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“ The Headquarters and Depôt or Administrative Centre are situated at 130, Bunhill Row, E.C., and are in charge of Captain H. Ferguson, to whom the Regiment owes a considerable debt of gratitude for the whole-hearted way he has thrown himself into the work since he joined. Having been private secretary to the late Lord Roberts, he has brought a ripe knowledge and warm appreciation of the Territorial Force to bear on the thousand and one details which have to be arranged from Headquarters. Here it is that recruits receive their equipment and their first insight into drill. ”

“ Hunter Avenue, and right beyond it to the end of the wood, is now quite a pleasant walk. Rations and carrying parties, though they have developed a rather peculiar gait, can progress at a reasonable pace, and have no need to wade so long as they keep to the boards. On either side, however, we still have a reminder of the nightmare that is past. The possibility of getting material up has a corresponding effect on the work in the trenches. ”

“ The 5th London Regiment, despite very heavy casualties, maintained their position unfalteringly."
Extract from John Buchan's "History of the War," Vol. VII.:—
"Early in the morning of Thursday, May 13th, a day of biting north winds and drenching rains, a terrific bombardment began. . . . . The infantry on the left of the cavalry were fiercely attacked, but contrived to hold their own. . . . . The London Rifle Brigade had lost most of its men in the earlier fighting. ”

“ The London Rifle Brigade was in support. The weather could not have been worse, and the ground was impossible. The result was that the wood was cleared, and German House remained in No Man's Land.
The London Rifle Brigade was not called upon to continue the attack. This was the first experience the Battalion had of anything like heavy artillery fire, and also of the difficulty of consolidating at night in an unknown bit of ground. Two half-companies were engaged in assisting in this work, while the rest of the Battalion spent a miserable night in the marshes in the wood. ”

“ There is no doubt that, during their advance from about 1,000 yards till they got into dead ground, the Germans suffered fairly heavy casualties from the rifle fire of the two companies on the right, and this may possibly have deterred them from trying to leave the dead ground. With the assistance of the two companies of the 4th Yorks and one company of the East Lancs, which was also attached to the Battalion, the damage to the trenches was almost all repaired during the night, and all the wounded were evacuated. ”

“ Company was detailed, but a personal reconnaissance by the Officer Commanding the Company (Major Burnell) convinced higher authority that it was not only impossible to move the men by day, but that the Hants' left could not be found. Orders were accordingly received for the whole Battalion to move at dusk into the gap. Moving by a somewhat circuitous route, it arrived at its position, and dug in for the second night in succession. Owing to the darkness, most, if [19] not all, of the rules as to "artillery formation" were of necessity transgressed on this occasion. ”

“ The London Rifle Brigade Mutual Aid Society centres in Bunhill Row, and a copy of its scheme is given in Appendix F.
The Prisoners' Aid Fund, for sending food and warm clothing to non-commissioned officers [34] and riflemen of the Regiment who are prisoners, is also controlled from Headquarters. Weekly parcels are sent by ladies of the Regiment to any whose relatives are not in a position to send them all they require. ”

“ The tour was normally seven days, with two companies in the front line and two in reserve near Battalion Headquarters.
Work was rendered very difficult owing to the water-logged nature of the ground.
Ration parties took as much as seven hours to accomplish one round journey.
On the whole, the Battalion was amazingly fortunate while in these trenches. It suffered casualties from occasional shelling and sniping, but on certainly two occasions the enemy bombarded the trenches and blew in fifty yards of parapet without inflicting a single casualty. ”

“ Out of this number 65 (21 of "A," 20 of "B," 15 of "C," and 9 of "D" Companies) have been given commissions in the Regiment, and 30 of these received them direct in the field in the 1st Battalion.
For a Regiment, whose 1st Battalion was fighting, the total given below is a proud achievement. It was always a wrench to part with candidates, but the figures prove that the strictures, often heard, that Commanding Officers refused to part with their best men were unfounded in the case of the London Rifle Brigade. ”

“ The men made themselves thoroughly at home in the cottages of the village, while the three days' rest in Armentières owed much of its enjoyment to the initiative shown by the 4th Division in organising both divisional baths and divisional Follies. ”

“ The numbers at the various railheads altered very considerably from time to time, e.g., on June 6th 210 other ranks were scattered over fifteen stations, and on September 24th there were 374 other ranks at twenty-one different stations.
In addition to these details, the Battalion was called upon to furnish escorts and large parties for detraining work.
During the battle of Loos the Kensingtons and London Rifle Brigade between them furnished all the escorts for German prisoners, every available man, including grooms and officers' servants, being used. ”

“ Since the 1st Battalion landed in France, 535 of its non-commissioned officers and men have received commissions.
The majority of these were sent to the Cadet School at General Headquarters or to England, while the balance, just over 200, obtained their commissions when at home sick or recovering from wounds. ”