Our stay at Aldershot, although it had not proved the final prelude to our move overseas, had not been without its value. During the long period of training in the different stations where we had been quartered work had to a certain extent suffered either from lack of facilities or from the special attention that had to be paid to drafts, and also from the changes necessitated by the latters' departure. Consequently an undue proportion of time had perforce been devoted to certain special aspects of training, such as physical drill, rifle exercises, bombing, and so forth; little scope being provided, except occasionally, for the more practical side of training of which field operations mainly consist. During the period at Aldershot we had for the first time worked daily not only as a self-contained unit with all the specialists cooperating according to their particular functions, but also as part of an active field force, represented by not only the whole Brigade, but by the various arms of the service, which nominally work in unison during active operations. The experience gained was therefore very valuable, and the instruction in trench routine gave every man some inkling, at any rate, of what the real life in the line was like. On September 27th the battalion set off on a fine, sunny day to march to Woking, a halt being made about 12.30 p.m. in a pleasant wood for dinner, which had been cooking in field kitchens as we marched along. We arrived at our destination in comfortable time for tea. Inkerman Barracks in normal times must be a very pleasant spot. They stand well on high ground above Woking and close to the hamlet of St. John's, and are well laid out. Unfortunately, owing to a lack of space we shared these barracks with the 2/5th K.L.R., and in addition a squadron of Bedfordshire Yeomanry and a company of A.S.C. were also accommodated in the outbuildings. We had half the barracks, together with the guard-room and the orderly-room at the entrance to the barrack square, while the officers had the officers' quarters. The 2/5th K.L.R. had the other half of the barracks and most of the married quarters for their officers. We had also one or two of these small cottages. The mess we shared jointly. For training there was a large field next the barracks, and some rough ground behind, where final assault courses were constructed. There were several pieces of common land in the near vicinity, and some four miles away was the splendid piece of country known as Chobham Common. On the whole, therefore, we were well off; while the barrack square was admirably suited for close order drill, there being just room to move a whole battalion _en masse_.