PRESS RELEASE
“The War Office having authorised the formation of a 5th (Depot) Company, with a strength of 250 men and an establishment of Officers ..., and a 6th Depot Company later, arrangements have been pushed forward for the accommodation of men in billets in the immediate vicinity of Blackhall Camp, where the new Companies will be trained.
On Saturday the Lonsdale Recruiting Office will reopen ...and the Recruiting Officers at the principal Centres have been requested to give notice that it is once more possible for men of good physique and high character to offer themselves for enlistment in the Lonsdales.
The ranks were so rapidly filled at the time of the Hirings that bitter disappointment was caused to hundreds of splendid fellows who came forward to do their duty and soldier with their Pals in the local Battalion. Now they have their chance. They cannot join the Service Battalion at once because it is still over establishment, but the function of the Depot Companies,....will be to provide a steady supply of Lonsdale men for the Lonsdale Battalion at the Front.
Short as has been the history of the Battalion up to date, a good tradition has already been established and its feet stand firm upon a solid foundation or right feeling and goodwill.
The Lonsdale Battalion is young, and has much to learn in a short space of time, but all are keen, and if only the weather will continue favourable, they will soon be fit for service.
C Company is coming from Kendal immediately after Christmas and they will receive a rousing reception from their comrades....All classes of men are soldiering side by side in the Lonsdales,....and the clannish spirit which has been so noticeable already will become intensified when the Battalion goes abroad.
A month ago when Recruiting was stopped, and so much disappointment was caused, a number of men said “Lonsdales or nowt” and went home. Now is their chance! There is room for 250 today, and then for 250 more. The Officer Commanding does not believe in more meetings. He believes in the men. He has told the Battalion there are vacancies for 250 recruits, and he says the men will simply tell their friends.
He says “Look at the Football!” our fellows have never been beaten. They have successively defeated The Carlisle Police, the Border Depot, Bigrigg, Carlisle United, and finally our Rugby Union Team has beaten Silloth....” [1]
References / notes
Material from Timeline/Chronology of the Lonsdale Battalion (September 1914 - May 1915) are sourced from the DLONS/L/13/13 Lowther Estate Archives. Entries from this timeline are reproduced here with kind permission of Jim Lowther and are not available under the license of this site. Please do not publish these extracts on other publicly visible media without prior permission from the copyright holder.
- ↑ Record No. DLONS/L/13/13/8. Dated 11 December, 1914