The mill through which men of the Guards have to pass, however, is so severe, and the discipline so stern, that no one need have doubted that the new recruits would prove equal to their predecessors. The Guards Division was formed in September 1915, and Major-General the Earl of Cavan, who had commanded the 4th Guards Brigade in every engagement almost since the commencement of the war, was naturally given the command. He had proved himself a great soldier, and his exceptional ability as a commander of men had rendered him eminently fitted for this command. Thoroughly acquainted with the methods of the enemy, he had shown himself to be resourceful in strategy and bold of decision in action. Upon several occasions he had extricated his Brigade from situations of the utmost peril, and had turned a half-anticipated failure into hard-won victory. In the darkest hour at Ypres he never lost heart: the more hopeless the situation, the greater the opportunity for a gallant fight and great achievement. His perfect confidence in his men was equalled only by their whole-hearted trust in him. His appointment, therefore, was hailed with enthusiasm by all ranks of the Brigade of Guards. The Guards Division was composed as follows: _The 1st Guards Brigade._ Brigadier-General G. P. T. FEILDING. The 2nd Batt. Grenadier Guards. The 2nd Batt. Coldstream Guards. The 3rd Batt. Coldstream Guards. The 1st Batt. Irish Guards. _The 2nd Guards Brigade._ Brigadier-General J. PONSONBY. The 3rd Batt. Grenadier Guards. The 1st Batt. Coldstream Guards. The 1st Batt. Scots Guards. The 2nd Batt. Irish Guards. _The 3rd Guards Brigade._ Brigadier-General F. J. HEYWORTH. The 1st Batt. Grenadier Guards. The 4th Batt. Grenadier Guards. The 2nd Batt. Scots Guards. The 1st Batt. Welsh Guards. Thus there were four battalions of Grenadier Guards, three battalions of Coldstream Guards, two battalions of Scots Guards, two battalions of Irish Guards, and one battalion of Welsh Guards. The 4th Battalion Coldstream Guards formed the Divisional Pioneer Battalion. The Guards Division formed part of the Eleventh Corps under General Haking, and were placed in the First Army. Arrival of the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards [Sidenote: 3rd Batt. 1915.] The 3rd Battalion Grenadiers was the only regular battalion at home. For months it had fretted at being left behind when all the other battalions had left, for they had a history second to none in the British Army, and had taken part in all the great campaigns during the last two hundred years.