The command of "C" Company passed to Captain Eccles about this time. He had relieved Lieutenant May as Transport Officer when the latter joined the Home Service unit, but had handed over this duty shortly after to Lieutenant Hutchinson. On July 15th, after vast preparations--we had made no considerable move for eighteen months--we entrained at Canterbury, after a long and tiring march, for Aldershot, getting a magnificent send off from our Canterbury friends, not to mention ample supplies of fruit from the manager of the Queen's Hotel, Margate. With what high hopes we set off on our journey! Now at last we felt that the final stage in our education had been reached. Aldershot and Salisbury Plain were the universities of the military student, whence he was launched into the vortex of war complete with all the necessary knowledge. That we had now at last been admitted to this select academy must mean that our days in England were strictly numbered. Alas for our hopes! [Illustration: Photo by Houghton, Margate. COL. G. A. WILSON, V.D.] CHAPTER II PREPARATION FOR OVERSEAS--BOURLEY CAMP--INKERMAN BARRACKS, WOKING On arrival at Aldershot we detrained at the military siding and marched off over the switchback road across the edge of Laffan's Plain to Bourley Bottom, some two miles from the town in the direction of Fleet. The camp, which was on the site of one of the usual summer camping grounds, was from the picturesque point of view delightfully situated. It lay in the centre of a ring of low, wooded hills which sheltered it from all wind, and the white tents stood out in pleasing contrast to the surrounding browns and greens of the background. As a place of habitation, however, it could not compare with Gore Street; the canvas was poor, and the general arrangements by no means so modern. Moreover, by its very situation the camp was damp, and in continued bad weather would probably have proved unhealthy. However, we had come there with a purpose--viz., to complete as quickly as possible our military knowledge--and we were in no mood to cavil at details. From the moment of our arrival we realized that every moment would be precious. A musketry course had to be fired, and the outline of a tactical training programme had already been issued. Musketry commenced on July 17th, two days after arrival, and we fired on alternate days on Cæsar's Camp ranges, hardly a mile away, and on Ash ranges, a good six miles away. As firing was always to commence at 7 a.m. when not prevented by an early morning mist, as frequently happened, we used to rise very early for Ash ranges, and the "butt party" still earlier. Away we would tramp over the rough road to Aldershot, through the silent streets, past the many barracks when "Reveillé" was just sounding, and so out of the town again towards the Fox Hills and our destination at Ash ranges.