Duty And Service: Letters From The Front.

Captain Lionel William Crouch

• Publisher: Lucknow Books
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781782890751
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World War I
• Index: History

Captain Crouch had served in the Territorial Army for some years before the cataclysmic struggle in Europe began in 1914. Unlike all the other belligerent parties, Britain did not, and still does not, have standing military conscription; the Regular Army of full-time highly trained volunteers provide the first line soldiers. Bolstering the first line soldiers were the part-time volunteers of the Territorial Army, providing additional manpower and more limited service. However, during both World Wars the men of the Territorial Army were in dire necessity of the time pressed forward into the line as fighting divisions, the men eager to bring the fight to the enemy.Our Author's war time service in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry started the moment that war broke out, from August 1914 to March 1915; he and his men trained to reach a peak of efficiency. This moment could not come too soon: the first seven divisions of the Regular Army that had formed the initial expeditionary forces had ceased to exist in the face of overwhelming number of the enemy. The Territorials and other Reserve forces from all over the British empire rushed to France and were plunged into the thick of the fighting amongst the trenches.Captain Crouch's letters form an unbroken stream between the mobilization, and are in equal part illuminating and evocative of the life of a young man who fell in service to his country. Although place-names were omitted from his letters due to censorship of the time, he was interred at Pozières British Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boisselle, meaning that he probably fell in this area during the battle of the Somme.An engaging read.Author — Captain Lionel William Crouch (1886-1916)Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published for private circulation 1917.Original Page Count – 158 pages.

PART I—MOBILISATION AND TRAINING

From August 4, 1914, to March 30, 1915

Extract from “The Bucks Herald,” August 8, 1914 “THE WAR THE CALL TO ARMS“ MOBILISATION OF TERRITORIALS

“In Bucks, as in other counties, great activity was displayed upon the receipt of the Proclamation.

“Late on Tuesday night (August 4, 1914) an advance party, under Captain Lionel Crouch, left Aylesbury for an unknown destination. During Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning the other companies from various parts of the county made their way to the Headquarters at Aylesbury fully equipped.

“DEPARTURE OF THE BATTALION

“As the time arrived on Wednesday evening (August 5, 1914) for the departure of the Territorials, the crowd on the Market Square increased enormously. The Slough, Wycombe, and Marlow Companies were the first Town Hall. The men commenced to entrain about 7 o’clock, and at 7.30 the train commenced to leave the platform amidst a volley of cheers and the waving of handkerchiefs. The remainder of the companies, Aylesbury, Buckingham, and Wolverton, assembled in the square between 8.30 and 9 o’clock. The crowd had now swelled to enormous proportions, and from the Square along Great Western Street to the station they stood several deep. At 9 o’clock came a quick, sharp command, ‘March.’ Gradually the men moved off, closely hemmed in on either side with the crowd, and then from a few exclamations of ‘Good-bye,’ ‘God speed,’ and ‘Come back soon,’ there broke out a roar of acclamation. The Aylesbury Company, headed by Lieutenant Guy Crouch, left their native town with the cheers of their friends, relatives, and fellow-townsmen ringing in their ears.”

GOUVILLE, MAGDALA ROAD, COBHAM. August 6, 1914.

MY DEAR OLD DAD,

I am writing from my billets in Cobham. I am billeted here with Geoffrey, Howard, and Simpson. As you know, I and my advance party left Aylesbury at 9 p.m. Our train was late at Marylebone, and we missed our proper train at Waterloo. I, however, found that there was a newspaper train leaving at 3 a.m. I cajoled the railway people into attaching a first-class coach thereto, and we travelled down here in state. The train came into Waterloo about 1.20, and so I put two men into each compartment, so that they might get some sleep. We arrived at Cobham about 6 a.m. and went into Portsmouth, where I reported myself to several authorities. The rest of the day was exceedingly strenuous, drawing ammunition, transport of various kinds, and stores. I found that the A.S.C. couldn’t supply me with all the horses I wanted, so I turned up at Cobham looking like a nightmare of a battery of artillery. I had four weird civilian waggons, each with something else tacked on behind, a water-cart on one and two each with a small-arm ammunition-cart. I had no choice, as I had to get the transport and only got six horses, though two of the waggons were pair-horse vehicles. I had to sit up late that night to receive the Battalion, who are in billets here now, and it was 3.15 a.m. this (Thursday) morning before I dossed down on a bar floor covered in dust and stinking of beer. Needless to say, I never lost consciousness, and that makes two nights running without a wink of sleep. I have got ripping billets here, and am very comfortable, the inhabitants of the house being awfully kind. The Chesham men are in a skating-rink, and the Aylesbury men in an empty house which must have been a butcher’s. The state of war is very real here. There are several waterworks near here, all guarded with sentries, barbed-wire entanglements, trip wires, electric bells, and other devices, also loop-holed sandbag parapets. Every bridge, tunnel, and important point on the railway from London is guarded by Territorials. I know nothing of our movements yet. I hear that the troops had a great send-off from Aylesbury, and that a number of men, notably young Pollard, were kissed by ardent damsels on the way to the station.

Even if we see no fighting throughout the war, this show will be the making of us. I do think that it is an answer to scoffers at us Territorials that the order to mobilise is received at 6.30 p.m. on one day and on the following night the whole Brigade of four Battalions is at their war-stations complete in every respect, including each man carrying 100 rounds of ball ammunition. Besides that carried by each man, I drew 82,000 rounds yesterday, and we now have 108,000 rounds for our Battalion. Another great point is the notable absence of any absentees from the mobilisation. Every man rolled up, and I believe the grief of the few rejected as medically unfit was great. I was glad to have charge of the advance party, but I should like to have seen Aylesbury yesterday. I guess they must have been woken up a bit.

I think the men will go through this show well. One would hardly recognise the responsible-looking, disciplined chaps here, as the rather free-and-easy jovial Terriers of our annual training camps. I don’t think that there is any danger of fed-uppiness after months of service, and I believe that nothing would please them more than a raid on Portsmouth by a German landing-force.

Much love to you all. So long!

Your loving Son,

LIONEL.

COBHAM August 8, 1914.

MY DEAREST MOTHER, August 8, 1914.

The weather here is perfectly abominable. This morning we spent digging trenches to cover the approaches to the main forts. Our fellows worked astonishingly well, and did more in the time than is laid down in the Regulations. I took a hand and sweated away with a pick and shovel in my shirt-sleeves pour encourager les autres. We had a few casualties. One fellow got a pick in his back and another in his arm, while a third had the back of his hand skinned by a shovel. Inexperience was of course responsible for these accidents. We all got soaked to the skin. It rained hard and steadily the whole morning.

Guy has gone on to-day with twenty men of my company as an advance party to Swindon.

Aren’t those Belgians ripping? If those slovenly-looking coves can whip the Germans, we will smash them. I believe our Terriers would make them sit up. That reverse at Liège will hit German pride pretty hard.

Love to all.

Ever your loving son,

LIONEL.

SWINDON. August 11, 1914.

MY DEAR OLD GOVERNOR, August 11, 1914.

The weather has at last changed and to-day has been frightfully hot. We did a route march of about twelve miles in full marching order, and the men were pretty cooked. They aren’t in marching trim yet. Besides, they are carrying more than usual as well as 100 rounds of ball ammunition per man. I had two or three of my company fall out.

To-day the G.O.C. has called for the whole Division to volunteer for foreign service. The response of the men is very disappointing. In our Battalion only about 50 per cent. have volunteered, and the Colonel said that ours and the 4th Oxfords have volunteered the smallest quota of the whole Division. It is sickening. One of the Chesham sections came up well, twenty-four out of thirty-two volunteering; about seventy or seventy-five men of D Company in all are willing to go. Needless to say, Guy and I are for it. I wouldn’t be left behind for the world. I should feel such a cur. We shall not be going abroad for at least a month. I forgot to say that only 533 of the Bucks Battalion have volunteered. I hope you won’t mind my going: I must be in the show. If I come back, well and good; but if I don’t, it won’t matter. The only thing I am sorry about is leaving you in the lurch with all your work; but don’t worry, Dad, stick to it, and I hope the war will soon be over and I shall be back quite safe and sound. We shall have to do a lot of hard training before we are fit to go out, and it will take my tummy down. Anyway, there is plenty of time yet, and perhaps the Germans will get such a hiding on land and sea that we shall never be called upon.

I’m on duty to-morrow, so good-night.

Love to all at home.

Your loving Son,

LIONEL.

SWINDON. August 12, 1914.

MY DEAR OLD DAD, August 12, 1914.

We have got a few more men for foreign service, I’m glad to say. The latest numbers are 600 of all ranks—D Company, four officers and eighty-two N.C.O.’s and men. I do hope Bucks will find her proper quota.

I write this short note so that you may know that it is probable that in the next few days our Brigade will be coming to Leighton Buzzard. The whole Division is here, and I do not know where the other Brigades are going. Also there is a rumour, which may or may not be true, that we are to be sent to Malta. I hope to goodness it isn’t true. We all want to go to Belgium. I shall feel very much inclined to volunteer into another unit if we go to some rotten foreign garrison, but I suppose I must stick to the Battalion.

Your loving Son,

LIONEL.

SWINDON. August 13, 1914.

MY DEAR OLD DAD,

By the time you get this letter you ...