The Wolds Waggoners - page 18
Image details
| Corps | RPC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Books |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | The Wolds Waggoners |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1988 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | Yes |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1908 |
| Late date | 1983 |
| Transcription |
f from Mons on the retreat. Anyway, I took this horse but found out that I d swapped one wrong 'un for another. She didn't seem to hear anything, and couldn't. A deaf horse was no good but I persevered and eventually when someone's time came to go home I was given a pair of shires.' Although the Parks carried a large reserve of food for the infantry and cavalry, the irony of their situation was that they were not permitted to issue any of it to themselves. Hunger became something of a problem, particularly when units were ordered to buy their rations locally, since they often found that there was simply nothing to be had in the shops. Some farmers donated vegetables from their fields, and there was some fruit, apples and plums, available in local orchards, but the lack of fresh food was beginning to cause some of the men health problems by the end of September. Yet matters became even worse as time went on; although, after the Battle of th?, Marne in early September, the B.E.F. was once more advancing, it was moving through areas which had been picked clean of all food and forage by the retreating Germans. It was a great relief to everyone to receive their first letters from home, as well as receiving some English newspapers, in the middle of September. Replies were quickly sent, asking above all for warm clothing. The months of September and October were turning out to be as wet and cold as August had been hot; many men had left England with just one pair of boots, one shirt, a cardigan and two pairs of socks. By now, little was left of any of these, and replacements were urgently required. Working in muddy conditions in wet weather, the lack of good boots was keenly felt, and some leather was purchased locally to allow the units' saddlers to make temporary repairs. In the 4th Park, the Medical Officer bought some wooden clogs to replace some of the worn-out boots. Perhaps even more welcome was the first issue of pay, which for some unfortunates did not take place until the end of October. As the war became bogged down in a stalemate, the need for the Reserve Parks diminished, since they had been created with a mobile campaign in mind. They gradually stopped maintaining a store of fresh food such as bacon and cheese, because it was so difficult to keep properly. Even Oxo cubes proved a problem, since extremes of heat and cold caused them to perish. A typical day for the men of the Reserve Parks started with reveille at 0500; morning stables (when the horses were inspected) took place from 0530 to 0730; then breakfast, and a wash and shave parade. Some wagons were then detailed off to collect stores from railheads such as St. Omer, for delivery to the divisions in the front line, whilst other wagons were taken off on a route march. Midday stables were between 1145 and 1300. This was followed by the mid-day meal, and the rest of the afternoon was taken up with checking and cleaning equipment, drill, classes or more loading and unloading. Evening stables took place between 1630 and 1730, followed by the evening meal, and lights out at 2100. II!" , . * ars suffered their first death in * * > .... Seated on the right, Wagoner Thomas 227 Bulmer M.M. |
| Book number | R0398 |