Army and Navy Stores, photo. COL. THE VISCOUNT MAITLAND. ToList Frontispiece...

The history of any New Army battalion is a valuable contribution to the history of the war. This applies particularly to a battalion like the 23rd Royal Fusiliers, which achieved a high morale and maintained excellent discipline throughout the war. At the Front our only knowledge of the New Army before they came overseas was gained from the Brigade Staffs and Commanding Officers of the new Formations, who were sent over for short attachment to troops in the line. We learnt from them the great di

The story of the 23rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers cannot fail to be a fine one. Every soldier who, like myself, had the honour of fighting, I may say, shoulder to shoulder with it, will read its history with the deepest interest. As its first Brigadier, I took up that appointment on December 19, 1914, when the Battalion was in its infancy, deficient of arms and equipment, but full of men whose physique, zeal, and spirit were magnificent, and this spirit was fully maintained, to the honour and fame

PARTICULARS OF STRENGTH. Note. —The above figures do not include those posted to the Battalion for record purposes only, and who never joined the Battalion in the Field. The figures represent only those who have served on the effective strength of the Battalion overseas. COLONELS IN COMMAND. Colonel Viscount Maitland . From formation of Battalion to January 29, 1916. Lieut.-Colonel H.A. Vernon , D.S.O. From January 31, 1916, to May 23, 1917. Lieut.-Colonel E.A. Winter , D.S.O., M.C. From May 24,

With the formation of the Sportsman's Battalion it will be admitted quite a new type of man was brought into the British Army. Public Schools battalions, the Chums, the Footballers, and other battalions were formed. But to the First Sportsman's belongs the honour of introducing an actually new type. To begin with, it was cosmopolitan. Practically every grade of life was represented, from the peer to the peasant; class distinctions were swept away, every man turned to and pulled his bit. To illus

Formed almost as soon as the war broke out in 1914, the First Sportsman's Battalion may have provoked some criticism. It was uncertain at first as to what branch of the service it was to represent. Personally I thought it was to be mounted, and I was not alone in this idea either. More than a few of us got busy at once in settling how, if possible, we could provide our own mounts. That was in the days when we were new to war, long before we began to know what something approaching the real thing

The day of the move overseas arrived. This was on November 15, 1915, when the regimental transport entrained at Tidworth for Havre, followed one day later by the Battalion, which proceeded to Folkestone, Boulogne being reached on November 17, Ostrohove Rest Camp being the first objective. No time, however, was wasted there, for on November 18 the Battalion entrained at Pont-de-Briques, joining the transport which had come up from Havre. It was at Steenbecque, reached a day later, and where bille

From the official narratives available it is possible to amplify, in some few instances, the great work accomplished by the Battalion, and which is told but tersely in the War Diary from which the previous pages have been collated. Taking May 3, 1917, as an instance, when the 23rd Royal Fusiliers formed a part of the attacking force, we are told it was determined to capture— Fresnoy Trench on a front of 1,400 yards. Oppy Support, by a bombing attack, over a length of 200 yards. Crucifix Lane, by

His pride in the Battalion was expressed by Major-General C.E. Pereira, C.B., C.M.G., on the occasion of the presentation of the King's Colour at Niederaussem, Germany, on January 24, 1919. "First of all," said Major-General Pereira, "I will tell you how highly I esteem the privilege of presenting these colours to-day. "For two years," he went on, "I have had the honour to command the 2nd Division, and I have been proud of your work in the Field and out of it, and of the fine spirit which you ha

Appreciation of and admiration for the Battalion was also expressed by Brigadier-General A.E. McNamara, commanding the 99th Infantry Brigade, when he bade it "good-bye and good luck" on February 25, 1919, when it left the 2nd Division to join the London Division. "Owing to the reorganization of the Army of Occupation," he said, "the 23rd Royal Fusiliers, the oldest member of the 99th Infantry Brigade, is leaving it. "I wish to place on record my high appreciation and admiration of the magnificen

To the personal side of the late war we have, in a measure, been introduced by various war correspondents. But there has always been something actually lacking, and that something is the touch and the atmosphere which can only be introduced by those who have been through the baptism of blood and fire. In the following pages the real touch is introduced. Every incident is told by a man who has actually seen and experienced what he describes. These incidents are in the actual words of the writers.

"Reported missing." Many poignant memories attach to such a bald announcement as this. Dead—probably a prisoner of war—perhaps. And there have been those who would have preferred, had they had the chance, of a death under the open sky to imprisonment under the Hun. In the diary of a 23rd Royal Fusilier, "Mr. Brooks, the schoolmaster," as he was once dubbed by his captors, tells the story of how he was made a prisoner, his detention by the enemy, and his eventual return home. The arrival of a par

[ Note. —It is regretted it has not proved practicable to compile a roll of all the officers, N.C.O's., and men who have served at any time in the 23rd Royal Fusiliers.]...

The Editor apologizes for a few omissions in the preceding pages, but they were unavoidable owing to the records of the Battalion being in some instances incomplete. He would welcome any additions or corrections for use in any further editions that may be issued. London , 1920. Typographical errors corrected in text:...