HLI Chronicle 1909 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

HIGHLAND LIGHT IN.FANTRY CHRONICLE.511St Battalion News.LUCKNOW NOTES.SoRROWDrG hearts were few when we said" good - bye" to Dinapore on the 4thJanuary and marched the three well-knownmiles along the Khagole Road to theStation. It seemed impossible to believewe had "existed" (it's the only word to expressit) there for over three years.We were sent to Lucknow by train, and wereglad to escape the five weeks' march, as it isthrough uninteresting country, by no meansa sportsman's paradise.We relieved the Durham Light InfantIy,who had gone under canvas, which allowedus to get straight into our qualters.The enforced peace of Dinapore and DnmDum was not good training, for the order wegot, less than a week after we arrived, wasto go into bivoua.c about 15 miles out forBrigade manoouvres. We had a. week ofthese, followed by a few days' respite, a.ndthen a similar wder for another week's outdoorlife of the same description. The annoyingpart was that we were so ne8-r home, and yethome was so far away, and, to add to this,we had hardly seen the insides of our bungalowsto get things squared up.The Civil Service week, early in February,gave a short respite. To those who know the"Week" it needs no description. and tothose who don't I'm sorry time and spaceprevent details.The following extracts from Battalion ordersheralded a pleasant outing :­1. The Battalion will move by train toGaipura (distance, 250 miles) on 9th inst.to take part in Divisional man~uvresfrom 9th to 18th Fe.bruary inclusive.2. Scale of Baggage.-Officers, 40 lbs.;N.-C.O.'s and Men, 20 lb!!. No privatetransport will be allowed under anyconditions.3. The following wil1 be the distribution of­Officers to Companies, etc. :-" A," Lieut.H. E. H. Johnston-Stewart; "B," Capt.L. G. Pringle, M.V.O.; "D," 2nd Lieut.W. U. M. Camp bell ; "F," 2nd LieUJt.E. M. Grant; "G," Major C. E. Andl1ews ;" H," Capt. G. H. Walker and 2nd Lieut.W. P. Stewart; "I," Col.-Sergt. Brisbane.Signa.lling Officer, 2nd Lieut. R. A. B.Low; Transport Officer, Lieut. W. G,.D. G. Rorison; Machine Gun Officer,2nd Lieut. E. R. Macpherson." K" Company were at musketry, and sowere left behind, while H.C.S. and RC.W.A.were both employed on the " gilded" staff.We went out close on 800 strong, the Companiesbeing well up to strength.No one, I think, was disappointed a.t nothaving enough work to do, though the areawe worked over could not, at the wtside,have been more than t or 5 miles square.The country lies between Allahabad andMirzapur, and consists of low, rocky hills,which are very steep, and on the whole are ba.dgoing.Our first day out augured well, as we had nofood or dxink for 16 hours (no warning wasgiven of this, so we had made no prepaJ:ations).We did a night attack on the last nigb.t, a.nd.as soon as it was light, the Division filed pastGeneral SeWer, our Divisional Commander.We then went straight down to our traiu.which, thanks to someone having scared a.Llreason out of the Babu station-master's head,starte,d two hours late, a.nd got us home a,bout2 a.m. on Sunday morning, nearly 6 how:sla-te.They have given us a little rest latE.'ly, andaocounts of football. etc., are giv.en elsewoor.e.The big Pivisional 84:l8ault-.aro-al'ms comesoff early in March, and I hope we shall havesome lu.ck in the events we a:r:e entering for,and that we shall have sQm.ething wortkrecwding for the Dext number.Major Ronaldson and 2n.d Lieut. AnderSQll.have both joined us since we got here. Onthe other hand, nearly all our time-expireda.nd other men have left us, and we shall besettling down to real hot weather eomparedto that at Dinapore and Dum Dum.SERGEAN"TS' MESS NOTES.THE New Year was celebrated very quietlyin the Mess on account of our having paokedup leady to move to Lucknow.Before l~aving Dinaporo, the Shropshire