. The story of the 2/4th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry . eturn from Epping, we again marchedthrough the village. After a fortnight at Writtle, the Battalion movedto Hoddesdon, to take part in digging the Londondefences. We left Writtle 653 strong at 8 ,and completed the march of 25 miles at 5 , withevery man in the ranks who started. Three weekslater we were ordered to Broomfield, a village eastof Writtle and near Chelmsford. There was keencompetition to take part in the return march fromHoddesdon; 685 men started on the 29 mile march,which lasted 11 hours; only 3 fell
. The story of the 2/4th Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry . eturn from Epping, we again marchedthrough the village. After a fortnight at Writtle, the Battalion movedto Hoddesdon, to take part in digging the Londondefences. We left Writtle 653 strong at 8 ,and completed the march of 25 miles at 5 , withevery man in the ranks who started. Three weekslater we were ordered to Broomfield, a village eastof Writtle and near Chelmsford. There was keencompetition to take part in the return march fromHoddesdon; 685 men started on the 29 mile march,which lasted 11 hours; only 3 fell out. The bandmarched the whole way and played the Battalion inon its arrvial at Broomfield. In the spring of 1915 it was decided to preparethe Territorial Second Line for foreign improvement resulted in the issue oftraining equipment. Boreham range occupied muchof our time. A musketry course was begun butnever finished; indeed, the bad conditionof therifles made shooting futile. Six weeks were alsospent at Epping in useful training, at the conclu-. P- 5- INTRODUCTION. sion of which we returned to Broomfield. TheBattalion was billeted over an area about six mileslong by one wide, until leave was obtained for acamp. For nearly three months the men weretogether under canvas, with the very best training ensued. I am reminded of alittle incident which occurred during some nightdigging at Chignal Smealy. The object of thepractice was to enure the men to work, not only whenfresh, but when tired. Operations opened with dig-ging with the entrenching tool—each man to makecover for himself. By 8 this stage had beenreached, so tea and shovels were issued. At 9 digging began, the shelters being convertedinto trenches, and this continued till was then served, and work went on till dawn,which provided an opportunity to practise standing-to. A rest followed, but after breakfast work wasagain resumed. About 10 an of
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