As per the orders received the previous day, the Battalion
left Nort-Leulinghem at 5.45 am for the twenty mile march south-east, via
Tilques and Arqes, to new billets in the region of Wallon Cappell. The War
Diary noted that, “As the day advanced the heat became great. This combined
with the hard roads was the cause of the numerous men who fell out”. Lt. Dick Bolton (see 4th September),
added further detail:
“This first march of 30 kilometres to Wallon Cappell was a
really testing one for everyone. The day was extremely hot and everybody
carried much more kit than could reasonably be managed on active service. To
add to our troubles, the P.H. gas helmets, which were made of flannel soaked in
some sticky liquid, proved to be irresistibly attractive to wasps, and every
man had a swarm around him. Very many fell out, but even in those early days, some
had already discovered that the best place to do so was outside an estaminet’.
Lt. Robert Stewart
Skinner Ingram (see 30th August),
whilst sanguine about his own fitness, was very critical of the demands placed
on the men by this extended march on such a hot day,
“We began to march at 5.45am, the whole 23rd Division. A
Division with transport covers 14 miles on the road. That day was the biggest
thing the Division has done since it was formed. We covered 21 miles that day
and a la pack mule as well. Fortunately for me I can apparently stand more than
any of the other officers of the Company and more than most of the men. The
heat was extreme and somebody ought to be strafed for making the luckless
Division cover 21 miles in a day. Those men, “beautiful in lace and gold”
(Ovid. Hendiadys), Staff Officers on horses or in cars don’t know what a load
of a hundred odd lbs and 120 rounds of ammunition means after 19 miles,
carrying three rifles the last few miles. I never felt better, not really tired
at all, in fact I told Bolton (see above) I felt quite capable of
fighting three rounds then. So you need not worry about me personally being
able to stick this life. Having a most excellent time. Don’t when I enjoyed a
fortnight more in my life than this last fortnight. This pave is awful to march
on. In fact one of my men described it as ……., well, it is. That is the only
way to describe it. The last two miles were rather unpleasant as I had dashed
my foot against a stone which ripped up a blister which had long since ceased
to hurt. A rule in our Company is that a man may fall out, but must go on until
he drops down. So I just had to drive, push and persuade. About 20 of my
platoon collapsed as they marched. The Brigade lost about 25% or so. It all
seemed rather unnecessary after ten days at the last place but no doubt there
was some reason”.
Wallon Cappell was finally reached at around 3.15 pm.
J. B. Priestley (see 4th
September) anticipated a further move (and perhaps also the surplus of kit
commented on by Lt. Bolton) in a letter home to his family, “Moving again and
as I cannot possibly carry any more things with me, I shall have to eat them
and share them of course with my comrades”.
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