The Sixth Annual Reunion and Smoking
Concert of the London County Committee.
146
THE YPRES TIMES
V.C. and the battalion as a whole won many other distinctions. In January, 1918,
after thirteen months in the Salient, the Division moved back to the Somrne,
and, under the scheme of reorganization, by which brigades were cut down to three
battalions, the 16th Sherwood Foresters absorbed the 17th Battalion. Then
followed a period of calm till the great German attack in Marchthe battalion was
in the thick of it, and its retreat is described day by day. At the end the battalion
was so greatly reduced that it was never reconstituted, but served in detachments
till the Armistice.
Colonel Truscott very properly confines himself to the doings of his battalion,
and only deals with wider formations and general tactics for purposes of explana
tion. In his own sphere he shows himself a master of his material, and his
accounts of battles, raids and quiet days in and out of the line could scarcely be
improved. Out of the line, the battalion seems to have been chiefly active at
football, aptly called recreational training." Its record was 24 wins out of 36
matches played.
The book is admirably produced and freely illustrated with portraits, groups
and scenes from the battlefields. The most striking of these latter are two photo
graphs of the Ancre in flood, as seen from Thiepval. The maps are scarcely so
successful. There is a series of appendices of great valuethey comprise a
nominal roll of all officers, a list of awards and mentions, a record of football
matches, various letters, orders and quotations from despatches, and a roll of
honour. There is also a list of reinforcements, which shows that 95 officers and
1516 other ranks joined the battalion in the field from April, 1916. to April, 1918.
X unqualified success and the best concert we have had are the feelings one
has when looking back on the Sixth Annual Reunion of the London County
Committee, held at the Caxton Hall, Westminster, on October 18th, 1928.
So numerous were the applications for tickets that the time-honoured practice
of seating the audience at tables had perforce to be abandoned at the last minute.
The hall was full to capacity shortly after opening, and almost all the seats were
booked beforehand.
For the first time in our history the President of the League, Field-Marshal
Lord Plumer of Messines, took the chair, and the Committee were specially pleased
to welcome Lady Plumer.
The Chairman was supported by His Excellency the Belgian Ambassador,
Field-Marshal Sir Claud B. Jacob, General M. Desprès, Military Attaché French
Embassy, Lieut.-General Sir William Pulteney, Chairman of the Executive Com
mittee of the League, Alderman Sir Charles C. Wakefield, Bart., and Colonel H.
Nerinix, Military Attaché Belgian Embassy.
For the excellence of the programme the Committee have to thank one of our
members, Mr. P. Hubbart, who arranged it and secured the attendance of artistes
of exceptional quality.
Few who heard it will forget Madame Gioconda Papacini's wonderful perform
ance, which held her audience spellbound and received the ovation it deserved.
Prior to the interval the Chairman of the London County Committee, Major
E. Montague Jones, referred to the activities of the League during the past year
the pilgrimages to the Salient and the Somme and the free pilgrimage to the Menin
Gate in June, etc. He paid a tribute to the organizing ability of C'apt. G. E.
de Trafford, secretary, to whose untiring exertions is due the'large number of
Finally, there is a very full index.
W. H. B. S.
