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THE IRISH GUARDS IN THE GREAT WAR (Vol. 1&2 - Complete Edition). Редьярд Джозеф Киплинг
Читать онлайн.Название THE IRISH GUARDS IN THE GREAT WAR (Vol. 1&2 - Complete Edition)
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isbn 9788027235278
Автор произведения Редьярд Джозеф Киплинг
Жанр Документальная литература
Издательство Bookwire
On the 21st December the Battalion came out for Christmas and billeted at Laventie, as their next turn would be in the old sector that they had handed over to the 4th Grenadiers three weeks ago. The same Battalion relieved them on this day, and, as before, were an hour late in turning up—a thing inexcusable except on one’s own part.
Their Adjutant’s preoccupations with officers sick and wounded; N.C.O.’s promoted to commissions in line battalions, and the catching and training of their substitutes; and with all the housekeeping work of a battalion in the field, had not prevented him from making strict and accurate inquiries at Headquarters as to “what exactly is being sent out for Christmas Day. Is it plum-pudding only or sausages alone? Last year we had both, but I should like to know for certain.”
All things considered (and there was no shelling), Christmas dinner at La Gorgue 1915 was a success, and “the C.O. and other officers went round the dinners as at home” in merciful ignorance that those of them who survived would attend three more such festivals.
Major-General Lord Cavan, commanding the Guards Division, who had been appointed to command the newly formed Fourteenth Corps,7 addressed the officers after dinner and half-promised them the Christmas present they most desired. He spoke well of the Battalion, as one who had seen and shared their work had right to do, saying that “there might be as good, but there were none better,” and added that “there was just a hope that the Guards Division might eventually go to his corps.” They cheered.
The quiet that fell about Christmastide held till the birth of the New Year, which the inscrutable Hun mind celebrated punctually on the hour (German time) with twenty minutes’ heavy machine-gun and rifle fire in the darkness. One killed and one wounded were all their casualties.
Here is the roll of the Officers and Staff of the Battalion as the year ended in mud, among rotten parapets and water-logged trenches, with nothing to show for all that had gone before save time gained and ground held to allow of preparation for the real struggle, on the edge of which these thousand soldiers and all their world stood ignorant but unshaken
HEADQUARTERS | ||
Lieut.-Colonel R. C. A. McCalmont | Commanding Officer. | |
Major Lord Desmond FitzGerald | Adjutant. | |
Lieut. T. E. G. Nugent | a./Adjutant. | |
Hon. Lieut. H. Hickie | Quartermaster. | |
Capt. P. H. Antrobus | Transport. | |
Lieut. C. Pease | Brigade Company. | |
Lieut. L. C. Whitefoord | “ | |
Lieut. J. Grayling-Major | Depot. | |
Capt. Rev. A. H. A. Knapp, O.P. | Chaplain. | |
Capt. P. R. Woodhouse, R.A.M.C. | Medical Officer. | |
No. 108 Sgt. Major Kirk | Sgt. Major. | |
No. 176 Q.M.S. J. M. Payne | Q.M.S. | |
No. 918 Drill-Sgt. T. Cahill | Senior Drill Sgt. | |
No. 2666 Drill-Sgt. G. Weeks | Junior Drill Sgt. | |
No. 1134 O.R.Cr. Sgt. P. Matthews | Orderly-Room Sgt. at Base. | |
No. 3933 Sgt. Dr. W. Cherry | Sgt. Drummer. | |
No. 1119 Sgt. R. Nugent | a./Pioneer Sgt. | |
No. 837 Armr. Q.M.S. S. Bradley | Armr. Q.M.S. | |
No. 3874 Sgt. M. Greaney | Transport Sgt. | |
No. 4166 Sgt. J. Fawcett | Signalling Sgt. | |
No. 2900 Sgt. P. J. Curtis | Orderly-Room Clerk. | |
No. 1. Company. | ||
Capt. R. G. C. Yerburgh. | (3726 C.Q.M.S. P. M’Goldrick.) | |
Lieut. D. J. B. FitzGerald. | 2562 C.S.M. P. A. Carroll. | |
3303 a./C.Q.M.S. J. Glynn. | ||
No. 2 Company. | ||
Capt. V. C. J. Blake. | 3949 C.S.M. D. Voyles. | |
Lieut. C. E. R. Hanbury. | 999 C.Q.M.S. H. Payne. | |
No. 3 Company. | ||
Capt. T. M. D. Bailie. | (2112 C.S.M. H. M’Veigh.) | |
Capt. A. F. L. Gordon. | 3972 C.Q.M.S. R. Grady. | |
Lieut. S. E. F. Christy. | 2922 a./C.S.M. J. Donolly. | |
Lieut. K. E. Dormer. | ||
No. 4 Company. | ||
Capt. P. S. Long-Inns. |
2nd Lieut. M. B. Levy.
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