The Outpost Vol 1 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

52 THE OUTPOST.
A COMPANY.
WE commenced our week of special training on
Monday, nnd February, and after a fore.
noon's work, consisting of judging distances,
advancing under artillery fire, moving forward in
open order, and ending up with rushes into the
firing line, we marched back to the Drill Hall and
were served with service equipment-~valise,
haversack, ammunition pouches, entrenching tool,
and water bottle, etc. On Tuesday we paraded on
the shore, looking something like members of the
.. contemptible little army," and, with om bundles
on our Shoulders, marched off along the shore, via
Barassie towards Dundonald, in a villainous fall of
wet, blinding sleet; and ultimately reached our
field of operations, whereon our chef de batamon
elucidated his requirements to the N.C.O.s and
others.
The Brigadier gave us the benefit of his opinion,
and after the attack we again showed our skill in
judging and misjudging distances. Wednesday
saw us on the Troon Golf Course among the dunes,
and we shifted a phantom army from its covering
position and "point d'appui " with temerity and
despatch. Dundonald Hill saw us indulging in
cunning advances on a dastard foe during Thursday
forenoon, and on Thursday night we held the roads
in the same vicinity against the enemy. vVe were
dismissed at 9.30 p.m., and we stuck the lOt hours
work well. Friday was the limit. Jupiter Pluvius
turned on the H20, and the blast drove the rain
right through us, Manmuvres, as far as being
instructional, were no good in such a Noah's flood,
and, drookit to the skin, with boots like reserve
water bottles, we returned to Troon. vVe met in
the Unionist Rooms in the afternoon to cheer the
prize winners of the shooting competition, and,
incidentally, were paid our seven shillings
honorarium. On Saturdav we cleaned our rifles
at the Drill Hall, told stories, and awaited the
week·end passes, and were served out with r new
puttees. The following are the crack shots of A
Company, and also their scores and prizes. The
possible marks were 50. The first lot are the trained
shots, range equivalent to 500 yards; the second
lot the untrained shots, range equivalent 300 yards.
Lance.Sergt. Drummond, 46 points, prize ir 0 0
Private Gannaway, 37 0 6 J
Private W. Graham, 37 0 7 6
r " R. B. Craig, 36 0 5 IQ
Mailer, 34 0 .5 0
C. Long, 32 0 2 6
Drew,­ 3I 0 2 6
Many of the crack shots of the Company, whose
modesty prevented their entering the competition,
have sworn to compete next time and thus capture
the entire prize money from the Battalion. OPERlE
PRETIUM EST. In last number our pets were
referred to. One has gone to the happy hunting.
grounds-the Pomeranian-unfortunately killed
by a kick from the horse of one of the officers. One
of the fox terriers, Mick, cut its foot on barbed wire
during the Company's trek in the wet on Friday,
and the senior sub.editor applied the ligature, and
carried the beastie home, two miles away. The
starboard forward pedal extremity bled some, and,
although palmists may not believe it, the amateur
vet. got his hands' red' by that canine during the
walk back. vVe regret that Lieutenant Becket, of
~o. I Platoon, and Lieutenant Gardner, of No. 3
Platoon, have been ambushed by an army corps of
hostile influenza bacilli, and were absent from our
special training course. Lieutenant Paterson, of
No. 4 Platoon, got over his attack in time to
accompany us on the 2znd ult. Private Carmichael,
from No. 4 Platoon, has deserted us to take up a
commission, and a host of new N.C.O.s are now
sporting those unattached stripes mentioned last
month. Sergeant Carnan, of No. 3 Platoon, has
returned from near Cambridge, where for some time
he has been training the Lovat Scouts in the art of
war. He let them into the secret of bayonet
fighting, trenching, skirmishing and shooting, and
when their big drum lacked a drum-stick manipl1"
lator he also showed how that was done. A
versatile lot, is A Company•. In addition to our
other activities we support the Magazine well.
Aspiring Iitterateurs or artists should hand their
work to Pte. \'17. Hutcheson. No. 3 Platoon, or Pte.
Chapman, of No. 4­
B COMPANY.
t t t
SCARCELY a breath of wind. a cloudless sky of
azure blue, Arran peaks covered with snow
glistening in glorious sunshine. On such a morning
we sallied forth to commence our first week of
special training. It felt good to be alive, and the
shadow of coming ordeals':'vanished in the joyous
atmosphere. The second, day of our week was
perhaps the most interesting, when the Brigade
Captain, the Hon. Captain Drummond, was
present. But it was chilly work in the Old Quarry
notwithstanding the bonfires, and "covering fire"
from the hill tops was anything but a warm job.
Some cold wet weather followed, but at the end of
the week we all came up smiling, fit as the pro·
verbial fiddler, with our sick list practically at
decimal point. It may thus be concluded that hard
work agrees with B Company. If more proof were
wanting it could be furnished by the inhabitants of
Loans. Awakened one night from their beauty
sleep close on the magic hour by the iustie,t singing
ever heard in the neighbourhood, their first thought
was of a party of midnight revellers, but it was only
6 and 7 Platoons emerging from water.logged
trenches, mud from top to toe, getting into their
stride down the Loans Road. B Company appear to
enjoy night entrenching; at least it is a fact that a
number actually begged permission to work
overtime. The week ended, we handed over our
rifles to A Company, who took them over with scarce
a murmur. They mnst have been clean indeed!