to be acting as guides to Zeppelins, but it is
doubtful whether either of these occupations did a great deal towards bringing
about the more rapid conclusion of the war.
One also remembers the excitement caused by the first Boche aeroplane dropping
bombs within a mile of the village, which we, of course, imagined had been
dropped for our especial benefit. One of the Scouts secured a "dud," which was
the object of much interest to everyone, up to the Divisional Commander.
It was about this time that the first distinguishing patches were allotted to
Battalions. Our first was a square green patch worn behind the cap badge,
undoubtedly very smart, and the envy of the other Battalions in the Brigade.
When we got to France the Officers of the Battalion had to wear two short
vertical green stripes at the top of the back of the jacket, to enable them to
be picked out from behind, as all ranks were more or less similarly dressed and
Officers' swords were discarded. Later still these marks were worn by all ranks
in the Battalion, and the practice was continued up to the end of the war.
On February 15th, confidential orders were received that we were to proceed
abroad at a very early date. Final preparations were put in hand, equipment,
stores and clothing were issued to complete, and everything was made ready for a
move.
On February 16th, Col. Huskinson received notice of his appointment as Commander
of Base Details on Lines of Communication with Capt. G. Clarke as his Adjutant.
Col. Huskinson had been to a great extent responsible for the recruiting of the
Battalion to full strength before the war, and his keenness and enthusiasm
throughout the difficult times of reorganisation and training during these first
six months of the war, contributed largely to the high standard of morale and
general efficiency reached in England. One and all were sorry to lose him, but
we were glad indeed to find that Major Fowler was to succeed him in Command of
the Battalion.
On February 19th, we had the honour of being inspected with the rest of the
Division by H.M. the King, at Hallingbury Place, near Bishop's Stortford.
Into the last few days was crowded an immense amount of work, for the final
arrangements never seemed to finish, and changes took place right up to the
last. We were made up to establishment in Officers by the arrival of Lieuts. G.
S. Heathcote and F. B. Lawson, and 2nd Lieuts. C. L. Hill and T. H. F. Adams,
whilst large reinforcements from the 2/8th Battalion on February 22nd, brought
us up to full strength, and when we left Bocking on February 25th, we were 31
Officers and 996 other ranks. Second Lieut. R. E. Hemingway was left behind with
100 men as the First Reinforcement, and the Orderly Room was handed over to the
care of Col.-Sergt. Instructor F. Kieran. We left by two trains at 7.50 and 9.15
a.m., and by 4.0 p.m. had all detrained at Southampton Docks.
On the whole the Battalion was well equipped, and physically everyone was fit.
The chief drawback appeared to be that we had rather a large percentage of young
and inexperienced Officers and N.C.O.'s, but as all had much to learn of the
kind of warfare actually going on, this was no great disadvantage. With so many
late additions and the very recent reorganisation, few Commanders had had the
opportunity of getting to know their men. So far as training was concerned we
had covered in a way the whole of what the books had to say, and were fairly
well acquainted with ordinary methods of fighting. There was a tendency towards
staleness at the moment, and it is doubtful whether prolongation of our training
in England would have been beneficial. We felt somewhat ignorant of many
practical points affecting trench warfare, into which the fighting on most of
the Western front had degenerated, and though we had received useful hints from
Major Hume, who had been out, we yet had a great deal to learn; this we did in
France, in the hard school of bitter experience. Whatever our shortcomings, we
felt proud indeed to belong to the first complete Territorial Division to embark
for France.
At this time the personnel of Battalion and Company Headquarters were as
follows:—
Commanding Officer.—Lieut.-Colonel G. H. Fowler.
Second-in-Command.—Major A. C. Clarke.
Adjutant.—Capt. E. N. T. Collin.
Medical Officer.—Surg.-Captain H. Stallard.
Chaplain.—Rev. J. P. Hales.
Quarter-Master.—Capt. R. F. B. Hodgkinson.
Transport Officer.—Lieut. C. Davenport.
Machine-Gun Officer.—Lieut. A. F. O. Dobson.
A Company—(formerly E and F Companies).
Capt. A. L. Ashwell; Lieuts. G. S. Heathcote, H. Kirby, and F. B. Lawson; 2nd
Lieuts. J. V. Edge, and E. M. Hacking; Comp. Sergt.-Major A. Mabbott; Comp.
Quar.-Master Sergt. E. Haywood.
B " (formerly B and H Companies).
Capt. J. P. Becher; Capt. J. K. Lane; Lieut. J. W. Turner; 2nd Lieuts. W. H.
Hollins, J. R. Eddison and B. W. Vann; Comp. Sergt.-Major W. Mounteney; Comp.
Quar.-Master Sergt. S. C. L. Shelton.
C " (formerly C and D Companies).
Capt. M. C. Martyn; Capt. H. G. Wright; Lieuts. H. B. S. Handford and R. H.
Piggford; 2nd Lieuts. A. Hacking and T. H. F. Adams; Comp. Sergt.-Major E.
Hopkinson; Comp. Quar.-Master Sergt. J. R. Dench.
D " (formerly A and G Companies).
Capt. W. H. Allen; Lieuts. E. C. A. James and W. C. C. Weetman; 2nd Lieuts. J.
M. Gray, C. L. Hill and J. S. C. Oates. Comp. Sergt-.Major F. Spencer; Comp.
Quar.-Master Sergt. F. A. Pritchard.
Acting Regimental Sergt.-Major.—E. A. Westerman.
Regimental Quar.-Master Sergt.—D. Tomlin.
Armourer Quar.-Master Sergt.—R. A. G. Loughman.
Signalling Sergt.—W. Burton.
Machine-Gun Sergt.—F. Parker.
Transport Sergt.—C. Green.
Sergt. Drummer.—W. Clewes.
Provost Sergt.—G. Phillipson.
Sergt.-Cook.—S. Wiffen.
Pioneer Sergt.—J. Caddy.
Acting Sergt.-Tailor.—H. A. Huckerby.
Sergt.-Shoemaker.—G. H. Fletcher.
Orderly Room Sergt.—F. Torrance.
Orderly Room Sergt. (Base).—E. Kirkby.
Orderly Room Clerk.—Corpl. R. Harvey.
Non-Commissioned Officer i/c Stretcher Bearers.—Corpl. R. F. Bescoby.
Medical Orderly.—Corpl. B. Sissons.