Beyond Redmires
On the 15th May 1915, the battalion left Sheffield for advanced training at Penkridge Bank near Stafford. Here there was tactical training, communications training, advanced rifle training, night operations training along with the familiar trench digging and fitness training. It was the first time the entire 94th Brigade of which the battalions was a part was together as a whole unit.
The next move for the Battalion was on the 30th July, this time to Ripon in North Yorkshire for "Musketry Training". This was followed by a move to Larkhill in Wiltshire on November 16th to complete the course. It was at Larkhill that each soldier was finally issued with his own personal rifle. Whilst here orders came through for a move to France, but these were soon cancelled, their first posting was to Egypt and they travelled there over the Christmas/New Year period.
The division was sent to Egypt to help defend the Suez Canal from Turkish attack but as it turned out they didn't spend long there, and were soon relieved by forces from Gallipoli. This enabled them in mid March to finally travel to France. They arrived in Marseilles on March 16th and then endured a 4 day train journey up to Pont Remy in Northern France.
