The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)

Contributions by Tom Barker - 1939-45
Stirling Castle

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Modern Drilling on the front esplanade to the Castle 1938. Photo © Tom Barker

It was about the month of September 1938 when the old form fours of WW1 was done away with. On being called onto parade by the bugler, the soldiers would fall-in in two ranks. Then they would number off from the left. On the command, "Form fours!" the odd numbers would remain still and the even numbers would take a step back and to one side. Now they were in four ranks. The Squad is then called to attention. On the command, "Fix!" the right hand man in the front rank takes three short sharp steps forward and grabs his bayonet handle and pushes down, this makes the scabbard of the bayonet tilt up his back. On the command, "Bayonets!" the whole squad pushes the rifle muzzle forward and pulls down on the bayonet, that leaves the scabbard in one sweeping movement and is offered onto the bayonet boss of the .303 Lee Enfield rifle. That position is held until the Instructor gives the command, "Squad Shun!" We in Balaklava Squad had more or less completed this training when one day Staff Sergeant Hutchinson informed us to forget what we had learned and we had to start over and learn it all over again. "Aye! ah ken hoo yese aw' feel!" quaffed Hutch, grinning like a Cheshire cat as we gave vent to our frustration. Then Sgt Hutchinson declared he was in the same boat as us, since he also had to learn the new drill. However, armed with the new drill manual we got stuck in once more and it was not long before we were hearing the bugle then falling-in in three ranks and doing the new "Fix bayonet drill". From my point of view the new drill was less cumbersome than the old, "Coontin' aff an' waltzin' roon like a big Jessie" - to quote B.C.