Authorized Guides

By E. Kitson Clark, T.D.,
Major 7th Batt. West Yorks. Regt.

(Read before the Club on the 23rd January, 1912.)

The scheme which I have the honour to lay before you to-night is one which the Yorkshire Ramblers are particularly competent to carry out. By doing so they will be making a very good use of the experience acquired by them as members of the Club.

I am far from suggesting that a Club like ours has any need of an utilitarian excuse for its existence. A desire to advertise the utilitarian value of any pursuit that interests us is a failing of the “improving” persons of the present day, but I claim no such value for my scheme. I appeal, rather, to the romantic spirit implied in the word Rambling.

Rambling already has the romance that comes of dealing with the unexpected and the dangerous, in campaign – and in companions: both may have the romance of unexpected beauty – and both sometimes the romance of disappointment. My scheme would add the romance that encircles the love of one’s own country.

The nature of my scheme is sufficiently described by the title of the paper. It is meant to meet the difficulties which the commander of a defensive force would have in a country he can only know from a map, by providing him with guides who are not only men of honour, but also furnished with intelligence and a special knowledge of the country.

This knowledge he might glean, to a limited extent, from various sources. The gamekeeper has it within the limits of his estate, the postmen knows the lines of his round, the policeman his beat, the ordinary pedestrian his favourite haunts, the cyclist the surface and gradients of the roads. Above all others, the huntsman has the eye for country, but his point of view is too high to allow him to recognize the conditions of infantry movements, and his speed and range of action are on a larger scale.

The guide we want must have all this knowledge of the country, and with it, all the gipsy’s intimate acquaintance with its contents.

The Rambler is the man to solve the proposition, and especially a Yorkshire Rambler, for being a member of a recognized Association he can, in time of war, be found at once and given a definite job to carry out.

To come to details. Assume that a home force has arrived in Leeds, that the enemy is to the north, that the Wharfe is to be watched or guarded, that Leeds is to be left in the hands of the Territorials, while the officer in command is to strike in the country north of it. He has, it is true, maps and general information from the Intelligence Department of the War Office, but there are many things he cannot learn from them : The nature of the soil, the material of the walls, the surfaces of the roads, the strength of bridges over a stream, the purity of water in the stream, the contents of farmhouses, the stock in the farms, the hurdles, the brushwood, the type of trees : all these things, which ought to be in the mind of the local guide, are certainly not to be found on the map.

To make the situation quite clear, we will set out in full the Orders which might well have been issued, and for which I am indebted to the kindness of Capt. F. Nugent, of the Rifle Brigade: –

General Idea.

Reference Map. Any map of England.

England is at war with a strong Continental Power and has lost command of the sea.

A hostile expeditionary force has landed at Whitby and has occupied York.

Special Idea.

England.

Reference Map. O.S. Sheet 9. (2 m. to 1in.).

On the 1st August, 1915, the 5th English Division has concentrated at Leeds from the south and is billeted there.

On the 5th August, the General Officer Commanding the Division hears from a reliable source that the hostile expeditionary force, which is said to consist of all arms and to be 20,000 strong, is advancing from York, on Leeds, and intends to cross the river Wharfe between Wetherby and Otley.

Some hostile cavalry patrols have been seen south of the Wharfe.

The G.O.C. 5th Division decides to oppose the crossing of the rivet by the hostile expeditionary force.

Copy No.1.

Operation Order No. 4.

By Lt.-Gen. Nicholson, Commanding 5th Division.

Reference Map. O.S. Sheet 9. (2 m. to 1in.).

The Town Hall, Leeds,
5th August, 1915.

Information.	*1. – The hostile expeditionary force has marched from York and is reported to be advancing on Leeds. Hostile mounted patrols have been seen south of the river Wharfe.
Intentions of G.O.C.	2. – To oppose the enemy’s crossing of the river Wharfe.
Mounted Troops.	3. – The Divisional Mounted Troops will march at 6a.m. tomorrow and will occupy the bridges over the Wharfe at Wetherby and Linton.
Artillery	4. – The O. C. Divisional Artillery will detail one Brigade R.F.A. to accompany the 1st Infantry Brigade tomorrow and one Brigade R.F.A. to accompany the 2nd Infantry Brigade.
Engineers.	5. – The O.C. Divisional R.E. will detail one section Field Engineers to accompany each of the above Infantry Brigades.
Infantry.	*6. – The 1st Infantry Brigade will start at 8 a.m. tomorrow and will march to Harewood via Chapel Allerton and Alwoodley Gates, and will watch the line of the river Wharfe from Arthington to Linton (both exclusive). *The 2nd Infantry Brigade will start at 7. 30 a.m. tomorrow and will march to Otley via Headingley, Point 479, and Greengates, and watch the line of the Wharfe from Otley to Arthington (both inclusive).
Field Ambulances.	7. – Will accompany Brigades.
Transport	8. – 2nd Line Transport will go with Brigades.
Headquarters.	9. – Headquarters and the remainder of the Division will remain in Leeds.
Outposts.	10. – The O.C. Leeds Territorial Brigade will continue to find the outposts for the city.
Authorized Guides.	*11. – Authorized Guides will report themselves as follows at 5 p.m. this evening : – Mr. F. Walker: {To the O.C. 1st Infantry Brigade, Mr. H.Climber: {at the Three Horse-shoes Inn, Headingley Mr. V. Longsight: To the O.C. 2nd Infantry Brigade, at the University
Reports.	12. – To be sent to the Town Hall, Leeds.

George Hirst, Colonel, General Staff.

Issued at 10 a.m.

Copy No. 2, by aeroplane, to G.O.C.-in-Chief, Nottingham.
Copy No. 3, by orderly, to O.C. Mounted Troops.
Copies 4 to 11 to officers commanding Artillery, Engineers, Infantry Brigades, R.A.M.C.,Leeds Territorial Brigade, and Supply and Transport.
* Copies 12, 13 and 14, by orderly, to Authorized Guides.

Copy No.1.

Operation Order No. 2.

By Brigadier-General Beckett, Commanding 1st Infantry Brigade.

Reference Map. O.S. Sheet 9. (2 m. to 1in.).

The Three Horse-shoes Inn, Headingley,
5th August, 1915.

Information.	1. – The hostile expeditionary force has marched from York and is reported to be advancing on Leeds. Hostile mounted patrols have been seen south of the river Wharfe.
Intentions of G.O.C.	2. – The G.O.C. 5th Division intends to oppose the enemies crossing of the Wharfe. He is throwing forward the 1st and 2nd Brigades to watch the line of the river between Otley and Wetherby, keeping the remainder of the Division in reserve at Leeds.
Advanced Guard. Major Brigg 1 Sec.Field Engineers, 95th Battery R.A. 4 coys. 1st Batt.Rifle Brig.	*3. – The Advanced Guard (as per margin) will march to Harewood via Chapel Allerton and Alwoodley Gates. They will occupy Harewood Bridge and will halt on the line of the river Wharfe
Main body in order of march. 1st Batt. Rifle Brigade (less 4 coys.) 2nd Batt. K.O.Y.L.I. 10th Brigade R.F.A. (less 1 Battery). 2nd Batt. Manchester Regt. 1st Field Ambulance. 2nd Line Transport.	*4. – Main body in order of march (as per margin) will start march from the Three Horseshoes tomorrow at 8 a.m. and will follow the Advanced Guard
Left Flank Guard. Lt-Col.Rhodes, 1st Batt. W.Yorks.Reg	*5. – Left Flank Guard (as per margin) will clear the Meanwood Valley and will march via Adel and Eccup to Weardley
Machine Guns	6. – To accompany Battalions.
Transport.	7. – 1st Line Transport will accompany units. 2nd Line Transport will march at the rear of the Main Body.
Authorized Guides.	*8. – Mr. H. Climber will report himself to the O.C. Left Flank Guard at the Three Horse-shoes at 5 p.m. this evening. Mr. F. Walker will report himself to the O.C. Advanced Guard at the same place and time.
Reports	9. – To be sent to the head of the Main Body.

Issued at 12 noon. L. Hawke, Brigade Major.

Copy No. 2, by orderly, to G.O.C. 5th Division.

Copies 3 to 11 to officers commanding Divisional R.E., 10th Brigade , R.F.A., Advanced Guard, Left Flank Guard, 1st Batt. Rifle Brigade, 2nd Batt. K.O.Y.L.I., 2nd Batt. Manchester Regiment, Senior Transport Officer, 1st Field Ambulance.

*Copies 12 and 13, by orderly, to Authorized Guides.

Only the paragraphs marked with an asterisk concern the Authorized Guide, but copies of the whole would be given to him so that he could understand what was going forward.

Having marched out with the Advanced Guard, the guide might take the officer in command to the top of a house in Hollin Lane, where he would point out that on the Meanwood Beck there are two dangerous gorges, which are not obvious from the contour lines indicating them on the map ; that there are quarries and woods, both dangerous places for ambuscades ; that the tracks are stony and bad; that while Miles Hill looks imposing and, in fact, commands the valley immediately in front, it is only the beginning of an outlying spur, and that its capture, though it might be necessary, would not be an end in itself.

He might go on to explain that there was plenty of gorse and brushwood for concealing trenches and sufficient light earth that could be put into sand bags for defensive works ; that the water of the beck was good for drinking above a certain point ; that there was straw in stacks for bivouacs ; that there were telegraph lines over certain parts of the district; that the visible hill-crests were commanded by others which he could locate, and so on.

Besides this he would have to be able to read the country generally, place the map, point out the prominent objects, have a general knowledge of the slope of the ground and of the concealment offered by a sunken road or by a gradient in any given line of fire.

In this way, therefore, I suggest that an immense service might be rendered by a Club like ours, if any among its members could be found ready to acquire the simple information indicated above. The Authorized Guide would not trouble himself with military technicalities, unless, indeed, he is of an age when he ought to be in one of the auxiliary forces. The sole military knowledge he need acquire would be the ordinary signals of how to beckon, to stop, or to send away any individual – the signals being :-For Advance : Raise the arm stiffly from thigh to horizontal; for Retire: Circle the hand above the head; for Halt: Raise the arm vertically above the head.

Recapitulating my plea in a few words: A guide with a love – and a knowledge – of his country, and devoted to its service, is provided by a recognized society as a servant of the Forces of the Crown, and when called up is given the badge and rank of an Officer, and his actions in time of war thus regularized.

In conclusion, I am bound to say that the authorities at the War Office have not yet promulgated any such scheme, but I am so convinced, both of its necessity and practicability, that I have no hesitation in bringing it before you in the hope that you will consider it worthy of your serious attention, and that something will eventually be done.