Organisations > Roll of honour of Caxton House Printing Office, Dundee

Robert V. Harris
shout by the sergeant — " Show a leg, boys." Our two
lads jumped up, pulled on their clothes, and flew down-
stairs to the water troughs. At the next call of the
bugle, at 6.45, the company (some sixty or eighty
men) were numbered off in two lines, and rifles were
inspected. The order was then given to "Pile arms,"
and Robert and Bert were shown how three rifles
could be made to stand upright by means of the
swivel and hook at the end of each barrel. Next
followed the orders — " Stand clear " (and they stood
back from the rifles), "Left turn," "Right turn,"
" Number off," " Form fours," " Form two deep,"
''Right turn," "By the left— Quick march." "Left
turn" finally brought them down to King Street,
where they were sent off at the " Double " for a quarter
of an hour, after which " Quick march " brought them
back to the barracks to take up their rifles and retire
to their room.
The boys greatly relished their breakfast after this
morning's work. They were already beginning to taste
some of the joys of an active open-air life.
At 9.30, the order being given to " Parade with full
equipment," Robert buckled on his harness. His
burden at first was light and easy, and he could not
but feel a touch of pride as he took his place amid
the great battalion, his soul thrilling with the music
of the band. The regimental sergeant-major directed
some drill movements, after which the battalion
marched to the links, piled arms, and proceeded to
drill. Our recruits now got an idea of what is
meant by " physical training." They were but poor,
limp, feeble creatures when at noon they trailed home
their weary bodies and their heavy packs.
On succeeding days the forenoons were always spent
on the links at rifle drill, bayonet righting, physical
training, and gas tests. We asked Robert about the
gas tests. He told us that a gas mask is something
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