Thursday March 14th, 1918
Warm again, usual routine. Fired in afternoon for competition. Two hits out of two shots, 150 jam tins.
Battalion Competition in Olasli
Since his initial training, Frank has been recognized to be a good shot. He seems pleased with his results today. It is unclear to what the 150 jam tins refers – but if they create a single target, it sounds rather easy.
The Lewis Gun team of B Company, to which Frank belongs also had success today. It, together with D Company, has been selected to represent the Battalion in the Brigade Sports later this month.
As noted elsewhere, the British Army believed Brigade and Battalion sports events to be important to the morale and skill of the troops. As such, they are organized in every theatre of war.
The two images in this post were taken at a sports day held by the 10th Battalion, Black Watch and 12th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders near Salonika on 27 February 1916.
The first shows men going through non-barbed, concertina wire during an obstacle race.^ The second image shows a machine gun team competition.*
Competition on the Western Front
The 15th Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry participated in their Brigade’s ‘Assault at Arms’ event somewhere near Verdun in June, 1916. The details of the competition were recorded in ‘The Highland Light Infantry Chronicle’ a quarterly publication for the Regiment. The account provides some insight to the skills being developed and the organization involved. The following extracts show an interesting combination of entertainment, competition and combat preparations:
‘1. Rapid Wiring – Team Competition (Teams of 1 Officer and 30 OR from each Unit). Scheme to be carried out to be the knee-high wide. Points for time, style and silence. Dress – Clean fatigue. 1 Prize’.
4. Bomb Throwing – Individual Competition (Entries 4 per Unit). 3 dummy Mills’ Bombs to be thrown by each competitor from mark – distance 35 yards – to a target of three circles, 2ft., 5ft., and 7ft. diameter. Points 3, 2, 1; aggregate of three throws to be taken. Dress – Drill order, with side arms; caps to be worn; no rifles. 2 Prizes.’
‘6. Lewis Gun Competition – For Teams (2 teams of 1 NCO and 6 men to be entered from each Unit). Bayonet Fighting Course to be used. 2nd with three drums. Jump 3rd trench, and finish 10 yards beyond. Points for style and time. Dress – Drill order, with steel helmets. 2 Prizes
Other events included a relay race specifically for messengers that involved a combination of running and walking; a tug-of-war; the ubiquitous bayonet fighting; a transport competition for drivers and their mule teams; both Stokes mortar and Vickers gun competitions; an Alarm Race to hone the mustering skills of bivouacked troops, and a Victoria Cross Race.¹
13th (Service) Battalion War Diary – 14th March 1918 – No 1 Sector, Olasli
Training as per programme. 2 OR struck off under GRO 1011 from 12-3-18 and 2 OR from 13-3-18. 1 OR is struck off on being taken on effective strength of 65th Brigade HQ. 1 OR having rejoined is taken on from 13-3-18. 1 OR rejoined 11-3-18. D Coys No 2 team and B Coys No 1 Team being first two in the Lewis Gun Competition will represent the Battalion in the Brigade Sports. Inter-Platoon Football.
References and Further Reading
¹ ‘Highland Light Infantry Chronicle‘. Quarterly publication since 1893. This document covers the period January 1914 to October 1916 when censorship made it impossible to fulfil its role as a chronicler of the regiment.
* ‘image Q31786‘ copywrite IWM
^ ‘image Q31784‘ copywrite IWM