HLI Chronicle 1921 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY CHRONICLE. 77
cream-and do washing at extremely low terms.
There is no doubt that as civilization and
prosperity continue their advance in Palestine,
the ~own of Jafta will lose in beauty what it
may gain in importance.
Jaffa has recently been the scene of strife
between Arab and Jew, but all is quiet again,
and it is to be hoped that this delightful
country in future may flourish under the
British mandate.
As this small contribution is being written,
the Union Jack can' be seen flying over the
Town Hall, whilst other signs of British power
are conveyed by the presence of two large
battleships lying off the bay.
At night their searchlights play occasionally
qver:the town, and in the garden of an erstwhile
German Hotel, a bugler of the Highland
J.ight Infantry may be heard sounding the'
" Last. PO'lt."
F. K. S.
SERGEANTS' MESS NOTES.
THE annual Musketry Oourse was in progress
when we concluded last quarter's notes.
This provided many surprises and problems.
By what means did Joseph develop his
neck to enable him to sight with his left eye
whilst firing off the right shoulder 1 Has
his head yet regained its normal position!
Did Archie's pince-nez improve his shooting,
or is it a fact that his scores were better when
he did not wear them 1
How many jackets were spoiled by the
removal of Marksman badges ~
Will "B" Oompany require wind screens
or an enclosed range for their next course 1
Excitement was high during classification
practices; so high, in fact, that when the
Transport Sergeant scored a four-inch group
his mule dropped down dead !
On 15th March, Pipe-Major W. Young
received ol'ders to proceed to the United
Kingdom for transfer to the Depot, Oameron
Highlanders. At noon we assembled to bid
him farewell, and, as a token of remembrance,
presented him with a clock. We trust that
he . is as comfortable in his new position as
he anticipated.
Our weekly dance on 22nd March was
almost brought to an early close by an exuberance
of zeal for duty by a certain party, but
the timely production of authority for extended
hours saved the situation.
Major H. J. Pack-Beresford visited the
Mess on 23rd March to bid farewell on his
departure to the United Kingdom.
After musketry, education claimed the
attention of many members of the Mess,
and quite a number, anxious to eradicate all
traces of educational neglect, attended (and
were successful) at the 2nd Olass examination
on 26th March, after seyeral nights of burning
the midnight oil (or candles) and frequent
spasms of mathematical nightmare.
The arrival of the draft on 2nd April brought
us new members, or rather old members back
again, in Pipe-Major O. Johnstone, O.Q.M.S.
R. Leggate, C.Q.M.S. J. Lawson, Sergt. O.
Newland, and Bandmaster O. Friend.
Our members were scattered during the
past months by detachments at the Oitadel
and Kasr-el-Nil.
The date of our move being fixed, many
of our friends and visitors pleaded for just
one more of our enjoyable dances, so a final
invitation dance took place in the Surtee!!
Hall on 20th April. This, as usual, proved
a great success, and left many regrets at the
loss of these highly-appreciated and enjoyable
evenings,
From 29th April to 6th May we were in
the transitory state, vacating Main Barracks,
Abbassia, for the accommodation of the
Duke of Wellington's Regiment, and removing
to Surafend, Palestine.
Here our Mess premises comprise a series
of wooden huts, which we shall be able to
convert into all the requirements of an upto-date
Mess.
Our late neighbours at Abbassia, "B"
Battery, R.H.A., have removed to Surafend
within easy.visiting distance.