Blackhall Camp - Formation and training: Difference between revisions
Blackhall Camp - Formation and training (view source)
Revision as of 03:05, 29 July 2016
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On [[17 September]] 1914, approval of the Army Council was given (War Office letter No. 20/Gen. No./3162 (A.G.1) and an Executive Committee was formed.<ref name="lons-booklet">[[The Lonsdale Battalion Border Regiment, September 1914 to June 1915]].</ref> [[Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale]] and the Executive Committee<ref>The [[Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale|Earl of Lonsdale]] was appointed Chairman, with Colonel Weston, M.P., as Vice-Chairman, Major Binning, Mr. F. R. Hodgson, and Captain Wakefield were appointed Goveners of Local Committees, at Carlisle, Workington, and Kendal, respectively, and Mr. [[Gerald Spring-Rice]] became Hon. Secretary of the Executive Committee.</ref> decided to raise the "Lonsdale Battalion" in three detachments: Carlisle, Kendal and Workington.<ref name="lons-booklet" /> There were four companies in the three detachments: A and B Companies from East and North Cumberland were based at Blackhall Racecourse, C Company from Westmorland was based at Kendal, and D Company from West Cumberland was based at Workington.
On [[25 September]] the camp at Blackhall was officially started with 75 recruits under the command of [[W. W. R. Binning|Major Binning]] and Captain Sale. On [[15 October]] 1914, the West Cumberland recruits were transferred from Workington to Blackhall and with an increase in numbers there was greater need for proper accommodation instead of the sleeping in the Grandstand, the stables and other various temporary shelters. Hutments to house all the men
==Supplying the men==
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==Commanding the Battalion==
Choosing the right officer to command any battalion has to be a carefully considered decision. Lord Lonsdale asked retired colonial officer [[Percy Wilfred Machell]], C.M.G. if he would consider returning to a position of command. Machell had spent much of his military career in Egypt, having served in the Nile Expeditionary Force, the Egyptian Army and Egyptian Coastguard, among others. When asked, he was living in his substantial retreat at Crackenthorpe Hall, near Appleby, Westmorland. A return to the military would shake the foundations of a quiet country life but he accepted and was granted the temporary rank of Lieutanant Colonel, which was eventually Gazetted on [[15 October]], 1914. By this point though he had spent his first month in post at Penrith, where he had made his headquarters, but on [[17 October]], "along with the Orderly Room Staff and Lieut. and Quartermaster Dawson, moved from Penrith to Blackhall and in a very short time the organisation of the four companies was in full swing." <ref name="lons-booklet" /><ref name="lons-england" /> Machell's prior knowledge of command enabled a structured and order approach to getting the required job done. He was by no means a cold and emotionless man, instead he was considered a caring man and was respected among his men. During October and November there was much "spade work" to be done. All manner of duties were done by himself in the early months. He was constantly busy with preparations having no Company Officers until his Adjutant, Captain [[P. G. W. Diggle]] of the 6th Border Regiment, was appointed on [[3 December]].<ref>The position of Adjutant was later appointed to Lieut. M Gordon.</ref><ref name="lons-booklet" /><ref name="lons-england" />
Even with the help of his Adjutant, Lt-Col. Machell continued with his duties in training the border men, many of whom had not even seen a soldier before their recruitment. He knew training and discipline would have to be drilled into them to make them capable, fighting men. Discipline, however, should not be confused with punishment as he says "I have to act as drill-sergeant and buck and bark vociferously to get up to a high standard....Men take the talking well. It is much better than punishing....Far better make a man than break him." <ref name="lons-england" /> It is not difficult to understand why officers and men alike revered him and saw him as a capable commander, the man that would lead them to the battle fields of mainland Europe. Major Diggle writes about Lt-Col. Machell describing what kind of a man he was when it came to his work in maintaining the high standards in training of the men:
{{Quote|text=Every detail had to be taught by him, for the officers, with very few exceptions, knew no more than the men, and had to be taught themselves before they could teach. The simplest orderly-room work, such as making out ‘crimes’, ‘guard reports’ and ‘detail’ etc., were done by him until the adjutant was appointed, and he always checked each of the returns personally. All attestations were made out, and recruits personally approved by him, while the separation allowances claimed his particular attention. He organized the feeding of men (the messing gained the name being the best in the Command); he arranged for hutting, the clothing, the water supply, the lighting and conservancy of the Camp, and he it was who averted a strike that threatened over the wages question among the men engaged to build the huts. These activities alone would have occupied the activities of six ordinary men, but in addition to all this the C.O. was constantly on parade, training and smartening up both officers and men, drawing up the programmes or work and seeing that they were carried out.|person=[[P. G. W. Diggle]]|source=[[Record of the XIth (Service) Battalion (Lonsdale) - In England]]}}
==The Battalion reaches full strength==
{{Expand-section|date=29 July, 2016}}
==See also==
*[[Formation and training]]
*[[Quotes by Percy Wilfred Machell]]
*[[Quotes by P. G. W. Diggle]]
==References / notes==
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