Thursday 21st October 1915

Billets at Fort Rompu

The Battalion again moved on after a single night stay; this time marching six miles to Estaires. Here they were to be attached to 20^th Division and temporarily ‘amalgamated’ with 1^st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment for training purposes. This was part of a wider ‘exchange’ of battalions which was intended to give the ‘new’ troops some experience alongside more established units. The arrangement, it was felt, also had the advantage of re-invigorating some of the more war-weary with the enthusiasm of the 23^rd Division men. It was said that they (the 23^rd Division troops) were “never happy unless they were patrolling No-Man’s Land or arranging some special ‘hate’, in the form of trench-mortaring or rifle-grenading. They also introduced the Lewis-gun, and we were greatly impressed with its usefulness”.  Lt. Dick Bolton (see 13^th October) later recalled that, “the Battalion was lent to the 20^th Division to replace one of theirs which was to train for a raid”. J.B. Priestley expressed his understanding of the reason for the attachment in a letter to his family: “it’s said that they’ve brought us down here to do these exciting jobs, as the regiments here are too nervy and won’t do ‘em. Anyhow the Battn is getting something of a name”. Whatever the reason, the ‘exchange’ of battalions between would last until 14th November when the divisions resumed their normal composition.

 

Back at home in Darwen, Mary Riding, wife of Pte. Thomas Riding (see 6^th February) gave birth to the couple’s first child; the boy would be named Thomas.