Chapter 5 Continued
In September, with the Unit still in Otterpool, all ranks were made familiar with the role they were to play as members of the 6th Brigade in the 2nd Canadian Division. Inspections by the Brigade, Divisional and Higher Commands were followed by the final one by His Majesty, King George V. From September 3rd to 8th, the time was devoted mainly to preparations for the move to France. From the 9th to the 16th, the Unit continued training while 'standing by' in readiness for the anticipated move. Finally, at 11.45 A.M. on the morning of September 17, 1915, the Battalion, minus its transport (horse-drawn vehicles) which had preceded it, sailed for France.
From the Ross Narrative - (See Sketch Map No.1).
In Dibgate and Otterpool in Kent, we completed our training; the most important feature being musketry practice on the rifle ranges at Hythe. A considerable amount of tactical training was also undertaken, deemed necessary in view of the great differences in topography between the country to which the Unit was accustomed and that of the close countryside, common to Europe. This training finally culminated in Divisional manoeuvers lasting for three days, at the conclusion or which, our Battalion, Brigade and Division were supposed to be ready for the field. (Editor's note - extraordinary, considering the amount of training deemed necessary during the Second World War. - DGSC)
The Battalion was now to experience the usual number of reviews which were popular forms of diversion at this time. On each occasion however, when one of those functions was planned and because of the season of the year, our Unit personnel, all ranks, were thoroughly soaked to the skin. This made such inspections and reviews, on the whole, thoroughly unpopular. Everyone, in any Army of whatever campaign, claims that reviews are unpopular and a weariness to the flesh; but as a matter of fact, deep down in his heart, every soldier enjoys having his Unit paraded, up to full strength, spick and. span, band playing and colours flying. It was he means of displaying a Unit's martial qualities to those best fitted to really appreciate them. In this, the 28th Battalion was no exception, it was the climatic conditions which were at fault.
The story of the Battalion's brief sojourn to England would not be complete without mention of the historic occasion when our Unit succeeded in putting the 'wind up' (panicking) the whole South-East coastal area of England. This relates to Air Raids, which were happening, but were still in the formative stage.
It happened in late August and early September, 1915 when, during this period of the Harvest Moon, Air Raids were becoming more frequent. It also happened that, under instructions from the higher authority, there had been created in the 28th Bn. a bombing section comprised of amateur anarchists whose greatest joy in life was the detonating and exploding of bombs. Having exhausted their ingenuity in this respect during daylight hours, they conceived the brilliant, idea of putting on a night demonstration. The Higher Authorities had been duly advised of this undoubted evidence of zeal and devotion to duty but, for unknown reasons, failed to appreciate its significance or to advise those charged with the task of air defences. The result was that, at about ten o'clock at night, the silence of the sleepy rural districts of Kent were disturbed by a succession of detonations. All of the inhabitants within earshot concluded that an Air Raid of great magnitude was in progress. Immediately, lights were extinguished, trains stopped running, and general confusion reigned from Folkestone to London. For some reason it was decided that Official Censorship was not advisable, in spite of the effects created by this prank.
Continued
