Well, in this trouble and difficulty the Artists came to my help, and I shall never forget as long as I live the courage, the determination, the skill, the organizing power which they displayed in trying to meet my wishes. By day and by night, almost under the enemy’s guns, and very often under close rifle-fire in the trenches, they commenced, they carried on, and they developed this work to the very highest standard of efficiency, and they showed clearly what men of energy and skill could do in this direction when they knew how. They taught us, indeed, a very great lesson, among the many lessons which all we regular soldiers had to learn in the war. We never knew what the possibilities were before. We used to talk about it taking two years to train an artillery driver, and, above all things, we said we could not turn out officers under a certain considerable length of time. Well the Artists showed us we made a mistake there, because they turned out a most efficient body of officers, and kept up everything they said they would. From that moment they became the model for and an example to that large number of training establishments all over France, which to the end of the war turned out officers with the utmost speed and the utmost efficiency. What they suffered in doing it is recorded in this book which I now hold in my hand (Artists Rifles Regimental Roll of Honour, 1914–1919), and I may recall at this moment, without frivolity, the fact that these boys, all of them, looked death straight in the face, laughing and smiling, and that the Artists earned at that time the sobriquet of ‘The Suicide Club.’ That, perhaps, is the highest honour that could be paid to them.” The School in France was originally run entirely by Colonel May and his Officers and Sergeants, but presently, as the enemy pressure relaxed, he had the advantage of the assistance of Regular Officers (one of whom was appointed “Commandant of School”) and gradually as additional candidates for commissions began to arrive from other regiments, the two units were worked as separate organisations. In April, 1915, quarters were changed from Bailleul to St. Omer and a new Commandant to the school was appointed, which from that date became “G.H.Q. School.” Thereafter Artists who came out in drafts, together with selected N.C.O’s. from Cavalry, Artillery, Canadian and other units sent up for instruction in Infantry work, were first trained in “the Colonel’s Class” and on passing out went on to this School until July, 1916, when the Battalion was specially authorised by Earl Haig to send candidates approved by their C.O. direct to Commissions.