HLI Chronicle 1910 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

2nd Battalion News.
Cork, March, 1910.
THE winter season closed on ]st March, on
which date" B," "C," " D," and "G" Companies
commenced training. It should nDt
be imagined, however, that there is no training
here in winter. Rouie marches, schemes,
war games, bridging and boat-building, etc.,
have kept us quite busy enough, to say nothing
of lectures, which occurred with alarming
frequency.
Football is now almost at an end. In the
Army Cup we were defeated by the Black
\Vatilh at I.imerick, our victors getting as far
as the semi-final, when they were beaten by
the R.M.I,.I., so all lope' for another ye~r
is gone. We were very unlucky in losing
totbe Essex Regiment by onc goal to nothing
in the Irish Army Cup. The second team
deserve hearty congratulations on winning the
Munster Intermediate I,eague and for their
excellent display in the Irish Junior Cup,
where they were uafortunately beaten in the
round before the semi-final.
This year we held our first boxing tourn a­
mellt. in the Gymnasium at Cork;. It was a
great success in every way. We had entries
from Regiments all over InClland, and some
excellent fighting was seen. Of course, being
"new to the' game," we had not many competitors
from the Regiment, but those who did
fight were good, and doubtless their example
will produce many more fighters next year.
Another new venture we have gone in for
is eross-country running. -. At intervllIs
throughout the winter wehave had runs and
paper!'lh.ases i~order.. to· discover tale~t and
giv~.itrriIDiing in running. Before sendiAg out
team to the Curragh to compete in the All: .
Ireland Cross-Country Championship, we held;
our Regimental meeting. .
This winter. we have be~n lucky in having
only one Qetachment. "F" Company, the
SignaUers, and Brigad.e Telephone Det.achment,
under Major Grahame, D.S.O., and Lieutenant
Telfer-SmoUett, have· been at Y oughal. In
spite of more accommodation being built here;
we are still crowded out.
We have fortl1natelv been immune from
fires in the town this quarter. To those who were
in Cork at the time of the General Eleotion
this will seem strange, as stirring times were
witnessed then, and the Orderly Offioer was
always prepared to put ont a fire or sell his
life dearly in street fighting.
At present a tug-of-war and a bayonetfighting
team are undergoing strenuous training
for the Curragh meeting.
We hear manreU'lTes are to be on a very big
scale this year. A brigade, it if! believed,
is being brought over from England to do its
training here.
As regards hunting, which is the great
" divarsion " here, a separate article is again
forthooming from the pen of a great scribe
whose achievements with that which is said to
be mightier than even the sword are only
excelled by his devotion to the chase.
SERGEANTS' MESS NOTES.
HOGMANAY. to Scotchmen all the world over,
means one thing-the festive season; and
right royally the members of the Mess
observed the old traditions in seeing the birth
of 1910. Songs, recitations, "yuill," and
tobacco smoke, gave 1909 a fitting death.
It was a very pleasant" smoker," and. the
pleasure of everyone was capped by the
entry of several of our ever-popular officer~,
headed by our honoured chief; and his
remarks of gooq.-will for the New Year were
highly appreciated by the members. It was
not long after that the concert broke up,
members and friends scattering in different,
directions to carry out the time-honoured
custom of "first-fitting." ,
Whist drives and billiard handicaps en"
livened a few of the winter nights,.and were
well attended.
A large number of the members of the Mess
went to Buttevant, in response to a kind
invitation by our old friends the Sergeants of
the Duke of Hamilton's S. Lancs. Regiment.
The kindnef!s of the S. Lancs. was beyond
praise} but I'm sorry I can't say the same of
the weather, and our games of football and
hockey were manfully carried out in the face.