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Training
Regimental training on the St. John’s cricket grounds at Pleasantville illustrated
the Colony’s lack of preparation. Not even the most basic of military supplies existed for
the new recruits. The city brigades donated 47 tents; the governor, various Newfoundland
businesses and private citizens, donated an additional 50. Some of the shelters had to be improvised from sails
taken from vessels in port. The floors for the tents were donated by the Anglo-Newfoundland
Development (AND) Company in Grand Falls.
Training ground at Pleasantville, St. John’s, ca. 1914.
Courtesy of the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL E-37-41), St. John’s,
Newfoundland.
(18 Kb)
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In addition, there were no uniforms or weapons for the men to use in training.
The absence of sufficient quantities of khaki material for the leg
wrappings, or puttees, forced the soldiers to make do with navy blue; hence the designation
“The Blue Puttees” for the First Five Hundred. The proposed Australian-style slough hats
did not arrive so the soldiers marched off without proper head gear. Furthermore, the Ross Rifles
ordered from Canada did not arrive until the day after the first contingent had left for Britain.
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Newfoundland Regiment soldiers marching at Pleasantville, St. John’s, ca. 1914.
Courtesy of the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL A8-85), St. John’s,
Newfoundland.
(32 Kb)
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The Image Gallery features images showing the regiment in
training
at Pleasantville. There are also images of the
First Five Hundred and subsequent groups marching in St. John’s, and
embarking
for further training
in Britain. Short
video clips
from the time period are included.
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