South Yorkshire Times, May 19th, 1939
Hundred Men Wanted
Wath resounded to the rattle of drums and the blare of bugles as the Drums of the 1st Hallamshire Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment, in their scarlet tunics, and red striped trousers, paraded up and down West Street in the pouring rain. Then with a rattle and roar two “Ant” infantry trucks carrying a 3-inch mortar, an antitank gun, and two Bren guns, and a Bren gun carrier, of the light tank type with caterpillar wheels, and complete with Bren gun, came into sight
Recruiting on Monday
All this was part of a recruiting campaign for one of the new infantry companies of the York and Lancaster Regiment, which will be stationed at the Drill Hall. A total of 100 men between 18 and 33 are needed to bring the Wath Company up to war strength, and the Drill Hall was opened as a recruiting depot -on Monday.
It will be a rifle company, also armed with anti-tank and Bren guns, and Captain T. K. Steer, who commanded the old Wath York and Lancaster Company will control recruiting for the time be The new battalion for which the Wath Company is being raised. will become one of the new second line battalions of the Territorial Army Field Force. Lieut.-Col C. G. Robins commanded the unit which gave the display, and aid he would not attempt to disillusion them. If there was an outbreak of hostilities the unit would be needed for service abroad. The parade there was to show would-be recruits what they were going to “play with.”
The mounted Bren gun for anti-aircraft purposes attracted great interest, as did theunmounted gun, and a third gun, which was fitted in the Bren carrier.
Instructors were kept busy explaining the working of the various guns, and a crowd, clad in raincoats, gazed with interest at the band, which abandoned bugles and took up fifes to play “A Hundred Pipers,” in the rain.
It was a pity the rain marred the parade. There was a good crowd, however, though nothing approaching the turn-out a sunny day would have ensured for so interesting and entertaining a spectacle.
The headquarters of the new Company at the Wath Drill Hall were previously occupied by the Wath Company of the 5th Battalion, the York and Lancaster Regiment before this unit was re-organised into an Anti-Aircraft Unit.
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