1st December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Company Field Training at Audley End Park.
2nd December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Battalion Route March. Route along Ashdon road to Redgate, then south east to Sewers End crossroads at Bears Hill and home by Thaxted road. Distance 8 ½ miles.
Entraining and detraining practice at Railway Station.
The ADVS inspected all horses for casting.
2nd Lt Tolson appointed Bttn Instructor in Physical Drill and Bayonet fighting.
3rd December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Battalion and Company Steady Drill.
Captain Payton gazetted Major.
4th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Interior economy and Bayonet fighting.
5th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Duty Bttn until 12th December.
Church Parade.
6th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Company field training.
Examination in Semaphore for Officers and NCOs.
7th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Battalion Route March: curtailed owing to heavy rain.
Outpost scheme for selected Officers and NCOs also curtailed owing to the rain. Road outpost exercises were arranged to be carried out by companies about mid-way to the Route March. Troops had only got into position when heavy rain rendered it impossible to carry out the exercises and the homeward march was begun.
2nd Lt Read commenced Course of Instruction at Gidea Park.
2nd Lt Atteridge reported for duty and posted to B Coy.
L/Corporal Roberts, D Coy, obtained a Commission and is struck off the strength.
8th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn Steady Drill and ceremonial.
Bttn classed as “very good” in Entraining practice carried out on the 2nd.
9th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Company training under company arrangements.
10th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn and Company Steady Drill and ceremonial.
11th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Interior economy and medical inspection under Company Commanders.
12th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Church Parade.
13th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn Route March.
2nd Lt Peckham classed as a “good instructor” on completing Bombing Course at Godstone and qualified as Grenadier Officer.
2nd Lt Read classed as “1st Class A“ on completing Brigade Bombing Course, together with 2 NCOs and 5 men, who qualified similarly.
2nd Lt Wakefield commenced a Course of Instruction at Oxted.
2nd Lt Kimberley commenced a Course of Instruction at Chelsea.
2nd Lt Collenette and Thompson commenced an MG course at Bisley.
14th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Company and Platoon Steady Drill.
Divisional MG Officers inspected MG Section.
Court of Inquiry into self-inflicted wound of Sgt Dawson G Coy.
15th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn Route March and concentration. The Bttn was ordered to move by 4 parallel roads and to concentrate at Littlebury Green at 11am. All the Companies (with one exception) were up to time and the exercise was regarded by all ranks as having served a useful object exercise.
2nd Lt Conlan classed as good on completing course at Ongar.
Corporal Wormald classed as good on completing course at Bishops Stortford.
16th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn Parade in skeleton marching order.
2nd Lt Catling, 2 NCOs and 15 men commenced Divisional Bombing Course at Stansted.
17th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Lecture and Demonstration on MG by Captain Pemberton and staff of Divisional MG school.
Bttn practised Guard duties, Brigade Guard mounting and Bombers’ practices on Brigade pitches.
Bttn drill and Bayonet fighting.
Transport Section attended a Test on the Common.
2nd Lt AE Brown classed as “very good” in the Semaphore test by Brigade SO.
18th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Interior economy and medical inspection under Company arrangements.
19th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Church Parade.
20th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn Route March and concentration. The Battalion (less 1 company being the Duty Company for the week) were ordered to march by 3 nearly parallel roads and to concentrate at Ashdon at 12 noon. One Company arrived on time. Two others were a few minutes late. One man fell out owing to a sprained ankle.
Also Outpost exercises: Twenty selected Officer and NCOs were given an Outpost line to hold from St Aylotts (about 2 miles NE of Saffron Walden) to the road leading to Mortimers, with a view of watching roads coming east of railway line from Bartlow-Ashdon. The country thereabouts is extraordinarily difficult to watch, purposely s chosen and some useful lessons were learnt by the groups concerned.
21st December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn drill and ceremonial.
22nd December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
The General Officer Commanding the 60th (London) Division, Major General ES Bulfin CVO, CB, inspected the Bttn and the Transport Section.
2nd Lt Comerford and 1 NCO commenced on Trench fighting course.
23rd December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Medical inspection of the Battalion.
2nd Lt Tolson, 3 NCOs and 13 men commenced Brigade Bombing Course.
Captain Frisby posted as OC, B Company.
24th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn and Company drill and ceremonial.
14 Officers transferred to 3rd Bttn.
Captain Lane, 1 NCO and 8 men classed as “1st Class A” on completing Brigade Bombing Class.
25th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Church Parade.
26th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Church Parade.
Duty Bttn for ensuing week.
27th December – STANSTED.
Capt Lane, 2 NCOs and 15 men commenced Divisional Bombing Course at Stansted.
28th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Brigade Veterinary Officer examined all horses and mules re Service overseas.
Bttn drill and extensions from close formations.
29th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn Route March and concentration.
Machine Gun Section Brigaded for Inspection by Divisional MG Officers.
30th December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Garrison Board of Inquiry into loss of Dun Gelding, found dead on 9th December.
Bttn drill.
31st December – SAFFRON WALDEN.
Bttn practice in Guard Duties, Brigade Guard mounting, drill and Bayonet fighting. Also in interior movements after dark.
District Court Martial (President, Lt Col Scott Allen, Commanding 2/18th London Irish Rifles) adjourned until 1st January 1916 at Park Royal.