Page:The Irish guards in the great war (Volume 1).djvu/246

 strict course of platoon training for all ranks was undertaken." It began with twenty minutes' walking or running (in the usual rain or snow) before breakfast at 7.30, and it continued with a half-hour's break till half-past twelve. "Even after three days there was an appreciable improvement in drill and smartness," says the Diary, and when their Brigadier inspected them on the 22nd April he was pleased to compliment. Of afternoons, every one seemed to lecture to every one else according to their seniority; the Brigadier on "Outposts"; the commanding officer—Major R. Baggallay—on "Advance and Rear Guards," the officers to the platoon-sergeants on every detail of life-saving or taking, and when their own resources failed, the C.O. of the 2nd Coldstream lectured all officers and sergeants of the 1st Brigade on "the attack in open warfare." It was a very thorough shaking-up—foot and transport—from the "specialists" to the cook's mate; and it culminated in No. 5 Platoon (Lieutenant E. Budd) being chosen to represent the Battalion at the Brigade Platoon competition in Drill, Arms Drill, Musketry, Bayonet-fighting and a tactical exercise. The 2nd Grenadiers platoon won, but No. 5 justified itself by taking a very close second place. Survivors, who remember, assert that the platoons of those days were in knowledge, strength, and virtue immeasurably above all known standards of fighting men. ("And in the long run, d'ye see, they went with the rest. All gone! Maybe there'll be one or two of 'em left—policemen or tram-conductors an' such like; but in their day an' time, ye'll understand, there was nothing could equal them.")

The lighter side of life was supplied by the 3rd Coldstream's historic and unparalleled "Pantomime," which ran its ribald and immensely clever course for ten consecutive nights when the cars of the Staff might be seen parked outside the theatre precisely as in the West End.

On the 1st May they resumed work on the Etricourt-Fins railroad and made camp among the ruins of the village for the next three weeks in fine hot