To Capt Scovell,
Hove,
Brighton.
Dear GJS
Very glad indeed to get your letter and to hear that you are recovering. I heard from Miss Pearce to the effect that you were Hors de Combat, but I hope that by now you are quite well. Your letter of the 10th December only reached me to-day, Jan 16.
I am glad to hear you are pushing along at York. I had heard it before from many sources that the Northern Command was the best trained command of any at home. This is not surprising when one remembers the General at its head and his staff lieutenants at his elbow. It is strange your mentioning that you have a splendid institution in the shape of an N.C.O.s School with the best regular N.C.O.s as instructors. I say it is strange because I am at present the commandant of a similar institution here in the 3rd Army. I shall have next course 150 Captains and 150 Coy Sgt Majors 1 from each battalion in the 3rd Army. We train them all the points to which you refer and in addition we teach the officers the traditions of the old British officer class and what it means to belong to the British Army of to-day. I have the most extraordinary able staff of officers, gathered from all the regular battalions in the Army. Everything is run on lines which I am sure would gladden your heart if you could see the School. We have a corps of Drums here which keeps up the martial spirit and incidentally raises the tails above the head. We finish up our work every day with the March-Past to the tune of “The British Grenadiers”, the school March-Past and also ****** March-Past of The Royal Irish Fusiliers (not the 87th!! Let the General see how I have been *******).
I have Heskith Prichard, the Novelist and also the Sniping expert here running the 3rd Army Snipping School. I teach the students everything which it is possible to teach in the short period of 4 weeks. Lectures on Moral, Leadership, Esprit de Corps, etc. These are delivered by me. Other lectures are given by some of the best men in the British Expeditionary Force out here, irrespective of Army.
Sir Douglas Haig is not altogether in favour of Army Schools as he prefers the Divisional Schools. I told him, however, when he came to pay me a visit, that Divisional Schools are impossible for the New Armies and especially the Territorial Divisions: they have no instructors who could teach and without good instructors these schools lose all their value.
Your story about Madame Caillaux is excellent and I have added it to my list of “Bonnes Histoires”.
I am due for leave now. I have not, however, taken it because I have felt that there is no reason for my going on leave. I would, however, gladly come and spend a week or say four or five days with you in Northern Command. If by so doing I could be of any service to you in the way of lecturing etc. you can let me know. I will come although I loathe the sea.
I am absolutely up to my eyes in work and cannot write any more. My best to the General and Lady Wilner and good luck to you. I *** *** general’s letter. I will answer. I am taking the whole of the A Sergeants of the III Army next course (161) & the C.O.s in batches of 20 for a week at a time to see the system & to get the spirit. My lectures can be obtained from Gale & Polden. I have now altered views; they are possible on the lines now being attempted. I am helping them all I know on frid
Week. They are delivered on active service.
Yours ever
RGK
Lieut Col.,
Commandant,
3rd Army Infantry School of Instruction
16.1.16.
I am sending you a copy of Trench Orders and Wolseley’s Maxims, also a copy of the Syllabus of our work here which may be of interest to you.
The Bay Museum & Research Facility 