LINES OF COMMUNICATION.

Lord French, who was accompanied by two members of his staff, made an early departure from Liverpool-street Station. Amongst those who also travelled by the special train were Lieutenant-Colonel H. W. Thornton ( general manager, Great Eastern Railway), Mr. W. O. May (chief traffic manager), and Major H. Wilmer (chief engineer).

On the platform Lord French inspected a guard of honour provided by the Royal Defence Corps, and conversed with some of the beribboned veterans who have donned uniform again in the time of their country’s need. The duties undertaken by the corps include the provision of permanent guards for viaducts, bridges, and other structures.

There is nothing showy about their work, which may even be suspected of being not a little tedious; but these men – many of whom threw up good situations when war broke out in order to “do their bit” – carry out their duties as if it was the pleasantest occupation in the world to remain attached to one post, perhaps a lonely one at that, year in and year out. The Royal Defence Corps then is doing good work and doing it with a cheerfulness which laughs at monotony.

Amongst the duties which would fall to the Volunteers in an emergency would be the protecting of lines of communication, and as part of their training they receive instruction in the system of patrolling railways. A portion of the route traversed by Lord French yesterday was guarded by Volunteers, and the “rehearsal” supplied yet another proof that any duties tackled by the Volunteers are performed with a conscientiousness which merits the warmest approval.

The Telegraph’s coverage of the First World War up to this point can be found at: telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive