Regiment, just returned from China. We remained in Plymouth three
days, which gave me an opportunity to visit my friends.

On embarking at Millbay wharf, it being a very dark night, my escort,
Private Coady, missed his footing on the gang plank and fell overboard
between the steamer and the wharf. With much difficulty he was rescued,
having had a narrow escape from drowning. We missed the train at
Southampton, but the chief of police billeted us at the Queen's Hotel.
The following day we reported at Aldershot.

We had very few sham fights during the summer, but field days were
frequent. A divisional order would issue that "H.R.H. Duke of
Cambridge, commander-in-chief, would visit the camp, and all brigades
would parade and form in the Long Valley to-morrow at 9 a.m." We knew
that meant a hard field day. The Duke was a great soldier and would
have things done right, and always gave credit where it was due. On one
occasion he was heard to say: "What regiment is that?" One of the field
officers replied: "It's the 17th, your Highness." "It's steady, and
their marching is excellent." When the commander-in-chief or any of the
Royal family visited the camp the Royal Standard was hoisted at
headquarters.

Orders were issued on one occasion that we leave camp for seven days
and become a flying column. Then the whole brigade struck tents at
daybreak, and marched the first day to Walmer forest and remained there
two days. This is a distance of 16 miles, and to do this in heavy
marching order was a good test of the marching powers of our young
battalion; but the men were equal to the occasion and did the march in
excellent form.

When the reveille sounded the next morning we were leaving camp. A
severe thunderstorm came up and we were obliged to strike and pack
tents during the storm. A young private did not fall in when his
company was parading, and one of the officers asked him the reason he
was not doing so. He replied that he did not have his breakfast and
would not fall in till he had. He was at once made a prisoner and
marched as such to Walmer forest, when the commanding officer applied
for a drumhead court-martial. In consequence of the prisoner's previous
good character, the general directed the colonel to deal with the case,
and he was sentenced to seven days' cells.

When we arrived we found our arms, accoutrements and kit in a bad
state, so the troops were kept busy for some time spreading their
clothing in the s