Sunday 28th February 1915

23^rd Division marched a further 20 miles from Maidstone to Ashford en route for Folkestone (94 miles in six days).

Lord Kitchener carried out his inspection of 23^rd Division (see 27^th February). In a letter written the following day Priestley recalled his encounter with Kitchener: “Yesterday (Sunday) we were inspected by Lord Kitchener. It was kept very quiet, and took place five miles from anywhere. We marched past him, and I was only about two yards from the great man, and so got a very good view of him, not much like the portraits of him – older and greyer, with huge, staring eyes. Recalling the event some years later, Priestley elaborated on his impression, “an image not of an ageing man, already bewildered by, reeling under, the load of responsibility he refused to share, but of some larger-than-life, yet now less-than-life figure, huge but turning into painted lead … something immensely massive and formidable but already hardening and petrifying, nearer to death than to life”.

L.Cpl. Charles Edgar Shuttleworth (see 5^th January) and Pte. Frank Wood (3/11631) (see below) were reported by Sgt. William Henry Wilde as ‘Late falling in for parade’; on the orders of Capt. Robert Harwar Gill (see 28^th February) L.Cpl. Shuttleworth would be reprimanded while Pte. Wood would be confined to barracks for five days. Frank Wood was a 33 year-old silk dresser from Brighouse; he was married, with three children. He had preciously served with 1^st Battalion West Ridings.

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Saturday 27th February 1915

On the fifth day of their march to Folkestone, 23^rd Division covered a further 14 miles from Tonbridge to Maidstone (74 miles in five days).

Information was received that the Division was to be inspected next day by Lord Kitchener. The author of the Divisional History later recalled the confusion which followed:

“the official notification of his intention to do so was only received late on the preceding day. His visit was to be kept secret, but the short notice at which the telegram announcing it was received necessitated cancelling certain orders already issued for the following day. The adjutant of one of the battalions guessed the reason of this alteration to orders, with the horrifying result that Lord Kitchener’s secret visit was announced that evening on the screen at the local theatre. It was confidently anticipated that half the countryside would turn out the next day, but, thanks probably to no hour having been mentioned, none of the inhabitants appeared, and all was well. Lord Kitchener expressed his approval of the troops he saw”.

Friday 26th February 1915

23^rd Division covered a further 13 miles towards Folkestone, going from Edenbridge to Tonbridge (60 miles in four days).

2Lt. Robert Clement (Bob) Perks (see 21^st January) left home and travelled to Folkestone where he would report for duty with 10DWR once the Battalion completed its march from Aldershot. On arrival he sent a picture postcard to his sister, Joy, addressed from what he described as his “perfectly topping billet” at ‘The Riverlet’, Radnor Park Avenue, Folkestone.

(I am greatly indebted to Janet Hudson for her kind permission to quote from Bob Perks’ correspondence).

Image by kind permission of Janet Hudson

Thursday 25th February 1915

The third day of 23^rd Division’s march to Folkestone saw them cover more than 23 miles from Dorking to Edenbridge (47 miles in three days).

Wednesday 24th February 1915

23^rd Division continued its march towards Folkestone, covering 13 miles from Guildford to Dorking (24 miles covered in two days).

The recommendations that Pte. Robert Newhouse (see 10^th February) and Pte. William Barker should be discharged on medical grounds (see 19^th February) were endorsed by the administrative staff of 23^rd Division.

General Sir Archibald Hunter, GOC Aldershot Training Centre, wrote to the War Office, requesting that they confirm the appointment of Daniel William Paris Foster as Temporary Quartermaster, 10^th Battalion, West Riding Regiment; this was a post which he had held since September 1914 (see 18^th September).

At home in Rastrick, Sarah Elizabeth Lever, wife of Pte. John Lever, gave birth to the couple’s third child; the boy would be named Fred. John Lever had enlisted aged 28 and working as a cotton twiner.

Tuesday, 23rd February 1915

23^rd Division, including 10^th West Riding Regiment, and of course Tunstill’s Company, began their extended march from Aldershot to Folkestone. Their first stopping-off point at the end of the day was at Guildford, following an 11-mile march.

Monday, 22nd February 1915

Pte. Carl Parrington Branthwaite (see 16^th November) who had been taken ill during training at Frensham and subsequently transferred to 11^th Battalion West Riding Regiment, underwent an operation (location and details unknown).
 

Priestley wrote to his family, telling them that he, along with the whole 23^rd Division, was about to begin an extended march which would take them from Aldershot to Folkestone: “We are spending all day in preparation for the great event”. He also shared his clear sense of apprehension about the rigours of the march:“This is a test march and Kitchener inspects us on route (Priestley had clearly heard the rumours which had resulted in the issue of khaki uniforms to the Division – see 16^th February). We travel with full pack and what a weight it is, I assure you. We carry rifle, ammunition pouches, greatcoat – folded, bayonet, water bottle, shirt, drawers, socks, towel and soap, razor etc etc, mess-tin – a sort of combination frying-pan, pot and plate etc etc. It is no joke marching with that lot”. He also shared his view that, “The Great New Armies have started moving, slowly, but surely, and the end of the war is in sight, though afar”.