amongst other accomplishments he spoke French fluently. Other names that
occur to us are Serjt. Heafield, with 28 years, and C.S.M. Hill with 16
years, both of Ashby, and both of whom served in the Volunteer Company
in South Africa. R.S.M. Lovett (27 years), of Loughborough, also wears
the South African medal for service in the same Company. Then there are
Pioneer-Serjt. Clay (27 years' service), C.S.M. Garratt, of Ashby,
C.S.M. Wade, of Melton, R.Q.M.S. Gorse, of Loughborough, Signal-Serjeant
Diggle, of Hinckley--all long service men. The senior N.C.O. in Rutland
was C.S.M. Kernick, who had done 18 years' service when war was
declared.

The infantry of the 46th (North Midland) Division consisted of the
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, the Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, and
the Staffordshire Brigades. Our brigade, the 138th, was commanded at
first by General A.W. Taylor, who was succeeded a few days before we
left England by General W.R. Clifford. Staff officers changed
frequently, and we hope we did not break the hearts of too many.
Staff-Captain J.E. Viccars survived most of them, and we owe him much
for the able and vigorous assistance he was always ready cheerfully to
give us.

The 5th Leicestershire was a County Battalion, organised in eight
companies, with headquarters respectively at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Oakham,
Melton Mowbray, Hinckley, Market Harborough, Mountsorrel, Shepshed, and
one at Regimental Headquarters at Loughborough. The companies thus were
much scattered, and it was only at the annual training camps that we met
as a battalion.

The Territorial Force was better prepared for mobilisation than is
generally supposed, and if the history of the assembly of the regiment