A CENTURY ago the Furness troops of the 1/4th King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment knew something big was about to happen.

Since the end of January 1916 had been close to the Arras sector, not knowing that the Somme was the place for the “big push” on July 1.

Their call to get read to join the advance was not to come for a few more weeks but there was no disguising the anticipation.

Captain James Crossley, writing in the official battalion history, noted: “Talk of impending events filled the air.

“We were intrigued by the arrival of new drafts of officers and men and we loooked amongst these for new faces from the Furness district but these were becoming fewer.

“Son we were up to establishment, an unprecidented achievement for us.

“Stores of all kinds became more plentiful and were easier to replace when lost or damaged and there was a general air of expectancy.”

The 1/4th had always struggled to reach full strength as Vickers were so keen to hang on to men with shipbuilding and engineering skills which were equally vital to the war effort.

At Arras the Furness territorials had formed part of the 55th (West Lancs) Division which had its own engineers and artillery and was under the command of Maj-Gen Sir Hugh Jeudwine.

A brief home for the Furness men was the rural village of Candas, a flat area suited to the building of both military light railways and airfields of the Royal Flying Corps.

The men were put to work on laying a railway line from the village to Puckevillers.

Cpt Crossley noted: “It was hard work but interesting and not unpleasant.

“Each day the working parties went out to the railhead, which daily extended, taking their mid-day meal with them, and returning to billets at the close of the day’s work.

“The billets were good, the amenities fair and existence supportable during those halcyon days.”

After a fortnight it was back to the more usual nature of the First World War – marching and trenches.

The move to Arras included a march from Thieures to Sombrin in a gale which took from 9am to 2pm.

By the night of February 26 the men of the 1/4th Battalion were on duty in the Blamont and Ravine trenches, in front of Bretencourt.

He noted: “It was only about a mile from the line but many of its inhabitants still clung on to their possessions.”

The troops faced Blairville, which was in German hands.

For three months the routine was regular spells in the Blamont trenches followed by billets in Monchiet, Bretencourt and Simoncourt.

It was not all bad as an estaminet at Bretencourt, called Maison des Glaces, made a big impression.

The cafe bar was run by three sisters – Marie, Irene and Adele.

Cpt Crossley noted of Adele: “One of our young officers was her ‘beau cavalier’ and it was a melting sight to see the tender passages between the two.”

Compared to what was to come on the Somme, this was a relatively peaceful area.

He noted: “The enemy and ourselves were usually quiet, operations being confined to reconnoitring patrols.”

We will look at the battalion’s move to the Somme next Tuesday.