El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-12-26
old SALISBURY
PLAIN IS MADE
BIC ARMY CAMP
Government Guards Secret
of Size of Force Being
Assembled.
COLONLALS EXCITE
WONDER OF ENGLISH

T ONION, Eng, Dec. 26.-Not since
Salisbury Plain was taken over
- by the war office has so great an
army been collected together within
its confines. From the valley Of the
Wylye northwards the plain resounds
with the tramp of men, the clatter of
horses. the roar of artillery, the sharp
crash of rifle fire and the almost cease
less whir of the aeroplane.
How many men are gathered there
nobody knows or. il anybody knows,
the censor would not permit him to say.
1t is one vast training ground where
recruits from every part OF the United
Kingdom are being nodded into that
particular type of soldier who will be
most serviceable in the muddy fields
of Flanders. You can walk across
the plain in a day-unless you happen
10 be thrust back-and see every type
OF arm that the British army possesses.
There are territorials here, divisions OF
Kitchener's armies Of reserve cavalry
units, sections of flying corps, artillery
companies, Canadians, New Zealanders
and, to complete the list, a few hun
dred wounded German prisoners.
COIOnials Excite Wonder
The ColOnials are in the middle Of
the plain. They are a wonderful lot
of men-a source Of endless amazement
to the ordinary British Tommies en-
camped in their neighborhOOd. They
have brought with them an idea of dis
cipline quite foreign to British military
notions. You may be Canadian major,
but this does not prevent you from
having as your most intimate friend
and chum Canadian private with
whom you dine If you want to drive
about in your motor car. The British
Tommy stares in amazement at these
topsy turvy practices. He cannot I'M
derstand why q Canadian private does
not call his superior officer sir or
how he could want to be in his society
any longer than is absolutely neces-
sary
At Tidworth tens of thousands of
troops of all arms are collected. No
body could possibly like Tidworth. 1t
is the creation of the war office-of the
war office of some dozen years ago.
Not even the Oldest inhabitant, and he
must have been there for at least six
months to qualify for this position
knows his way about the place. You
walk up road which runs on for close
on TWO miles. 1t has no name that
you can discover Parallel with it is
another road of exactly the same de-
scription with exactly the same type of
buildings, and you can walk across
four or i've Of these parallel roads
until, with a feeling of relief, you
come out upon the open plain.
Great Change Is Wrought.
Here at this new town, with its war
office hallmark, is stationed what is
at present one of the most interesting
units OF the British army They call it
the Reserve regiment of cavalry be-
cause 1t is used to fill up the gaps
in the cavalry at the front. We who
have seen British mounted soldiers at
parade ana maneuvers have no idea Of
the change that has already come over
the training of the cavalry in the space
of four months.
Cavalry has been employed in the
early days of the war as we like to
read Of it being employed, as the eyes
of the army as the force which carries
all before it in a magnificent charge.
But these days are apparently over.
The cavalry trooper has now to be
something of everything. What the
Royal marines are to the navy. he is
to the army. 1t is true he has not yet
been called upon to handle artillery,
but perhaps he may even be expected
to do this before peace is signed He
has certainly to do everything else at
present.
Must Know Much.
The ubiquitous trooper has now to
learn his work as a foot soldier so
that he can play his part in the
trenches when it is impossible for him
to be used on horseback He is trained
too. in the use Of the revolver and the
rifle-the ordinary infantry rifle-and
he is exercised in bayonet drill, for
the cavalry must now carry bayonets,
it is said. Also, most important of
all, he must know how to handle