HLI Chronicle 1914 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

HIGHLAND LIGHTCHRONICLE.192nd Battalion News.MAmA BARRACKS, ALDERSHOT.Battalion received most flattering" send-off's" from the G.O.C.'s, 5th Divisionand 15th Infantry Brigade, respectively, ontheir departure from Ireland on 23rd September.Brigadier-General Count Gleichen, KC.V.O.,commanding 15th Infantry Brigade, addressedthe Battalion as follows, previous tothe final day's operations in Irish Commandexercise, on 19th September: " ColonelWolfe-Murray, Officers, Non-commisionedOfficers, and Men, of the Highland LightInfantry, I take this opportunity of sayinggood-bye to you now, as it is difficult, and· often impossible, to assemble a Battalion at· the conclusion of operations. I cannot tellyou how sorry I am that you are leaving theBrigade. Your discipline and handling ofarms have been excellent, while your marchingpowers, spirit, and dash in the field, and your, general smartness, have been universally commentedon. I congratulate you, ColonelWolfe-Murray, on having such a well-trainedand smart Battalion. I am sorry you aretaking the Brigade Football Cup away from· Ireland, but I congratulate you heartily onwinning it yesterday; it was a very goodperformance. I wish you all good-bye andgood luck."The Commanding Officer l'€;ceived the followingletter from Major-General Sir CharlesFergusson, C.B., M.V.O., D.S.O., commanding· 5th Division, on the occasion of the 2nd Battalionleaving Ireland for Aldershot on 23rdSeptember :~" I am a little doubtful whetherI shall be able to get to Dublin to-morrow tosee you off, as I have a busy morning here(Curragh], and may not be able to get awayin time. If I do not turn up, will you pleasetell the Battalion how much I regret losingthem from the Command. There is no Battalionwith which I would sooner be associatedon service, and no Battalion which I wouldmore confidently put in front if I wanted aparticular job carried out. I can't say more.Their spirit has been excellent, their disciplineall that could be wanted, and their handlingby the officers a pleasure to see."Please wish them good-bye from me, andtell them that I expect to hear good accountsof them from Aldershot in the future. I wishyou and them all possible success and happinessin your new station."I think the Battalion will improve enormouslyyet, when it gets to a station likeAldershot, where you will live in an atmosphereof new ideas and impressions. At outstationsin Ireland it is not easy to keep up todate, and methods are always changing inthe military world. You must expect tofind new ways and new ideas prevailing, andat first you may find yourselves consideredin some respects as behind the times. In ayear's time you will know the Aldershot ropesthoroughly, and, with such a splendid lot ofofficers and men, I am absolutely certain thatthe Battalion will soon go to the top. I knowthat everyone from outside who has seen theBattalion has had the same feeling--that itonly wants the experience of a big garrisonand the opportunity of mixing with otherunits to make it absolutely tip-top. Myprophecy' is that in a year it will be the bestBattalion at Aldershot."THIS number of the Ohronicle finds us iu themiddle of the leave season. Since our arrivalin September our life here has been veryuneventful, although we cannot complain ofthe" powers that be" not doing their bestto keep us well occupied, as they provide uswith all kinds of amusements, such as winterCompany training, cutting down forests, etc.A good many football matches were playedin October and November, and the resultsare given elsewhere. Except for footballwe have not done much in the sport line; theIrish hunting is much missed, as there is verylittle round here. Very few officers have beenhunting so far.Since writing last the number of our bachelorofficers has been reduced by two. We haveto offer our heartiest congratulations ·toCaptain Thackeray and Lieut. Telfer Smollett