HLI Chronicle 1910 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICLE. 107
2nd Battalion News.
:jllACH quarter, when the time comes round
again to stir up those who wield the pen for
the good of the " Chronicle," I wonder if the
point of a sword would not prove itself mOle
mighty than the smaller weapon; at anyrate
it might coerce the contributor from a somewhat
lethargic to a more ready writer. The
July number is perhaps rather more difficult
to get out than the others, for the months of
April, May, and June are those in which the
least news is procurable. Football, hunting,
and winter sports are more Ot less over,
cricket is only in its infancy, and the strenuous
days of Boldiering have begun.
Lieut. Hope, not content with joining the
Regiment to begin with on the 1st April,
eame back again to us on the same unpropitious
date, 1910. It will be remembered
that he has been A.D.C. to Sir Thomas Gibson
Carmichael in Australia, and, having been on
sick leave for some months, rejoined us on the
aforesaid date. However, whatever may be
the day, we were all very glad to welcome him
back.
On April 30th" B " " D " " F " and " G "
Companies went to' Youghal fo~ musketry.
It is about thirty miles from Oork, and they
marehed the distance, halting the night near
Middleton (about half way), whither the
Quartermaster had proceeded earlier and
pitched a camp. Luckily they were favoured
with excellent weather. The other four Companies
went down about the 16th May, and
were not so fortunate, starting in pouring
rain, which lasted throughout the first day;
and they found marching on the slippery,
greasy Irish roads rather difficult. Both lots
returned by train. 2nd Lieut. Pitts-Tucker,
our last joined, arrived towards the end of
May, and proved himself a useful golfer, of
which more is to be said. He was chosen,
along with Captain Ronald and Lieuts. Leckie
Ewing and Thackeray, to represent us in the
Army golf tournament at Woking, about 15th
June. Our first match was against the 60th
King's Royal Rifles, and although not playing
up to our best golf, we defeated them by 17
holes to 2. But, alas! it was then discovered
that 2nd Lieut. Pitts-Tucker was in
the June Army List posted to the 1st Battalion,
and therefore ineligible to play,which
disqualified our team. The 60th were defeated
by the Army Ordnance Corps in the
final by 50 holes to 9, the final match being
played over 36 holes, and not over 18 as are
the preliminary ties.
At the beginning of June Captain G. M.
Knight left to command the Highland Company
of one of the M.l. Training Battalions at
Longmoor, Lieut. W. L. Brodie and 36 men
forming one of the sections.
On June 20th Brigadier-General R. A. C. B.
Bewicke Copley, C.B., made his annual in·
spection of the Battalion, first seeing the
Battalion on a ceremonial parade and afterwards
inspecting each Company separately
at different tasks. Everything went off very
satisfactorily, and General Bewicke Copley
seemed very well pleased with all he saw.
FISHING NOTES.
CaPTAINS A., P., P.-B., and K., finding that
they required relaxation after the winter
training, took two miles of salmon fishing on
the River Lee for April and May.
Needless to say, they did not let the grass
grow under their waders, and "Will you
answer for me " was their usual greeting to
their long-suffering brother officers.
The fishing was at Carrigrohane, one of the
stations on the Muskerry Railway; and being
thus very handy, it was fished to such good
purpose that in about six weeks between
thirty and forty fat salmon bit the dust, and
as many more bit the gut or escaped in some
mysterious way. What days they were, and
what tales of disaster there were to tell in the
evening-hoW just as the fish WaS coming in
to the gaff, etc., etc.-- But why go over the
old battles again Suffice it to say that the
result WaS believed to be a record for that
water in those two months. And then let
us see how they were captured. Captains
A. and K. used fly alone; Captain P., fly and
minnow; and the following are among some