Friday 19th November 1915: the adjutant of the 2nd Battalion tells us that officers and NCOs from a newly arrived unit, 19th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers(1), are being attached to the battalion for training in trench warfare and life on the front line.
They have been told that he training should include instructions in: -
(a) methods of forming up and assaulting from trenches.
(b) Use of grenades, rifle grenades, trench mortars.
(c) Method of holding the line and use of machine guns.
(d) Sanitary precautions in the trenches.
(e) Precautions against frostbite.
(f) Necessity for continuous and organised work in the trenches.
(g) Method of supply, and cooking in the trenches.
The orders received go on: “The Brigadier wishes Battalion Commanders to give their personal attention to the training of these new formations and to insist on the thoroughness of the instruction. Units of the new formations must be regarded as an integral portion of the units to which they are attached and equal solicitude be shown for their comfort and instruction”.
Source: X550/3/wd
(1) Also known as 2nd Public Schools Battalion; it was part of 98th Brigade of 33rd Division which originally comprised four battalions of Royal Fusiliers (1st-4th Public Schools), another brigade (99th) also having four Royal Fusilier Battalions (Empire, Kensington and 1st and 2nd Sportsman’s)
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