he saddlery
was put on board without being unpacked. Then our complement of
machine guns was increased from two to six per regiment, which meant
taking from each squadron 1 officer and 20 men to form the new
personnel, and replacing them in the squadrons with men from the
second line. By this arrangement we lost also our adjutant, Captain
M.E. Lindsay, who was made Brigade Machine Gun Officer. Lieutenant
H.S. Sharp took Captain Lindsay's place as adjutant. All ranks were
fitted with helmets (on which pugarees had to be fixed under the eye
of the few old soldiers who had been abroad and knew how to do it),
and also with a complete outfit of khaki drill clothing. This last
caused no end of trouble and annoyance both to the tailors and the
men. However, it was all finished somehow, and it was a very cheery
party which embarked on the train at Fakenham station just after dusk.
The entire population turned out to see us off and wish us luck, and
gave us a very hearty send-off.

Next morning we found ourselves at Devonport, where we were to embark
on H.M.T. _Andania_ (Captain Melsom), a second-class Cunard Atlantic
Liner, and set to at once to load our baggage in the holds. Speed
seemed to be the main concern, the safety of the cargo being quite a
secondary consideration. The Brigade arrived in some dozen or more
trains, each carrying what corresponded to a squadron, its baggage,
which consisted of all sorts of heavy cases and things more or less
breakable such as personal baggage, and saddlery in sacks, and also
motor bicycles and vehicles. Each train was unloaded as it arrived and
its contents thrown holus-bolus into one of the holds, except for the
wheeled vehicles. The result was that there were layers of saddles at
the very bottom of the hold, and further layers at intervals up to the
top sandwiched between ammunition and heavy cases of all kinds.
Fortunately we were never asked to unpack the saddlery.

On Wednesday, 8th September, about 5 A.M., we left the harbour
escorted by two destroyers who took us to abreast Cape Ushant and
there left us.

The first day or two on board was regular pandemonium and most
uncomfortable for the men. Four officers and 140 other ranks from the
second line had joined us at Devonport and we were very overcrowded.
Each man had a stuffy and inaccessible bunk and a place at a table in
the steerage saloon for meals, which had to be served in three relays
owing to the numbers on board. This