[Jack Lanigan qualified as a Sanitation Inspector shortly before the outbreak of World War I, and was an army lance corporal attached to the Sanitation Section at the start of the war. The Battle of Loos took place from 25 September – 8 October 1915]

We became attached to the 24^thDivision and transported to France.

[…]

We had three days and three nights forced march […] The first twenty four hours went down very well; a new kind of experience, singing John Brown’s Body and all the old choruses. I noticed the next twenty four hours were not relished with such a joyful spirit. We had breaks for fifteen minutes intervals. The third and final twenty four hours seemed like a week. The troops had lost their voices, and men were dropping out by the roadside […] We knew we were close to the front line, and the poor tommies of the 24^thDivision went direct into action. That was their baptism and what a bloody baptism it proved to be, “The Battle of Loos”. Casualties were enormous.