Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-06-01
Least Difficulty Found Was OBJ
tanning Men in Early Days
of the War.
PROBLEMS QUICKLY SOLVED
System Is Finally Established AFTER
Early BIundering and the Present
Day Efficiency Of the Troops
In France Is Testimony to
the Thorouehness of
Their Training.


Office of the general staff an interest
ing article on the Organization and
Training of the New Armies Of Great
Britain" which tells us that the British
army that went out to Mons In the
early days Of August, 1914, was proba-
bly, the best trained army that has ever
left England, the Army and Navy Jour
nal states. Nearly all the officers were
men who took a keen Interest in their
profession and who availed themselves
Of every opportunity 10 increase their
military knowledge and experience
The training Of part of the expedition
airy force at Aldershot, under the COM
handlers who themselves led it into &C
/ ton, was training such as never had
been seen in England. Owing TO the
stress of circumstances the training OF
the new armies during the first period
was less complete than that OF the ar
mics organized later In the second
period. but both armies were character
lied by the spirit which puts life into
the instruction in military duties.
The practical training in small wars
had taught the British soldier the Ines
Unable value of never knowing when
he is beaten, the Russians saying that
the English never win more than one
victory in a war-but that is the last
This and a strong regimental feeling
which has always been Characteristic
of the British army have been pre-
served in the armies now in the field.
Men at First Responded Quickly.
This regimental feeling tends TO
make officers and men one happy fam
lily, proud of themselves. jointly anx-
Ious to make their regiment a glory TO
the British army. 1t cultiFates spirit
of self-reliance, loyalty and kindness,
all based upon the strong sense OF dis
cipline and community of interest Ii
is broadminded and tolerant method
which insists on smartness and on duty
and discipline anu high courage and
courtesy, but not on hate.
The men who came into the army as
recruits were the kind who were ready
TO respond TO the British methods Of
training q volunteer army. The least
difficulty found was in obtaining the
men in the early days Of the war. Re
cruits came faster than they could be
taken care of and supplied with proper
equipment. Some 10000 troops were
housed in hired buildings and other
temporary quarters, but within a year
huts to hold three-quarters of a million
men, with water and light laid on, had
been built, besides various enormous
depots for stores. remounts, etc These
auts seemed to spring up in every part
of the country; one great bare moor
land In the midlands, uninhabited
since the dawn of history. had been
covered with new roads, railways.
pumping establishments. power sta
tons and huts for some 10000 individ-
uals--
Soldiers, Quarters and Food.
Within year the problem of quar-
tering the troops in the chief training
centers had been solved The previous
uncomfortable accommodations were
the cause of bad discipline and sloven-
ly training. Fortunately satisfactory
system for feeding the troops on war
basis had been elaborated two years
before the war. A description of this
method is given. At the beginning GER
tain articles OF food. especially meat.
were so excessive that great waste re-
suited. also owing much TO the ignor-
ance of the soldiers detailed for cook
ing duties, who served the excellent
food provided in a slovenly unappetiz-
ing way, and Improvement followed the
establishment of schools in instruction
in cookery and the admoniton TO COM
manding officers TO lay stress on the
variety in the cooking of the food Oh
cleanliness and on economy
Clothing the recruits was another
difficulty experienced at the beginning
important parts of the equipment such
as army boots were for long time sad
liz deficient The enlargement OF cid
plants, the erection OF new plants and
instruction in the methods of manufac
ture was slow and laborious process
When the war started. England seemed
TO have been as badly off In matters OF
supplies as we. They had less than
$4,000 rifles, only half OF them the
latest pattern. The weekly output Of
rifles In the United Kingdom was under
1000, which could be increased some
what by night shifts. but which at the
best was infnitesimal compared with !
the needs OF the new army. Unfortu-
nately the rife. though needed in larger I
quantities than any other weapon for
an army. requires longer time than
any other before its manufacture with
new plants can be started. owing large I
iy TO the number of gauges of extreme 4
accuracy required in the process: con-
sequentiy the recruits had TO wait 1
long.
BY January. 1915. the first new army I
had abeu- 400 service rifles per bat
talon. and the second about 100. and (
Ii was not until March. 1915, that these |
armies were beginning 10 be fully
armed. To provide even limited l
amount of drill and musketry practice
IL was necessary 10 hand around the /
ia l.. -.